344 S E R M O N S upon Serm. X GI V. reproaches are a warning from God, it a ð in his name, and citeth us before his Tri- bunal ; and therefore we muff not fmoth fkr, and put off troubles of confcience, till God put them away; partly, becaufe of the rule it goeth by, which is the law of God, evi. dent, either by the light of nature, Rom. 2, 15. Which jhemeth the workef the law writ- ten in their hearts ; their confciènces alto bearing them witnefi, and their thoughts in the mean while either accnfng, or elfe excsfing one another. Or by the light of Scripture, Prov. 6. 22. Bind my. Commandment on thy heart ; when thou goeli, it (hall lead thee. ', when thou fleepefl, it Aid keep thee ; when thou walkeft, it (hall walk with thee ; It doth but repeat over the law of God to you ; it will be heard once , better hear it now, while you have opportunity to corral your error. 2. Tae matter mutt be difcuffed, that you may refolve to do, as the cafe [hall re- quire. t. In fome cafes there is an appeal from Court to Court. Li what Court doth con- fcience condemn you ? In the Court of the Law? you ought to fubfcribe the condemna- tion is ju[t, to own the defert of fin; and if God [hould bring. it upon you, he is righ- teous, Nehem. 9. 33. Them art jufi in all that is brought upon us, for thou haft done right, but we have done wickedly. But there is a liberty of appeal from Court to Court : you` may take San &nary at the Lords Grace, and humbly claim the benefit of the New Cove- nant, Pfal. 130. 3, 4. If thou, Lord, fbouldeft mark iniquity, 0 Lord, who fhall fond ? but there is forgivenef with thee, that thou fbouldeft be feared. And Pfal. rÆ3. 2. And enter not intojudgment with thy fervant, for in thy fight (hall no man living be juflifiod. Depre- cate the fir[t Court, and beg the favour of the fecond. 2. In other cafes there is an appeal from Judge to Judge. Suppofe confcience condemn you in the Gofpel Court, that you are not a found believer; the cafe mutt not be lightly paired over; but you muff examine, whether there be a fincere bent of heart in you to- wards God, yea or no: When others queffion or impeach your ftncerity, you appeal to Heaven, as job did, My witnefi is in Heaven. The cafe is fomewhat different, when your own hearts queftion it : but yet you muft fee, whether the judgment of confcience be the judgment of God. Confcience is a Judge, but not the fupream Judge; It may err both in acquitting and condemning : in acquitting; when from a Judge, it becom- eth an Advocate, excufing the partialities of.our obedience: So in condemning; when from a Judge it becometh an Accufer, and exaggerateth incident frailties beyond mea- . lure. God may fometimes fpeak peace in the fentence of his word, when he doth not in the feeling of confcience. Beg of God to interpret your cafe : our fincerity is belt interpreted by a double teflimony ; 'cis well if it be fo clear, that a tingle one ferveth turn, Rom. 9. 1. 1 fay the truth in Chrifi, I lie not; my confcience alf bearing me wit. nefs in the Holy Ghófi. And Rom. 8. 16. And the fpirit its felf bearing witnefs with our fpirits, that we are the children of God. 3. Suppofe the worft, that you have no relief by an appeal from Court to Court, or from Judge to Judge, yet there is a palling from (rate to Rate (till allowed us, John g. 24. And fhall not come into condemnation, but is pafed from death to life. You are in.a (hate of condemnation,but you mutt get out of it as fait as you can, take the fame.tourfe that a condemned man would ; What is that ? 1. Acknowledge the Juffice of it, fee you be affe&ed with it ; Chrift juftifieth none but the felt- condemned ; for he came to leek and to fave that which was loft, Luke 18. 13, 14. God be merciful to me a inner. I tell you, this man went down to his houfe juflified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himfelf,(hall be abafed 5 and be that, hum- bleth himftf Jbsll be exalted. You have no plea but that of a firmer. 2. Take heed of reffing in this efface, or going on in your fins: There is fententia lata, but (biota, Ecclef. 8. t t. Becauf fentence again/I an evil doer it not executed fp eedily, therefore the hearts of the fan: of men is fully fet in them to do evil. There is nothing but the (lender thread of a frail life, between you and execution; get it repea l quickly, or you are undone for éòer : Their damnation flumbereth not, 2 Pet. 3.3. d is flow in executing the fentence, as being willing that men fhould repent, yet it will beexe- cured; 'tisevery day nearer, and nearer. 3. Embrace the offer of the Gofpel, and let your felves in the way.of your recovery: Chril bath delivered us from wrath to come, but you muff upon warning flee from wrath to come, Matth. 3. 7. And then that fentence of death, which you have received in
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