ofcoHrience 13 ç recant .end myheart.That the con fcicnce candoe this it fpeciallyappeares in theconflidand combare made by itagain(1 thedeuill, on this manner- The deuillbegins and difputes thus. Thou, Owretched"inan,arta molt grieuous finner: therefore thou art but adamned wretch. The confcience anfwercth and faith, I know that Chrifl hash made a fatisfaélion for my finnes, and freed me from damnation. The deuill replieth againe thus; Though thrift bath freed thee from death by his death; yet thouart quite barred from heauen, becaufe thou never didfl fulfill the law. The confci- cnceanfwereth; I know that Chrifl is my righteoufnes and bath fulfilled the law for rne. Thirdly the-deuill replies and faith,Chrifls benefits belong not to thee,chouarebucan hypocrite and wanteft faith. Now when a man is driven to this llraight, itisneither wit,norlearning,norfauour,nor honour, that can repulfe this temptation, but oncly the poore confcience dircéled and fari6lified bytheSpirit ofGodwhich boldlyand conftantly anfwereth, Iknow:hat lbrleege. And though it be the officeofthe confcience after k is renued principal- ly toexcufe, yet dorh it alto inpart accufc. When Dauid had numbred the peoplehis heartfmote hi; ., z. Saan.x4. r o. lob faith inhis afíliL`lion that God dadant 6itfir Mirka a matt hrrn, andmadehimpoffele thefamer ofhis youth, Iob i;a6.The reaion hereofis,becaufe thewhole man and thevery con- fcience isenely in pact regenerate, and therefore in force part remainesfiii! corrupt. Neither nsufl it time (Irange thatone and the fame confcience fhould both accule andcxcure, betaufc it cloth it not in oneand the fame refpeet. It excufcch , in chat it aflurcth a man thathisperfon hands righteous before God,and that hebath an indeauour inthe gencrallconrfeofhis life to:plcafe God: it accufc ch him for his particular flippes, and for the wants that bein his goodalions. Ifany !hall dernaund why God doth notperfecîly regenerate the con- fcience andcaufc it onely to excufe, the anfweris this. Goddoth it for the preuentingofgreat mifchiefes. When the Ifraelices came into the landof Isxod.:3.:9. Canaan, the Cananr:eswerenotatthefirflwhollydifplaced. Why?Moles rendreth the reafon,leafl wild beaflscomeand inhabtce force parts of the land, that were difpcopled, and more annoy them then the Cananites. to likemanner God renues theconfcience , but fo as it (hall 11111 accule when occafion ferueth; for thepreventing ofmanydaungerous finnes which like wild beaks would make hauocke ofthe foule. Thus muchofgoodconscience: nowfollows enülconfcience: and that 44.Ofeuill is fo calledpartly becaufe it is defiled and corrupted by originall finne, and conlciencs. partly becaufe it is culli, that is, troublcfome and painefull in our fenfeand feeling; as all furrowes, calamities, andmiferies are, which for this very caute alío are called eualls. And thougheonfetenee be thus tearmedwill, yet bath it fomerefpeas ofgenerall goodnes, in as much as it is an iniirument ofthe execution ofdiuineiutlice;becaufe it fettles toaccufe rhëbeforeGod, 13 whickc
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