I 554rVl Treatife of Confcience. I rcconcilia;ion with G~d in Chrill, f~>r this:s A cellent giftsofGod flourifhir.g:& whereco 1;_ a Confc. bona non fiarcUm ropofito c~;cahdJ. I the root ofgood confctence,as hathbm fhewfciencedecaies,thcy alfodecay• .Againe oood cd .Now .this fairl~ isch~rHhtd ~nd confirmt'd confcience giucs alacrity vmo vs,& boidbnefie by the datly cxemfe of muccanon and repenin calling ou Gods nanir, r.loh. 3.2J. /four ! tan~c; whicl1 be,to bumble our felues, to behe~ncondmm111s not,wre•haue bo!dn1fe tcw,;rds I waile a11d confeil~: our finnes to God, to conGod.Thirdly 1 it makesvs patientinatfli.:lionsJ demne our fdues for tbem, to pray for pardon a"d comforts vs greatly: and when by reafon a~d fircngth againfi: ftnne, to praifc God, and ofthe gncnouft1e{fe ofour affliCtion we are gme hun thank' for his daily benefits. And-by confrrained to knct!e on both knees ~nd take the vnfaincd ~nd ferious practift: ofthefe du. vp our crofiC,regeuerare confcienceas afwc:et tics, ~epcntanccand f'a.ith are daily re1med and companion, otlikc agood Simon, Jaies tohis confirmtd. The fecond prcferuatine, is the 0Jouldcr,& helpesrobeareontcnd ofit.Lafrmaintainingofthe righreoufne!fe of agood,only,whennonecan comfortvs, it wit be anamifcienrc: wl!ich rigbteoufndfe (as I haue faid)is ablec~mfortcr,and a friend fpeahing fweetly nothing clfe but aconfrantir.deanoranddefire vnro vs, in the very agony andpang ofdeath. to obey the willof God in all rhings. That this B IV. Not to preferue rhe conlciencc without rightcoufnes may be kept to the end, we mu£1: fpot,is the way todefperation.Icis thepolicie pra<tife 1hree rulos. The fitfr is,that wea~e to ofthe diuell, ro vfe meanestocafr the confdcarrie in our hearts aapnrpofe ntuer to finne en'e into the fleepe offCcurity , that hee may again£1: God in anytbing;for where 2 purpofe the more ealily bring man tO hisowne deftruis ofcomn;i.tingany finne wittingly and wiltlior.. Foras difeafes,ifrhey be long ncgleaed lmgly , thtre is neither good faith nor good bcl:ome ii:cmable,fo the confcicnce much aed confaience. The fccondis,towalkewirh God often wounded, admits little or nocomfort, as cnochdid, Gen. 5.H· which is,to order the Neit~er will it alwaies boot aman,aftermany whole courk ofour liues,as in the prefence of yeares,to fay at the!aft cafr,Lordbe metcifull God,delittngro approoue all our doings wer to me, I haue finned. Though fome be receivnto lum.Now this pcrfwafion,that wherefoued to mercy in the time ef death, yet farre cuer we are, we doe frand in the prefenceof more perifh in defperation, that liue in their God, is anotable means to maintaindincerifins wittingly & willingly,again£1: their owne tic.Gen,l7•lol am GodaOfojficimt,walk!befo" conlder;ce. 'Ph"'.ah,Saul,and /Htlas cryed all me& beperfeCI. And tire wamofthis,is theoc. peccani, 1haue finned again£\ God:yet Pharaoh calionofmany offences: •• .Abraham faid; be. c is hardenccl more aod more, and ddpaireth: '"•fi I tko11ght furely thefeare ofGodi4not int hi; Saul goethon in his finne and defpaireth: 1~- J>Ince,they willjlaymeformywiues faf<!, Gen.2o. d.umade awayhimfelfe. Andnomarudl,foc 11. Tht third rule is,carcfully to walkein our the multitude offins oppreffe the confcience, particular calliugs,doingthe dutits thereofto and make the heart to ouerflow with fuch a tileglory ofGod, to the good ofthe common meafure ofgricfc,thatitcan fafreu noaffiance wcalth,and the edification ofthe Church: ainthcmercyof God. Laftly, they thatOJail uoydir.g therein fraud, couctoufiJc!fe,andamn•glea tokeep good confcience,procute mabition, which caufc men oftentimes to fet ny hurts, anddangers, & iudgemeutsofGod their confcienccs on the toJCers, and make tothemielues. W!.c:naf11ipisonthc.fealifitbe them fl:retch likechcucrill. not wei gouemed,or iftlttrebeabreach made Thus we fee how good ~onfcience may bee into it;itdrawes water,and fiokes:and fo both preferucd. Rc•f6s to induce hereunto are;ma· men, and wares, and all in likelihood arc call ny. I. Gorlsfrraitcommandement. ,.Tim,,. away. Nowweareallpa!fengers; the world '9· Keepefaith andgoodconfoimce. And Pro"+ is an huge fea, rhreugh ,which we mu£1: pa!fe: al• Keeperhinc heart withaa diligence. II. The our fhip isthe confcience ofeuery man,x ,Tim. good confciencci.rhe mo£1: tender part of the D 1·19·and 3•IZ•the wares are ourrcligion and toule;likcto theappleof the cye;which being faluation,andal othcrgiftsofGod.Thercfore pierced by the kail pin that may be, is notonit £lands vs in hand to be alwaies at the helmc, ly blcmifhed,l;ut alto loofeth his fight. There• and to carry our fhip with a.euen a courfc as tore,as God doth to the eie, fo mull we deale pofsibly we can,tothe intended~rtofllappiwith the confcience.God giues to the cie cer. •cs,which is the faloation ofour faults. Butif taine lidsofflefh, to defend and couer it from fobe it we grow carele!fe& make breachesin obtward iniuties:and (o muft wevfe means to the Jhip ofconfcience, fi1tf<ring it to dafh vpauoyd whatfc<.:ucr may ofi'e,,d or !l.r1Hoy con on the rocks offin,itis athcu{and to one)that fcience. lii. Manifold benefits redound vnro we in theend fhail caftaway ourfelues and ail vs in kfleping goodconfdcnce. Firll: fo long-as we haue. ~nd in the mt~ne fcafon as confci· we haue care to herpit, we keep and enioyall ence dccates, fo proportionally allgraces and othergiftS:ofGnds fpirir.Goodc6fcienceand ~oodoc!fe goe froa1 vs: Gods commandetherefl:ofGodsgraces,arcasapatrcofturtle lmenrs begm to be vtlc vnto vs; t~eknowdoues,wheil the qne fe.des,the other feedeth, ledge thereof,as alfe fatth,hope,and the moo. whCrhconehkes nor,thcmherlikesnot,whC cst1on of Gods oaQle, decay•. Expenence theonedics,theotherdics:fo wheregood ~6fncwcth that meo of exceilentgtfts by vfing {ciece is mainrainc:d, tltcrc arc many other exbad confcience,lofe them alf. FINIS.
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