5. By Difcourfe of Reafon, fyllogistically, in the Conclufion, Judex. II. What are the feveral Offices of the Confcience? 1. To apply general Truths to ourselves, 2 Sam. xii. 7. Fer. viii. 6. 2. To bear Witnefs of, Rom. ii. 15. 1. GOD's Laws. 2. Our Actions. 3. To comfort us in our Obedience, Ifa.xxxviii.3. 4. To accufe us of Sin, Rom. ii. 15. Rev. xx. 12. 5. To judge, Pfal. iv. 4. 1. Our Actions, Rom.xiv. 22, 23. Lam. iii. 40. 2. Our Perfons, 1 Cor. xi. 31. III. What is it to have a Confcience void of Ofence ? ἀπρέσκοπον συνείδησιν. When our Confcience cannot accufe us of doing any thing Offenfive to GOD or Man. 1. Confcience is GOD's Vice-Gerent in the Soul. 2. Rightly enlighten'd, it dictates nothing but GOD's Commands. 3. All GOD's Commands concern Himself, or else our Neighbour, S. Matth. xxii. 37, 38. 4. When we do what it commands, our Confcience excufeth and comforteth us, 2 Cor. i. 12. 5. It accufeth for nothing but Sin. 6. Therefore when we do nothing Offenfive to GOD or Man, then our Confcience is void of Offence, At. xxiii. 1. IV, How IV. How muft we carry ourselves towards GOD and Man, fo as to have a Confcience void of Offence to both. 1. To GOD. 1. Love Him, Deut. vi. 5. 2. Defire Him above all Creaturės, Phil iii. 8. 3. Seek Him before all Treasures, S. Matth. vi. 33. 4. 5. Believe Him in all His Affertions. Fear Him above all Powers, Jer. v. 22. 6. Truft on Him in all Conditions, Pfal. lxii. 8.. That He will either, 1. Prevent the Afflictions you fear, Pfal. xci. 5. 2. Support you under them, 2 Cor. xii. 9. 3. Sanctify them to you, Rom. Viii. 28. 4. Or remove them from you, 2 S.Pet.ii. 9. 7. Rejoice in Him more than in all Enjoyments, Phil. iv. 4. Habak. iii. 17, 18, 19. 8. Meditate on Him in all Occafions, Pfal. cxxxix. 18. 9. Pray to Him all your Days, 1 Theff. v. 17. 10. Praise Him for all your Mercies, 1 Theff. V. 18. 11. Perform all His Commands, Ecclef.xii. 13. 12. Aim at His Glory in all your Actions, I Cor. x. 31. Rom. xiv. 6. 1. Because He made all Things for Himfelf, Prov. xvi. 4. 2. He is the End of all Things, Rev. i. 8. 2. To Man. 1. To all. 1. Love all, S. Matth. v. 44. Hebr. x. 24. 2. Pray for all, 1 Tim. ii. i. 3. Do Good to all, Gal. vi. 10. 4. Forgive all their Wrongs and Injuries which they do us, Col. iii. 13. S. Luk. xi. 4. 5. Be courteous to all, 1 S. Pet. ii. 17. and iii. 8. Rom. xii. 10. 6. Be juft to all, Mic. vi. 8. 1 Theff. iv. 6. 2. To good Men. 1. Love them above others, because they are, 1. More wife, Eph. v. 15. 2. More just, 3. More lovely, Col.ii. 10. Eph.v. 26, 27. 2. Do good to them especially, 3. To evil Men. 1. Pity their fad Estate, Cant. viii. 8. 3. Ufe all Means to win them to Chrift. USE. 2. By praying for them. 3. By wife Counsel and Advice. Keep your Confciences void of Offence. DIRECTIONS. 1. Get your Confcience regulated by GOD's Word, Pfal. cxix. 105. 2. Get your Confcience directed by His Spirit, Pfal. cxix. 133. S. Joh. xvi. 13. well-grounded 5. S. Pet. i. 12. and fettl'd, Rom. xiv. 4. Do nothing against Confcience, Rom. xiv. 22, 23: 5. Do every thing out of Confcience, Rom. xiii. 5. 6. Avoid fecret as well as open Sins, S. Joh. iii. 20. 7. Choose the greatest Sufferings, rather than do the leaft Sin; for, 1. There is more real Evil in the leaft Sin. 2. The leaft Sin deferves greater Sufferings. 8. Balk no Duty. 1. For Fear, A&t. iv. 18, 19. 2. Favour, S. Joh. xii. 43. 3. Or Interest. MOTIVES. 1. A good Confcience will be a Comfort to us in the midst of all our Troubles, Prov. xv. 15. 2 Cor. i. 12. 2. An evil Confcience will be a Trouble to us in the midst of all our Comforts, Prov. xviii. 14. 3. Unless we keep our Confcience void of Offence here, it will witness against us hereafter. 4. Be our Tormenter for ever, S. Mar. ix. 43,44. 5. But a good Confcience will be our eternal Joy. The End of the Second Volume. |