think to accomplish their ends by cutting down and destroying the Scriptures truly God will not bear it but that Word shall be armed against them that they have despised and shall certainly overtake them Zac. 1.6 It may lye upon the ground for a while in the esteem of men but God will cause it again to arise and all the strength of flesh shall fall before it for it is this word that plants kingdomes and plucks them up and God will certainly call this nation to an account for his Word that has been abused by it and turned behind our backs c. Thirdly How should a man keep his judgment pure that his principles be not corrupted First Get a humble and a self denying heart There are two great causes of a mans turning unto errour in the Scripture one is pride and a design to be some body in matter of knowledg 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Si. Magus and therefore Col. 2. They be men puffed up by their fleshly Lusts superbia est mater haereseus una est intentio omnibus haereticis captare de singularitate scientiae Bern. And the other is thereby to compass some worldly end some worldly Lust Rom. 16.19 They serve not God but their own Bellies now that man that seeks the truth of God for the truths sake and neither to gain honour by it before men nor to compass any other worldly end he will not easily be biassed and led away by the errours of the times and if he should be mistaken in any thing we may hope that the truth will be revealed to him in time though we may see him turn aside for the present Secondly Get thy heart filled with the love of the truth and thou wilt not be easily carried from it for the word being received in a good and honest heart Luk. 8.15 it doth abide there and holds out and brings forth fruit with patience Alexander was a companion with the Apostle in his tribulation and sufferings and suffered great persecution for the truth of God and yet proved a Heretick a bitter enemy unto the Gospel a blasphemer and what was the reason Because he had not an honest heart nor an inward love unto the Word that he did teach and profess he put away a good Conscience 1 Tim. 1.20 and he did cherish himself in some known sin and therefore he did make shipwrack of the Faith 2 Thes they were given up to believe that lye because they received not the truth in the love of it if we make truth but matter of talk we shall never be able to stand fast in it or profess it if perfecution arise for the word sake or if false Doctrine be spread we shall be taken with it for it is not Learning but Love that makes a man constant unto the Truth the greatest Schollars have fallen from it and have denyed the truth and the weakest have stood to it and professed it in the time when it was persecuted and it is because the one did know much but the other did love much they had claimed it as their inheritance and therefore no wonder they stood for it but other men concern themselves for it but as Lawyers do other mens evidences and therefore they care not greatly which way the Cause goes when it comes to a hearing and debate for they have their Fee before hand for their labour so it is easie to loose that out of a mans head that he never had in his heart nor never cared to have c. Thirdly Get your hearts well grounded in the principles of Religiligion the doctrine that is according to godliness and stick to that there is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12. ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 6.17 a patern of wholesome words 2 Tim. 1.13 and let the foundation be throughly laid lay some truths for granted do not question all things for if so it 's no wonder if a man deny all things or if he ever believe and receive any thing Acts 20.30 there shall arise of your own selves men speaking perverse things to draw away Desciples after them c. But I commend you to God and the word of his grace 2 Pet. 2.1 2. they shall bring in damnable heresies and many shall follow their pernicious wayes but be mindfull of the words of the Prophets and Apostles give heed to them as to a light shining in a dark place and keep close to the Ministry thereof Ephes 4.11 he hath given some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangilists and some Pastures and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ c. that henceforth we should not be as children Cant. 1.7 if we would not turn aside to the flocks of the companions go forth and feed thy Kids beside the shepherds tents c. which I fear is no small ground of the design of Satan in decrying the Scriptures and Ministry at this day Fourthly Take heed of affecting curiosities in Religion and to dote upon questions that minister strife and not edifying for by these many men are seduced and subverted indeed there is no truth of God but is precious and things revealed belong to us and our children and whatever things are written are written for our learning and we should desire to be filled with all the knowledge of his Will Col. 1.9 but yet there is a desire of knowledge that is dangerous even in the things of God First when neglecting the great things and they that are necessary all our enquiries run out into niceties and lesser things 1 Pet. 2.1 2. as new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby and John 16.12 I have many things to say to you but you cannot bear them now they will do you harm they will do you more harm then good because you are not capable to receive them Rom 14.1 we read that a man weak in the faith is not to be admited into doubtfull disputations and therefore he should not thrust himself into doubtfull disputations Secondly when men desire knowledge in the general that is only for knowledge sake and not that he may be perfect throughly furnished to every good work c. it is the doctrine that is according to godliness that we should desire and if the end of any thing in Religion be in knowledge only and it rests there thou wilt easily be corrupted for knowledge is the bait with which thou wilt be taken Col. ◠if it be but a show of wisdom only which does not lead to practise it will come to nothing for the end of the truths of God being revealed to us is not for our talking but doing not for the showing forth of mens parts but their graces and vertues Fifthly Receive nothing of Religion upon credit and the authority of man be he never so learned and never so
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I do not speak this with my mouth and my conscience gives me the lye but Conscience speaks the same thing and joint with me in the testimony 2 Cor. 12. This is our rejoycing the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the World but more especially to you-ward c. Conscience brings his carriage towards them to the rule and judges of it to agree and to be consonant thereunto and therefore gives testimony within him and into this Court the spirit of God commonly comes to assist conscience to pronounce the sentence For conscience is defiled and so over-awed and bribed and blinded by lust that it cannot many times pronounce a right sentence till the Spirit of God comes into the Court and acts Conscience and causeth it to judge aright of his estate and and wayes also and therefore Rom. 9.1 My conscience bears me witness in the Holy Ghost the Holy Ghost doth witness with Conscience and Conscience in the power of the Spirit does witness to the man so in a wicked man it is a Spirit of bondage that is does cause Conscience to witness bondage which else by reason of the self love and self flattery that is in the man it will never do and in a godly man it witnesseth grace and adoption which of it self it can never do and therefore the spirit is a witness in Heaven and in earth also even in a renewed Conscience the spirit does 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We come now to give the reasons or the grounds of the point which will be best done by answering these Questions First As inordinate love unto a mans self has been the great cause of all a mans sins 2 Tim. 3.2 So it is self loathing that is the cause of all a mans Torment a man shall be a burden to himself Job 7.20 A terror to himself Jer. 20 4. As by self love they have corrupted themselves so by self loathing they shall torment themselves for ever and so the Lord will take the same way in punishing that they have taken in sinning That the sin that a man hath here taken most pleasure in shal hereafter be to him the matter of his his greatest torment as we see it here immediately as soon as God does awaken the Conscience there is no sin so dreadful to a man as his darling and he fears nothing like that which he has most loved and desired so it will be hereafter in a mans punishment also as nothing was so loved admired and deifi'd as himself so there shall be nothing that he shall loath and abhor like himself for ever and answerable to a mans self love so will his self loathing be for Revel 8.8 so much pleasure so much torment No sin wil will pierce Herods heart like to his rodias And there is no sin that a man spares more here than his darling and there is none will be more cruel to them hereafter and as a worm feed upon their hearts and eat up their inward man for ever and so it is in it self also as there is nothing they have loved more and spared more here they have wholly been cruel unto others but unto themselves sparing they shall not be so hereafter but above all others they shall be cruel to themselves for ever Quest 2d Secondly Seeing God will torment a man by himself why is the main of a mans torment in his Conscience above all other faculties It is true that as every faculty hath been filled with the fruits of all unrighteousness so every faculty shall be a Vessel filled with wrath but above all others why the Worm in the Conscience Answ First Because it is the spirit of the man and that wherein his main strengh lyes Prov. 18.14 Secondly Because it is the tenderest part of the soul it 's resembled to the eye Matth. 7.3 And therefore most sensible it is capable of more torment than any other of the faculties and powers of the soul what soever Thirdly There the Lord will inflict the punishment where the sin mainly is now of all the faculties of the soul there is none so defiled as the Conscience Tit. 1.15 For the guilt of all the sins of the whole soul is there Jer. 17.1 Heb. 9.4 There are the Treasures of sin therefore there wil the Lord power out the Treasures of wrath c. Quest 3. Thirdly But if the Lord will torment the Conscience why doth not the torment rest there But he will make that the instrument to torment the whole man Why shall that do it rather than the wil or affections c. But the torment of the whole soul must come in by the Conscience this is the Flood gate or as I may call it the Funnel of wrath Answ First Because God has given unto Conscience he greatest honour in the soul and has exalted it above all other powers and abilities of the soul whatsoever The main of the Image of God was stampt upon it at first if we judge by the renewing of it for the great effect of redemption is there Heb. 9.14 And of renovation also Ephes 4 23. It is called the Spirit of the mind 1 Thes 5.23 The Spirit Pro. 18.14 It is to be referred ad illam partem que nobilissima est Calv And therefore the main work of Sanctification lies in the Conscience a pure Conscience Now the Image of God in Sanctification is renewed therefore where this Image is most renewed there it was most planted for we are renewed according to the Image of him that created us And the main thing that God respeâ—â—s in all Ordinances Heb. 9 8. is to make the man perfect according to his Conscience and that is Conscientiam puram pacatam râ—ddere to pacifie it and purifie it this is the perfection of the Conscience and the perfection of the Conscience is the perfection of the man Now that which was the great glory of the soul that shall be the shame of it God will turn a mans glory into shame and that which should have been his perfection that shall become his torment for ever Secondly Conscience has the greatest Office and power and authority in the soul it is Gods Vicegerent every man is as it were a petty Kingdome and as God has set Princes upon earth in their several Kingdomes so he has in the man also and he has committed unto Conscience the whole Law of God and the whole duty of man and Conscience is that in joyns it upon all the faculties and that sees it executed Rom. 13 5. You must be subject that is not only ratione externae coactionis but internae obligationis Conscience is subject unto none but God but the whole soul is put in subjection unto the Conscienceâ— and let men the greatest upon earth command yet if Coscience gives it non plaeet it is no law in the man it shall never be obeyed Dan.
prize of the high calling and it is some ground that I have got already something that I have attain'd but yet it is but a little but upon a hope that I shall have him that indeed is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in my eye therefore I strive with all my might and press hard to the mark c. And thus the blood of Christ gives an efficacy unto all the precepts and the promises of the Gospel and they are all of them by this means of a cleansing nature they do purge the Conscience they have all a cleansing property Fifthly The blood of Christ doth purge the Conscience by sprinkling all means that it shall tend unto a mans purification that as by sin all things do become means to defile the Conscience so by the blood of Christ all things shall become means to purge the Conscience Tit. 1.15 Unto the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but even their mind and Conscience is defiled For under the law the sprinkling of the blood was not onely upon the person but upon the book and the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministery Heb. 9.19 Implying that none of these would have been instruments of purging of the Conscience if they had not themselves been first purged by the blood of Christ But what are the means that thus purge the Conscience First The word of God Ephes 5.26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of Water by the word and John 15.3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you c. Mens Consciences are purged by it but yet in it self it will increase the defilement as unto all unregenerate men it does Heb. 6.7 The ground that drinks in the rain that comes oft upon it and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth blessing from God But that which bears thorns and briers is rejected and is nigh to cursing And yet if Christ sprinkle it with his blood it will surely purge the Conscience and all the purging vertue that the word has is because his blood was sprinkled with the blood of the sacrifice Secondly All other ordinances also 2 Cor. 3 3. First that of the ministery ye are our epistle and though ye have Ten thousand instructers yet not many Fathers but I have begotten you through the Gospel Now even this ordinance that was appointed for their cleansing will but increase their pollution of themselves if their uncircumcised heart should rise against the message they bring them to believe in the blood of Christ and then God in judgment says to his ministers go make the heart of this people fat let their hearts be hardened and their spirits rise against it that hearing they may hear and not understand least they be converted and I should heal them the Lusts of men are thereby the more exasperated and drawn forth as it did in the Pharisees under Christs ministery their enmity did rise to the sin against the Holy Ghost besides Blasphemy against the son of man but that the ministery is effectual to any souls it is onely the sprinkling of the blood of Christ upon all the ordinances thereof and it will purge if Christ in it sit as a refiner of silver in his shop and do concurr in the ordinances to their refinement Thirdly The example of the Saints are a means of purging the Conscience Phil. 3.17 Be followers together of me and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample c. When a man doth observe unto what a pitch of holiness and purification the Saints of God have attained as the example of Christ so of the saints also such pressing forward to more spirituality such growth in grace and in knowledg such love to all Saints this is a great means to raise the hearts of them that fear God to give all diligence to be as they were holy in all manner of conversation But yet they will be a means of pollution of themselves even these glorious examples of Christ and his followers if not sprinkled with the blood of Christ and as the Pharisees looking upon the holyness of the Saints they were the more inraged so the more lively men do see holyness in the practise of it they hate it so much the more Fourthly Hos 2.6 Jer. 31.18 Isa 18. Afflictions When the Lord sends it upon any of his children this is all their fruit to take away their sin but yet afflictions will of themselves purge no mans Conscience but rather defile it as we see how the rage of mens spirits are drawn out by it as King Ahaz sin'd yet more the more he was afflicted and Revel 16.9.10 They did gnaw their tongues with pain and did blaspheme the God of Heaven but repented not of their evil deeds bray a Fool in a Morter and yet his folly will not depart from him but yet if Christs blood do sprinkle our crosses they shall be as corasives to eat out the proud flesh and they shall tend to heal him whom they had wounded Fifthly Sometimes the Lord will do it by sins in giving him up to some publick open and scandulous fall as he did with David lets him fall into that great evil of murder and adultery and that made him to wash himself throughout and it was a means to keep him low and to preserve him from sin all his life time after and we have the like instance in Peter in denying the Lord and cursing and swearing that he never knew him when thou art converted says Christ to him strengthen thy bretheren for he would be the stronger afterwards as a bone broke c. and the less apt to fall into sin Surely sins of themselves being filthiness it self cannot purge but will defile but yet sprinkled with the blood of Christ they shall be an occasion of purging Sixthly Sometimes the Lord will do it by leaving a man to the winnowings of Satan in some furious and violent temptation Satans aim is thereby to sift out all grace and to leave nothing but chaff in the soul for we fight not against flesh and blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things that concerne Heaven and Eternity and commonly men are foiled by them and are the more filthy by a touch of the wicked one 1 John 5.19 But when the Lord doth sprinkle a temptation with the blood of Christ it shall be a means to purge the soul and the poyson of it shall be tempered into a wholesome medicine as it was unto Paul * A Messenger of Satan c. 2 Cor. 12.7.8 It is sometime purging and sometimes preventing Physick to keep the soul from being lifted up c. The same may be said of mercies and of all the dispensations of providence for all shall work together for good that is for a mans spiritual and eternal good because they are all yours Creatures and providences
and filthy doctrines and by this means and by Satans assisting them in their doctrine and backing it with miracles and great works they shall gather together the Kings of the earth against the Church of God to their own destruction and final overthrow surely therefore there is a great deal of danger that a man may be deceived and his judgment may be corrupted because it is the last refuge of Satan that he has to uphold his kingdome by sending forth unclean spirits Thirdly Most men unto whom these spirits come Heb. 5.13 they find them children for he that is unskilful in the word of righteousness he is a babe and therefore being children in understanding Ephes 4.14 and not men grounded in the principles of the doctrine of Christ therefore they are tost to and fro with every wind of doctrine tossed as a wave and carryed about as a cloud and from these two the Metaphors are taken if the wind be this way the wave is born and the cloud carryed about and if the wind do turn it is blown the contrary way they lead captive silly woman omnes haereses ex gynecaeis is a proverb in the ancient Church and the more ingnorant any people are the easier are they turned away from the truth and the sooner do they give ear to fancies and fables and he that shall consider the ignorance of our people in the principles of Religion and that in a great many of those that profess Religion and think themselves to be knowing Christians and yet have but only a general and a smattering confused knowledge and a man would be far from wondering that so many were corrupted but rather he would wonder that all were not taken captive by Satan Fourthly False teachers use a great deal of artifice to that end that they may deceive and they do it under the fairest shows and the most specious pretences Antichrist Rev. 17.3 gives the wine of her formention in a Golden Cup that is that by which it is offered unto the world it is a very alluring and taking way and as a Harlot whose lips do drop as the hony-comb and all is under a show of love unto Christ and a colour of love to you a pity to see you so deceived there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 16.18 all under great pretences of holiness there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is a great deceit as in the most deceitful Play and they are cunning Gamesters and there is a subtilty and deep craftiness of men that go by method and bring in one thing after another Eph. 4.24 and there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 2.3 feigned words some made words and a kind of coined language that sounds finely but put it together and it signifies nothing but the meaning is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they do make merchandize of you and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 2.18 they give out something that shall be as a bait some pretences of liberty some shows of a greater Communion with God and a nearer approach unto Christ and with this bait you shall be taken when in the mean while the book is not seen and sometimes brought to you under great shows of holiness in the men they come to you in sheeps cloathing as if they were Sheep though they be Wolves and the Ministers of Satan transform themselves into the Ministers of Righteousness 2 Cor. 11.13 14. for such are false Apostles deceitful workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ and no marvel for Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of light c. Rev. 13. and we know that Antichrist when he rose had two horns like a Lamb and Austin saith of Pelagius Nomen Pellagii non sine lande posui quia vita cita ejus à multis praedicabatur Yea Satan doth creep into Peter himself and he may be corrupted and Barnabas also with that dissimulation for they shall deceive if it were possble even the very elect though totally and finally it is not possible but yet they may far deceive them for indeed there be many that hold the foundation and whose souls may be saved in the day of the Lord yet may build Hay and Stubble upon the foundation and therefore we should leave room for charity towards some who have not had that touch of Satan upon their spirits that others have and endeavour to pluck them as firebrands out of the fire that they may not wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction but pray that the Lord would deliver them from the temptations and seducements of Satan c. discover his Wiles to them that they may say was there not an errour in my right hand and men are so much the rather to be pityed because being ignorant and unlearned they more easily become the prey of false teachers who are very industrious and laborious and lay out themselves to the utmost Math. they will compass Sea and Land to make a Proselite they compel you to be Circumcised that they may glory in your flesh that is multitudine sequacium in the multitude of their Desciples and followers some men think it is an excellent thing to be the founder of a new sect as they said of Paul Acts 24.5 he was a ring-leader of the sect of the Nazarenes I know that many say this by way of reproach to the people of God that would walk out of conformity to the world that they are but sectaries and brand them dayly with new names and new light c. because they would not have their old darkness be discovered but this is but one of the fig leaves of Antichrists covering which shall fall off from him and he shall fly away naked and men shall see his shame notwithstanding Lastly There is a mighty power of Satan and an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that goes along with them 2 Thes 2.9 as soon as Antichrist did but appear in the world by and by all the world wandred after the Beast and received his Image and his mark in their right hand and in their foreheads men will he quickly engaged to profer themselves in such a way and having received the mark in the forehead they will receive it in their right hand to defend it and stand for it so that a man would wonder to see men so soon turn'd after another Gospel and their words fret as a Gangrene or a Cancer that doth quickly infect all that comes near it and we may see what strong poison this liquor of Antichrist is and what a deceit it is by the power of it not only upon the ignorant but upon the learned and not only upon them that were a lump fit to receive any leaven but even those that were counted and we may hope to be Godly men of eminent parts and great abilities and men that have done great services and shine
heed of some special sins that above others do most defile the Conscience though indeed all sins defile the Conscience but some sins are of a more bewitching and a more defiling nature then others as First Secret sins will provoke God to give thee up to the judgment of a defiled Conscience as he did Judas because he was a Devil Secondly Idolatry Take heed of hankering after that abomination either to worship an Idol a false god or the true God in a false manner and it is this last that you are most in danger of therefore let it not be said of any of you you know not what you worship but be able to say we know what we worship and how we worship God in spirit and truth and do not set up mans post by Gods post away with all traditious and inventions of men in the worship of God If you would keep Gods presence observe his order let all be done according to the pattern to the Law and to the Testament c. Else God may in just judgment send us strong delusions to believe lies which I fear is like to befall many of this nation who have not received the truth in ths love of it Thirdly Take heed of drunkenness and Whoredome Hos 14.12 Whoredome and Wine and new Wine Prov 2.19 take away thy heart none that go unto her return again neither take they hold of the paths of Life c. Flee fornication and be not drunk with Wine there is a woe to the drunkards c. Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge These sins besot men c. Lastly Be much in a secret judging of your selves and in a private examination Hag. 1.7 the Lord saith consider your ways and set your hearts upon them and turn in upon your actions and overlook them again bring them to the Light prove your selves and judge your selves and do it often there is a daily judicatory to be erected a cultus conscientiae which a man should be busied about every day Matt. 25.7 Then all those Virgins arose and trimmed their lamps the wise as well as the foolish c. Ego de terrenis negotiis simpliciter accipio Calv. Whilest men are in this World there is a daily defilement that will cleave unto them a squallor there will be something out of order that there must be a daily and a continual triming the wise as well as the foolish Virgins must be found in it and truely if a man neglects it but a while and keeps not a constant course in it a man shall find a strange averseness in his spirit thereunto all his life after for the way to sin's defilement is mainly by insensibleness a man is hardened by the deceitfulness of sin and walks with God at a venture and truely if Satan brings a man to that once he hath prevailed very farr and will exceedingly defile the man We have spoken of keeping a good Conscience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 towards God let us now come to consider also what it is for a man to keep a good Conscience towards man for both these must go together he must keep a good Conscience in all things as was hinted formerly and be holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a dead fly spoils the whole Box of Oyntment and a good Conscience is like to the eye it hates motes and they disquiet it as well as beams It 's an errour in the common sort of men to think all Religion lyes in their just and upright carriage towards men as the Pharisees did and to such I say doth your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the cribes and Pharisees if not you shall never enter into the Kingdom of God c. Indeed there is a civil honesty a sweet and an ingenious carriage towards men that is very lovely and these are commonly called the worlds Saints and indeed they have nothing amongst them appears so pleasing Mar. 10.21 Christ loved the young man and yet peculiar Grace he had none for he was under the reigning power of covetousness and therefore there was something in him that was more general for which Christ loved him he had restraining grace and a sweet outward carriage that even the spirit of God had wrought in him habent filii concubinarum sua munera c. and yet Christ said to him for all these accomplishments one thing thou lackest c. and if thou walk never so uprightly before men that thou be esteemed the worlds Saint and thou couldest bring a testimony of thy good behaviour from all the ingenious men of thy age yet without an inward work of grace and regeneration and a heart inlivened by a spirit of faith so that all these works flow from union with Christ and from a principle of love wrought in thee to God truly all that thou dost is abominable to God in non renatis non solum peccata sed bona opera sunt mortalia for fides est caput bonorum operum and if that be wanting all of it is but nature improved and new dressed and so can never please God semen naturae non consurgit in fructum gratiae for a mans duties do proceed from the same principles that his sins do and there must be a renewing in the spirit of his mind before God accepts any service of him And there are some men do turn to the other extream and they say that all obedience is mainly towards God and therefore they are much in prayer and hearing and run from Ordinance to Ordinance and they do speak much also of keeping a good Conscience before God but yet they are negligent and loose in their carriages towards men they are as censorious and unjust and deceitfull busie-bodies in other mens matters proud boasters false accusers whisperers c. Yet these men would pass for Saints and think themselves in the highest form of professors Now this is a sure rule a pure Conscience though he cannot keep all the commandments of God yet he has a respect unto them all as Psal 119.6 with a care to walk answerable unto them and there is none that he doth wholly neglect as the word in the Hebrew signifies that man therefore whose profession for God is never so high and talkes never so much of having a good heart to Gods word and would be accounted in his religious duties even Angelical he prays much hears much fasts much c. Yet if he practise it not in his particular place in his relations in his shop in his dealings with a man I shall strongly suspect that man of hallowness and hypocrisie how ever he may tip his Tongue like a Saint yet he may boldly be reckoned amongst the sinners and such are spots in our feasts c. Now To stir you up to this Duty of keeping a good Conscience towards men let me exhort you to observe these particulars First Take special care of the souls that are committed to your