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Testimony of CONSCIENCE,

2 COR. I. Part of the 12th Verse.

For our Rejoicing is this, the Teftimony of our Confcience.

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HERE is no Word more frequent in the Mouths of Men, than that of ConScience, and the Meaning of it is in fome Measure generally understood: However, because it is likewise a Word extreamly abused by many People, who apply other Meanings to it, which God Almighty never intended, I shall explain it to you in the cleareft Manner I am able. The Word Confcience properly fignifies that Knowledge which a Man hath within himself of his own Thoughts and Actions; and because, if a Man judgeth fairly of his own Actions, by comparing them with the Law of God, his Mind will either approve VOL. VIII.

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or condemn him, according as he hath done Good or Evil; therefore the Knowledge or Confcience may properly be called both an Accufer and a Judge. So that, whenever our Confcience accufeth us, we are certainly guilty; but we are not always innocent, when it doth not accufe us; for very often, through the Hardness of our Hearts, or the Fondnefs and Favour we bear to ourselves, or through Ignorance, or Neglect, we do not fuffer our Confcience to take any Cognizance of several Sins we commit. There is another Office likewise, belonging to Confcience, which is that of being our Director and Guide; and the wrong Ufe of this hath been the Occafion of more Evils under the Sun, than almoft all other Caufes put together. For, as Conscience is nothing else but the Knowledge we have of what we are Thinking and Doing; fo it can guide us no farther than that Knowledge reacheth; and therefore God hath placed Confcience in us to be our Director only in those Actions which Scripture and Reason plainly tell us to be good or evil: But in Cafes too difficult or doubtful for us to comprehend or determine, there Confcience is not concernbecause it cannot advise in what it doth not understand, nor decide where it is itself in doubt; but by God's great Mercy, those difficult Points are never of abfolute Neceffity to our Salvation. There is likewise another Evil, that Men often fay, a Thing is against their

ed;

Conscience,

Conscience, when really it is not. For Instance: Ask any of thofe who differ from the Worship established, why they do not come to Church? They will fay, they dislike the Ceremonies, the Prayers, the Habits, and the like, and therefore it goeth against their Conscience: But they are mistaken, their Teacher hath put thofe Words into their Mouth; for a Man's Conscience can go no higher than his Knowledge; and therefore, until he has thoroughly examined by Scripture, and the Practice of the ancient Church, whether those Points are blameable or no, his Confcience cannot poffibly direct him to condemn them. Hence have likewise arifen those Mistakes about what is ufually called, Liberty of Confcience; which, properly speaking, is no more than a Liberty of knowing our own Thoughts; which Liberty no one can take from us. thofe Words have obtained quite different Meanings. Liberty of Confcience is now adays not only understood to be the Liberty of believing what Men please, but alfo of endeavouring to propagate the Belief as much as they can, and to overthrow the Faith which the Laws have already established, to be rewarded by the Publick for those wicked Endeavours: And this is the Liberty of Confcience which the Fanaticks are now openly, in the Face of the World, endeavouring at with their utmost Application. At the same Time it cannot but be observed, that those very PerU 2 fons,

But

fons, who, under a Pretence of a publick Spirit, and Tendernefs towards their Chriftian Brethren, are so jealous for fuch a Liberty of Confcience as this, are of all others the leaft tender of those who differ from them in the smallest Point relating to Government; and I wish I could not fay, that the Majesty of the living God may be offended with more Security than the Memory of a dead Prince. But the Wisdom of the World at prefent, seemeth to agree with that of the Heathen Emperor, who faid, If the Gods were offended, it was their own Concern, and they were able to vindicate themselves.

But although Confcience hath been abused to those wicked Purposes which I have already related, yet a due Regard to the Directions it plainly giveth us, as well as to its Accufations, Reproaches, and Advices, would be of the greatest Use to Mankind, both for their prefent Welfare, and future Happiness.

Therefore, my Discourse, at this Time, shall be directed to prove to you, that there is no folid, firm Foundation for Virtue, but on a Confcience which is guided by Religion.

In order to this, I fhall firft fhew you the Weakness and Uncertainty of two falfe Principles which many People fet up in the Place of Confcience, for a Guide to their Actions.

The first of these falfe Principles is, what the World ufually calleth Moral Honefty. There are fome People, who appear very in

different

different as to Religion, and yet have the Repute of being juft and fair in their Dealings; and these are generally known by the Character of good moral Men. But now, if you look into the Grounds and Motives of fuch a Man's Actions, you fhall find them to be no other than his own Eafe and Intereft. For

Example: You truft a moral Man with your Money in the Way of Trade; you trust another with the Defence of your Caufe at Law and perhaps they both deal juftly with you. Why? Not from any Regard they have for Juftice, but because their Fortune dependeth upon their Credit, and a Stain of open publick Difhonefty must be to their Disadvantage. But let it confift with fuch a Man's Intereft and Safety to wrong you, and then it will be impoffible you can have any Hold upon him because there is nothing left to give him a Check, or to put in the Balance against his Profit. For, if he hath nothing to govern himself by, but the Opinion of the World, as long as he can conceal his Injuftice from the World, he thinketh himself fafe.

Befides, it is found by Experience, that those Men who fet up for Morality, without regard to Religion, are generally but virtuous in Part; they will be juft in their Dealings between Man and Man; but if they find themfelves difpofed to Pride, Luft, Intemperance,, or Avarice, they do not think their Morality concerned to check them in any of these Vices, because

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