CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

2. It's a blessed thing to have this Testimony and Seal upon our hearts, ⟨p. 106⟩that we have glorified God and done his work,¹ because Conscience if ever is then awakened, and the devil he is most busy to tempt and trouble; He that formerly showed only the pleasant bait of sin, will now manifest the hook, He that before said you should not be damned, now makes it necessary, he that made pardon easy, now makes it impossible, and as the devil is thus a roaring Lion, so conscience is a roaring witness within; Thou hast stopped the mouth of it, and muzzled it a long time, but now 'twill speak, and thou canst not make it quiet; Indeed too many die like beasts rather then men; They think not of their sins, they consider not Eternity but drop into hell, before they consider any thing, but yet when death comes commonly there is some terror and trembling upon the conscience, and if ever any sin did formerly sting, it will then: Oh then how blessed a thing is it to have such an argument in our mouths that shall quiet conscience and confound the devil, when they tell thee there is no hope, thou hast been an hypocrite, thou canst bring this testimony out of thy bosom; O Lord, thou knowest though I was overtaken by many infirmities, yet my heart was set to glorify thee; I was tender and careful to discharge all my work, though I failed in many things, this will make thee like Adamant and marble, how much did the consciousness of the integrity which Job had, strengthen him under those powerful storms and blasts that fell upon him.

2. It's a blessed thing to have this Testimony and Seal upon our hearts, ⟨p. 106⟩that we have glorified God and done his work,¹ because Conscience if ever is then awakened, and the devil he is most busie to tempt and trouble; He that formerly shewed only the pleasant bait of sinne, will now manifest the hook, He that before said you should not be damned, now makes it necessary, he that made pardon easie, now makes it impossible, and as the devil is thus a roaring Lion, so conscience is a roaring witnesse within; Thou hast stopt the mouth of it, and muzled it a long time, but now 'twill speak, and thou canst not make it quiet; Indeed too many die like beasts rather then men; They think not of their sinnes, they consider not Eternity but drop into hell, before they consider any thing, but yet when death comes commonly there is some terrour and trembling upon the conscience, and if ever any sinne did formerly sting, it will then: Oh then how blessed a thing is it to have such an argument in our mouths that shall quiet conscience and confound the devil, when they tell thee there is no hope, thou hast been an hypocrite, thou canst bring this testimony out of thy bosome; O Lord, thou knowest though I was overtaken by many infirmities, yet my heart was set to glorifie thee; I was tender and careful to discharge all my work, though I failed in many things, this will make thee like Adamant and marble, how much did the consciousnesse of the integrity which Job had, strengthen him under those powerfull storms and blasts that fell upon him.