For the First▪ I would say this in general in the First place, that we are not now speaking of sleepy, erring, dead and hardened Consciences; the Testimony of these is little worth; neither is every thing Conscience that many men think to be so, Conscience must act according to the word, else it withdraweth it self, from that due subordination it standeth in to God, and to his Law; Conscience is obliged to abide and stand by Gods Testimony, but God is not obliged to stand by its Testimony; we would therefore beware of mistaking Conscience, more particularly in the 2d. place, a natural man may have something like a good Conscience▪ and may come the length of these four Steps according to his light, •. He may have a negative good Conscience, that is, a Conscience which doth not actually challenge him, yea, a Conscience that hath no gross thing to challenge him for; he is, it may be, no Murderer, no Adulterer, he designeth no Oppression, nor deceit in his Dealing, &c. and on this ground he possibly thinketh that he hath a good Conscience, though he hath no positive Testimony of a good Conscience all this while. 2. He may someway have a good Conscience, in respect of such or such a particular act, in respect of being free of a challenge on account of a wrong design, of doing such or such a thing, or in respect of moral sincerity and ingenuity; such as was in these men that followed Absalom in the simplicity ⟨p. 45⟩of their heart; and in Abimelech, who, in taking Abraham's wife, meant no evil▪ no• any thing, but what was lawful, and therefore he saith, That in the integrity of his heart •e did it, that is, he had a moral honest design, and was free from grounds of challenge about what others might have been ready to charge him with, as to that action. 3 He may come a great length, as to the duties of the second Table of the Law, so as he may not wrong his neighbour in word nor deed; he may design no mans hurt, he may wish evil to no man; thus very probably it was with that Pharisee, who came to Christ and said, All these have I kept from my youth, the poor man speaks as he thought, not knowing the Spiritual meaning, and extent of the Law; Therefore, when he is bidden sell all and g•ve to the poor, he went away grieved, he had no gross sinister design; it's also said, that Christ loved him, or pitied him as a civil man:
For the First▪ I would say this in generall in the First place, that we are not now speaking of sl•epie, erring, dead and hardened Consciences; the Testimony of these is little worth; neither is every thing Conscience that many men think to be so, Conscience must act according to the word, else it withdraweth it self, from that due subordination it standeth in to God, and to his Law; Conscience is oblidged to abide and stand by Gods Testimony, but God is not oblidged to stand by its Testimony; we would therefore beware of mistakin• Conscience, more particularly in the 2d. place, a natural man may have something like a good Conscience▪ and may come the length of these four Steps according to his light, •. He may have a negative good Conscience, that is, a Conscience which doth not actually challenge him, yea, a Conscience that hath no gross thing to challenge him for; he is, it may be, no Murtherer, no Adulterer, he defigneth no Oppression, nor deceit in his Dealing, &c. and on this ground he possibly thinketh that he hath a good Conscience, though he hath no positive Testimony of a good Conscience all this while. 2. He may someway have a good Conscience, in respect of such or such a particular act, in respect of being free of a challenge on account of a wrong design, of doing such or such a thing, or in respect of moral sincerity and ingenuity; such as was in these men that followed Absolom in the simplicity ⟨p. 45⟩of their heart; and in Abimelech, who, in taking Abrahams wife, meaned no evil▪ no• any thing, but what was lawful, and therefore he saith, That in the integrity of his heart •e did it, that is, he had a moral honest design, and was free from grounds of challenge about what others might have been ready to charge him with, as to that action. 3 He may come a great length, as to the duties of the second Table of the Law, so as he may not wrong his neighbour in word nor deed; he may design no mans hurt, he may wish evil to no man; thus very probably it was with that Pharisee, who came to Christ and said, All these have I keept from my youth, the poor man speaks as he thought, not knowing the Spiritual meaning, and extent of the Law; Therefore, when he is bidden sell all and g•ve to the poor, he went away grieved, he had no gross sinister design; it's also said, that Christ loved him, or pitied him as a civil man:
