Heaven upon earth in the serene tranquillity and calm composure, in the sweet peace…

Christians who have such a vigilant and constant attendant as Conscience waiting on them, had much need of watchfulness, that they may be kept in some suitableness of frame for entertaining that companion; Conscience its work, is not only to be advising and deliberating what is to be done, but also to be waiting on when it comes to the acting and performing of what it hath been advising to; and it is indeed no less practic to carry Conscience along in the performing of duty, then it is in taking some pains to consult it, and advise with it at the undertaking thereof, so as we may be answerable to Conscience as to both; oft-times some pains will be taken in deliberating and advising with Conscience what and when we should do, when we will exceedingly relent in taking it along with us in the performance: Whence it frequently comes to pass, that we lose the peace we gained in advising with Conscience at our undertaking the action, by not carrying it along with us in performing: This is the thing which we proposed to be spoken to from this verse, viz. The influence▪ that Conscience hath on mens acting, and the respect that they ought to have to it, not only before they undertake any action, but in, and along the performing of it. The last Doctrine we spoke to from it was, that there is not any action of a mans life, but Conscience is concerned ⟨p. 166⟩in it, and hath something to say concerning it, for or against him; If it were but the speaking of a word, or the asserting of any truth; as we see in this instance of Paul, his Conscience beareth him witness, it hath some-thing to say to him anent his doing it; We cleared this in several, yea rather in all sorts of actions that men have to perform; There being none of them of so little moment, so extrinsic, or so indifferent, but in the performing of them, Conscience ought to be carried along, as having some-what to say for, or against the performer. We shall now add some four or five Observations more from the words; And the first (which we may either take as an Use of the former, or as a distinct Observation by it self) is this;

CHristians who have such a vigilant and constant attendant as Conscience waiting on them, had much need of watchfulness, that they may be kept in some suitableness of frame for intertaining that companion; Conscience its work, is not only to be advising and deliberating what is to be done, but also to be waiting on when it comes to the acting and performing of what it hath been advising to; and it is indeed no less practique to carry Conscience along in the performing of duty, then it is in taking some pains to consult it, and advise with it at the undertaking thereof, so as we may be answerable to Conscience as to both; oft-times some pains will be taken in deliberating and advising with Conscience what and when we should do, when we will exceedingly relent in taking it along with us in the performance: Whence it frequently comes to pass, that we lose the peace we gained in advising with Conscience at our undertaking the action, by not carrying it along with us in performing: This is the thing which we proposed to be spoken to from this verse, viz. The influence that Conscience hath on mens acting, and the respect that they ought to have to it, not only before they undertake any action, but in, and along the performing of it. The last Doctrine we spoke to from it was, that there is not any action of a mans life, but Conscience is concerned