A37045:75
Heaven upon earth in the serene tranquillity and calm composure, in the sweet peace…
Heaven upon earth in the serene tranquillity and calm composure, in the sweet peace and solid joy of a good conscience sprinkled with the blood of Jesus and exercised always to be void of offence toward God and toward men : brought down and holden forth in XXII very searching sermons on several texts of Scripture ... / by James Durham.
Edinburgh: printed by the heir of Andrew Anderson, 1685
Title page typeset from the transcription.
HEAVEN upon EARTH in a Serene and Smiling good Conscience. › Sermons on acts n24.16 › Sermon 1
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The second is, That there is a Conscience within every man which takes notice of every piece of his carriage, and is accordingly affected with it, and affects him for it: This is the ground of all that follows, and had need to be more ⟨p. 4⟩particularly spoken unto: This truth then contains these three things, 1. That there is a Conscience in every man that takes notice of every piece of his way and walk, hence it is said to bear witness, 2 Cor. 1. 12. This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our Conscience, &c. and it is also said to accuse or excuse, Rom. 2. 15. it witnesses for men and excuses and comforts them when they do well, and witnesseth against them, accuseth and reproveth them when they do evil; and so is to them as a Check, Captor or Censor: The Apostles aim to have a Conscience void of offence suppons that he and every man has a Conscience, and that it takes notice of every thing, and will take offence if it be a thing that thwarts with it: We shall not in this place stand to debate what Conscience is whether it be a power or a faculty, an habit or an act, which as it would not be much for your edification, so it would transcend the reach of many of you; only in the general we may call it a power wherewith God hath endued the soul of man to take notice of all his thoughts, words and actions. 2. We say •ts accordingly affected with every thing, when the man does right it is pleased, and when he does wrong its offended and wounded, as we may see 1 Cor. 8. 10, 11. so 1 Sam. 24. 5. Its said Davids heart smote him, and Prov. 18. 14. this is called a wounded spirit. 3. As it is affected so it affects the person, when a man has done well, it excuses and clears him, and when he has done evil and wronged it, it challenges and accuses him; in which respect Conscience is called a Judge, pronouncing sentence by absolving or condemning men; Scripture and the experience of all sorts of people and times clear and prove this, 1. The Scripture says of Heathens,