A37045:84
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.
And as it is thus with a guilty Conscience, so it is with a Conscience absolving, it will absolve when men condemn as we may see in Paul here; when men give in a libel and accuse, it will discharge, as Acts 23. 1. Men and brethren I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day: and when Conscience hath absolved it maketh cheerful, as 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, &c. And 1 John 3. 20. If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God: So then we see Conscience hath these Three great uses and ends, 1. To keep people in ⟨p. 11⟩awe of God, and of his greatness, and to keep them in mind that they must give an account to him. 2. To hold them at their duty, and they should be very loath to contradict it. 3. If duty be neglected, to record all their faults, and to accuse and sentence them therefore, and never to leave pursuing them, for Conscience will continue as a worm in hell gnawing for ever and ever.
And as it is thus with a guilty Conscience, so it is with a Conscience absolving, it will absolve when men condemn as we may see in Paul here; when men give in a lybel and accuse, it will discharge, as Acts 23. 1. Men and brethren I have lived in all good conscience before God untill this day: and when Conscience hath absolved it maketh cheerfull, as 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this, the testimony of our conscience, &c. And 1 Iohn 3. 20. If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God: So then we see Conscience hath these Three great uses and ends, 1. To keep people in ⟨p. 11⟩awe of God, and of his greatness, and to keep them in mind that they must give an account to him. 2. To hold them at their duty, and they should be very loath to contradict it. 3. If duty be neglected, to record all their faults, and to accuse and sentence them therefore, and never to leave pursuing them, for Conscience will continue as a worm in hell gnawing for ever and ever.