Heaven taken

2. They offer violence to conscience. Conscience is God's Preacher in the bosom; and this Preacher cannot flatter: it tells men of their pride, covetousness, abuse of mercy; but they, instead of being violent against their sins, offer violence to conscience: they silence and imprison conscience. But as the Prophet Zechariah, when he was dumb called for a table book, and did write, Luke 1. 63; So when conscience cannot be permitted to speak, it will write: it writes down mens sins; and when at death they shall be forced to read the hand-writing, it will make their hearts tremble, and their knees smite. This I fear is too common, for men to offer violence to their conscience: and what will be the issue? They who will not hear the voice of conscience, shall be sure to feel the worm of conscience.

2. They offer violence to conscience. Conscience is God's Preacher in the bosom; and this Preacher cannot flatter: it tells men of their pride, cove•ousness, abuse of mercy; but they, instead of being violent against their sins, offer violence to conscience: they silence and imprison conscience. But as the Prophet Zachary, when he was dumb called for a table book, and did write, Luke 1. 63; So when conscience cannot be permitted to speak, it will write: it writes down mens sins; and when at death they shall be forced to read the hand-writing, it will make their hearts tremble, and their knees smite. This I fear is too common, for men to offer violence to their conscience: and what will be the issue? They who will not hear the voice of conscience, shall be sure to feel the worm of conscience.

3 They offer violence to God's image. The Saints (who are God's lively picture) are opposed and shot at. This is a cursed violence, Gal. 4 29▪ As he that was born after the flesh, persecuted him who was born after the Spirit; so it is now, Christ himself is stricken at through Believers. The Church hath