A complete body of divinity in two hundred and fifty expository lectures on the…A compleat body of divinity in two hundred and fifty expository lectures on the…

2. IN the Impressions that are made upon the Natural Consciences of men. The Name of •f God is legibly written & engraved on every mans Conscience, and tho' many have used utmost endeavours to raze it out, yet they could never do it altogether. The fool indeed saith in his heart, There is no God; but his Conscience gives him the lye. And let it be well pondered; if man was the supreme Regulator of his own Actions, it would then be in his own power to dictate such Rules, and prescribe such Laws to regulate himself by, as are most suitable to the approbation of his own fancy; yea, he might be a Rule to himself, and in respect of any compulsive law, live as he list, without being inwardly moved, or possibility of having any inward remorse for what he doth; as having the highest appeal within himself. When therefore there appears in men, relenting and remorse at the committing of sin; and when a Natural man hath gone against the light of his Conscience, and broken a Rule which his own inward Conviction told him he should not have done; and now terrors and amazements seize upon him, his Conscience tells him he hath done amiss, and deserves punishment for i•, and especially when the deed he hath done is an injury to no man, nor will expose him to the danger of humane Laws and Penalties, but (it may be) gain him applause of men; when the evil hath been committed by and against himself alone; yea, and when there is no witness in the world against him, to accuse him, not any earthly Tribunal he is in danger of— that yet he should be filled with inward self accusations, and horrid fear: This plainly declares, that there is a supreme Surveyor of the Actions of men. For, if there be a law that rules men, which appears from the bruises of Conscience, which men catch by dashing themselves against it, then there is a law given to see it Executed. It is the Psalmists observation, Psal 53.5. There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee, thou best put them to shame, because God hath despised them. And whence could those Panic fears come, when men are at seeming peace with the world, and no apparent Judgment near them; but from the impressions of a Judgment of God upon them?

2. IN the Impressions that are made upon the Natural Consciences of men. The Name of •f God is legibly written & engraved on every mans Conscience, and tho' many have used utmost endeavours to raze it out, yet they could never do it altogether. The fool indeed saith in his heart, There is no God; but his Conscience gives him the lye. And let it be well pondered; if man was the supream Regulator of his own Actions, it would then be in his own power to dictate such Rules, and prescribe such Laws to regulate himself by, as are most sutable to the approbation of his own fancy; yea, he might be a Rule to himself, and in respect of any compulsive law, live as he list, without being inwardly moved, or possibility of having any inward remorse for what he doth; as having the highest appeal within himself. When therefore there appears in men, relenting and remorse at the committing of sin; and when a Natural man hath gone against the light of his Conscience, and broken a Rule which his own inward Conviction told him he should not have done; and now terrors and amazements sieze upon him, his Conscience tells him he hath done amiss, and deserves punishment for i, and especially when the deed he hath done is an injury to no man, nor will expose him to the danger of humane Laws and Penalties, but (it may be) gain him applause of men; when the evil hath been committed by and against himself alone; yea, and when there is no witness in the world against him, to accuse him, not any earthly Tribunal he is in danger of— that yet he should be filled with inward self accusations, and horrid fear: This plainly declares, that there is a supream Surveyor of the Actions of men. For, if there be a law that rules men, which appears from the bruises of Conscience, which men catch by dashing themselves against it, then there is a law given to see it Executed. It is the Psalmists observation, Psal 53.5. There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee, thou best put them to shme, because God hath despised them. And whence could those Pannick fears come, when men are at seeming peace with the world, and no apparent Judgment near them; but from the impressions of a Judgment of God upon them?