The black book of conscience (2)

by Andrew Jones

For other versions of this work, see The black book of conscience.

THE

Black Book

OF

Conſcience;

OR,

God’s Great and High Court of
Juſtice in the Soul.

WHEREIN

The Truth and Sincerity, the Deceit and
⁠Hypocriſy of every Man's Heart and
⁠Ways are judged and diſcovered by their
⁠Conſciences.
Very ſeaſonable for theſe Times, wherein Wicked
⁠Men, under Pretence of Liberty of Conſcience,
⁠take Liberty to Sin and Blaſpheme.

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By ANDREW JONES.

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⟨Jer.⟩ xvii. 19, 29. ‘The heart is deceitful above all things, and
deſperately wicked, who can know it? I the Lord, ſearch the
the heart, and try the reins; even to give every one according
to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doing.’
⟨Titus⟩ i. 15. ‘Unto the pure all things are pure; but to them
that are defiled and unbelieving, is nothing pure: but even
their mind and conſcience is defiled.’

PAISLEY:

Printed by J. Neilson.

1812.

THE

BLACK BOOK OF CONSCIENCE.

Rev. xx. 12. And I ſaw the dead ſmall and great ſtand before God; and the books were opened: And another task opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of theſe things, which were written in the books, according to their works.

AS there are ſeveral books of God, which he hath written for the good of all the children of men, ſo there are two ſpecial books, by which the Lord will proceed in judgement againſt all the ſons and daughters of men. The books which God hath given to the children of men, for their uſe and comfort of ſalvation, are theſe, firſt and chiefly, the books of the Old and New Teſtament; wherein Jeſus Chriſt, in all his offices, as Prophet, Prieſt and King, for to rule us and guide us, by his Spirit in our hearts, is made known and declared unto us. And there is like-wiſe ſet down therein, how every one of us ought to live and demean himſelf in this preſent world, with ſeveral fearful examples of God’s heavy judgements againſt wicked and notorious ſinners, in drowning the old world for their ſins and wickedneſs; as you may ſee Gen. vi. So like-wiſe in deſtroying Sodom and Gomorrah, by fire from heaven, Gen, xix 24, 25. ‘And the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah fire and brimſtone, and overthrew thoſe cities, and all their inhabitants;’ with ſeveral other fearful examples of God’s heavy wrath and indignation againſt ſin and and ſinners, in general and in particular. All which, as St. Jude ſaith in his epiſtle, are ſet forth for our examples, ſuffering the vengeance of eternal fire.’ Not for our examples, that we ſhould do as they did, but that we ſhould be afraid to do as they did, to commit ſuch ſins, left the Lord lay upon as ſuch, or heavier weights of wrath and vengeance.

So likewiſe, in the book of the ſcripture, is ſet forth the bleſſed and happy ſtate and condition of all the godly, both in this liſe, and the life to come, as you may ſee, Pſ.i.xv, xci, ‘The godly man ſhall be delivered from the ſnare of the fowler, and from the noiſe of the peſtilence, and becauſe he hath made the Lord his refuge, there ſhall no evil befal: So ‘he ſhall give his angels charge over him, to keep him in all his ways,’ ver. 10, 11. The joys that are prepared for the godly, and the torments that are appointed for the wicked, are likewiſe ſet forth there in the book of the ſcriptures; as you may ſee Matth XX. 34, 41. To the godly, ‘Come, ye bleſſed of my father, ſaith Chriſt, inherit the kingdom prepared for you before the beginning of the world.’ But to the ungodly, ‘Depart from me, ye curſed, into everlaſting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.’

Another great book of God, is the book of the creature, containing theſe mighty works both of creation and providence, wherein the almightineſs, power, and goodneſs of God are ſo plainly written, that he who runs may read and ſee it; for, as the apoſtle ſaith, Rom. ix. 20 ‘The inviſible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly ſeen, being underſtood,’ ſaith the apoſtle, ‘by the things that are made, even his eternal power and God-head, ſo that they are without excuſe’ Who but an almighty God could out of nothing create all things; and being created, rule and govern all things? As David ſays, ‘It is nothing but the almighty power and providence of God that bears up the earth, and upholds the foundations thereof.’ And this book even the Heathens, who know not God nor his word, who never heard of Jeſus Chriſt, or ſalvation, are acquainted with: They, I ſay, by ſeeing and reading the mighty works of God in the world, confeſs and ſay, Verily, there is a God, and none but God could create theſe glorious creatures, the ſun, moon, and ſtars.

So likewiſe, there are two ſpecial books, by which God will judge all the ſons and daughters of men at the laſt day; and theſe are, Firſt, The book of his remembrance, written by himſelf; wherein the lives of of men, yea, their very thoughts are recorded, as David ſaith, Pſal. xciv. ii. ‘The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men that they are vanity.’ And Pſal. cxxxix. i,— 4. Saith David, ‘O Lord! thou haſt ſearched me and known me, Thou knowcſt my down-ſitting and my up-riſing. Thou underſtandeſt my thoughts afar off. Thou compaſſeſt my path, and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. There is not a word in my mouth, but lo, O Lord! thou knoweſt it altogether.’ And although the ‘heart of man, as Jeremiah ſaith, Jer. xvii. 9, 10. ‘is deceitful above all things;’ yet God doth exactly know every turning and corner thereof; ‘I the Lord, ſearch the heart,’ ſaith he, ‘I try the reins.’ There is nothing can be hid from his eternal all-ſeeing eye.

And then, 2dly, There is the book of conſcience, in which is exactly written all our actions, thoughts, words, and deeds; and according to this book of conſcience, and what is there written, will the Lord proceed in judgement, and every man’s conſcience ſhall be his own judge. Saith God, What haſt thou done? How haſt thou lived in the world? Why thus and thus have I lived, ſaith conſcience. Conſcience will then ſpeak the truth, and nothing but the truth. O Lord, ſaith a wicked man’s conſcience, I have diſhonoured thy name, I have abuſed thy grace and mercy, in turning it to wantonneſs; I have abuſed thy creatures by waſteful and riotous ſpending, to pleaſe and ſatisfy my luſt, ſaith the prodigal man’s conſcience. And by chambering and wantonneſs, by gaming and dicing away my precious time, ſaith the laſcivious and voluptuous man’s conſcience. Thou gaveſt me times and ſeaſons of grace and mercy, and many gracious opportunites, and ſoul-advantages, whereby I might have wrought out my own ſalvation with fear and trembling; and, as St. Peter ſaith, I might have ‘made my calling and election ſure’ to my own ſoul: But, inſtead of ‘working out my ſalvation with fear and trembling, and making my calling and election ſure,’ I have wrought out my own damnation without either fear or wit, and made myſelf ſure of eternal and everlaſting condemnation, ſaith the mere moral, formal, and profane Chriſtian’s conſcience. Ah! Lord, ſaith the diſſembling hypocrite’s conſcience, I have been but an outſide Chriſtian; I have gone to church, but only as dogs do, for faſhions’s ſake, and to be looked upon and eſteemed among my neighbours: I have made a fhew indeed, and pretence of religion and holineſs; but it hath been but a mere ſhow: I have altogether denied the power and practice of it by my life and converſation, as it is Tit. i. 16. ‘They profeſs that they know God, but in works, they deny him, being abominable and diſobedient, and to every good work reprobate.’ And why ſo? Becauſe, as he ſaith in verſe 15th, ‘their minds and conſciences are defiled.’ Ah! my conſcience told me ſeveral times that I was but an hypocrite, a mere painted ſepulchre, fair without and ſoul within. O! but I would not hear conſcience then, but neglected him. Ah! now my conſcience makes me fear him whether I will or not; therefore, Lord, do with me what thou pleaſeſt: True and righteous art thou in all thy doings towards me; be they ever ſo harſh they are but the juſt rewards of my iniquities And ſaith the covetous man’s conſcience, the gripping, cruel extorting uſurer’s conſcience, Lord, I confeſs, I have been a covetous wretch; but I have not coveted after heaven. It hath been my whole trade to cheat and cozen others, and to grind the faces of the poor; all that I could do to undo others; but alas for me! what have I done? I have quite and clean undone my own ſoul, and that to all eternity. I have been very cruel and unmerciful to others; I would not forgive my poor brethren in the leaſt. O Lord! I deſerve no mercy at thy hands, the hotteſt place in hell would be too cold for me.

What have you done with all your wealth, ſaith God to rich men, all theſe great eſtates and poſſeſſions which I lent you, or rather entruſted you with as ſtewards? How have you improved them? What of them have you laid cut in relieving my poor members? Have you laid up any thing for eternal life? O! no, ſaith conſcience, I have not, Lord, I have not, but this have I done, I have treaſured up wrath againſt the day of wrath. My gold and my ſilver is ruſted, any riches are corrupted, and rich garments moth-eaten, as St. James ſaith, chap. v. 3, 4. ‘My gold and ſilver is cankered, and the ruſt of them is now a witneſs againſt me, to condem me, and eats my fleſh as it were fire.’ And now alſo, ‘behold the hire of my labourers, which have reaped down my field, which I have kept back by frand, crieth; and the cries of them who have reaped, are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.’

I have lived in pleaſure upon the earth, and been wanton, and I have nouriſhed my heart as in a day of ſlaughter. I told you, ſaith conſcience, that for all your greatneſs and delights, you muſt come to judgement and give an account to God of all your actions, and for all your wealth, and how, and which way you ſpent every penny that he lent you. Did I not tell you, ſaith conſcience? True it is, my conſcience told me; but I ſlighted conſcience, as a thing of no value or account. Ah miſerable man that I was! to flight this good voice of conſcience. Wo unto me! my puniſhment is leſs than my iniquites deſerve. Thus and thus will men’s conſciences deal with them before the Lord.

When as Peter denied his Lord and Maſter, his conſcience let him alone once; yea, twice; but the third time the cock crew, and Peter’s heart ſmote him for what he had done, and he went forth and wept bitterly. Peter did not go about to ſtop the mouth of conſcience, as Judas did, and ſo hanged himſelf: No, Peter cloſed with the voice of his conſcience, and ſo by true and unfeigned repentance, obtained mercy.

So likewiſe David, when the prophet Nathan, in 2 Sam. xii. 13. had by the parable of the ewe-lamb, ſhewed David the evil of his ſins, preſently David was convinced in his conſcience, of the horridneſs of his ſins. ‘And David ſaid unto Nathan, I have ſinned againſt the Lord: have mercy upon me,’ ſaith David, Pſal. li. (the pſalm of his repentance) ‘According to thy loving-kindneſs; according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my tranſgreſſions; waſh me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanſe me from my ſin: For I acknowledge my trangreſſions, and my ſin is ever before me Againſt thee, even thee only, have I ſinned, and done this evil in thy ſight.’ David had a very tender conſcience, for, when he cut off Saul’s ſkirt, his heart ſmote him, his conſcience accuſed him, as you may ſee i Sam, xxi. 5. O but how many wicked men are there now, whoſe conſciences tell them over and over, again and again of their ſins, and yet for all that they ſtop their ears againſt conſcience?

how many times doth the beaſtly drunkard’s conſcience, the profane ſwearer’s, the Sabbathbreaker’s conſcience, tell them of their ſins; yet notwithstanding for all the checks of conſcience, they will go on in their ſins, and fill up the meaſures of their iniquities, and ſo make conſcience, to fill up the black ſcroll of indictments againſt them, whereby they are all everlaſtingly condemned, O! if men would be but convicted in their conſciences of the evil of their ways, when their conſciences tell them of it! How many thouſands might be brought home by repentance to life eternal, who now run headlong to their deſtruction! I am perſuaded that many who cozen and cheat, by undermining and overſelling, by uſing falſe and light weights and meaſures cannot chuſe, but meet with many checks from their conſciences. And O that men would be convinced of their great evil.

Hear this, O ye that ſwallow up the needy by falſe weights and meaſures? O be convinced in thy conſcience, make conſcience thy friend now, by forſaking thy evil practices, left conſcience prove thy foe to torment thee for ever. But men, now a-days, inſtead of being convinced in their conſciences of the evil of their ways, are not aſhamed to commit all manner of abominations, and that with greedineſs, and then lay all the blame upon their poor conſciences: And why ſo? It was my conſcience, ſay they. As many of out diabolical Ranters, Quakers and notorious Libertines, in theſe our days, have laid all their impieties and and horrid blaſphemies upon their conſciences. Aſk them but the reaſon why they deny Chriſt and the ſcriptures, and caſt off the ordinances and miniſtry of Chriſt, and live as they lift, and refuſe ſubjection to magiſtrates, and in their actions become worſe than beaſts; why, they do hold ſuch damnable and deviliſh opinions, both againſt God and Chriſt; yea againſt humanity itſelf? Aſk them the reaſon of theſe things, and what do they ſay? It is from the light within us, it is the liberty of our conſciences: And have we not fought for liberty of conſcience? Ah! curſed wretches, the light within you is darkneſs; Is this the liberty of thy conſcience? No, no, this is the liberty of thy luſts, and the deluſions of the devil. Thou haſt feared thy conſcience with a hot iron; but yet at laſt thy conſcience, tho’ thou haſt defiled it ever ſo much, will put the ſaddle upon the right horſe, and charge thee home with all the blame. Is liberty of conſcience, a liberty to ſin ? No, God forbid, ‘Shall we ſin,’ ſaith St.Paul, Rom vi. i. that grace may abound?’ O God forbid, I dare not, ſaith a gracious heart, conſcience tells me I muſt not. ‘How ſhall I,’ ſaith Joſeph, Gen: xxx. 7. ‘do this great wickednces and ſin againſt God? The grace of God,’ ſaith the apoſtle, Tit. ii. ii, 12. ‘that brings ſalvation,’ teacheth men ‘to deny ungodlineſs and worldly luſts, and to live ſoberly, righteouſly, and godly in this preſent world,’ and not to live as we lift, which is a ſign of no grace at all.

A truly tender conſcience will be truly tender of commiting ſin, and will have a circumſpect care over himſelf how he walks and how he lives, that ſo the name of God and Chriſt be not blaſphemed; ‘But, in theſe laft and worſt of times, wherein men,’ as St. Paul ſaith, ‘make ſhipwreck of faith and a good conſcience;’ Men have not minded this at all, but have taken full liberty to commit all manner of ſins. And I pray God that this ſin be not charged upon thoſe, who, inſtead of reſtraining men from ſin, and puniſhing them for ſin, have tolerated them in ſin, if not countenanced them to ſin. But, let men take heed how they ſin, becauſe grace abounds: For, ſaith the apoſtle, Heb. x. 25, 27. ‘If we ſin wilfully, after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more ſacrifice for ſin, but a certain fearful looking for of judgement. For the wrath of God,’ Rom. i. 8. ‘is revealed from heaven againſt all ungodlineſs and unrighteouſneſs of men.’ Read theſe two texts, all ye that take liberty to ſin, becauſe the grace of God hath abounded. How will ye be able to look God and conſcience in the face: certainly you will never be able to do it, unleſs you repent; for if men will ſin willingly, notwithſtanding all theſe checks of conſcience, there conſciences will condemn them before the Lord. For certain it is, there is a conſcience in every man that ſees and obſerves, and takes notice of all his ways, and will keep a juſt account of them, and ſo be a witneſs either for or againſt the ſoul, at the day of judgement. What was it that made the apoſtles ſo joyful in all their troubles and preſecutions? Was it not the witneſs of their conſciences! See 2 Cor. i. 12. ‘Our rejoicing is this,’ ſaith St. Paul, ‘the teſtimony of our conſciences.’ What was it that made Paul and Silas ſing in priſon for joy? Was it not, that their conſciences told them that they were happy and bleſſed men, notwithſtanding all their ſufferings and reproaches.

Now what conſcience is, I ſhall briefly ſhow you, and ſo conclude. Conſcience is a thing with which God endued the ſoul of man by creation, and is for our comfort, if we live as we ought to do; but will be a dreadful terror to them that live and die in their ſins. For this conſcience was in Adam before the fall, tho’ not as a condemner till his fall; for where there is no ſin, what needeth an accuſer? So long as Adam kept the commandments of God, there was no cauſe of conſcience to condemn him: But, as ſoon as Adam trangreſsed, it ſlew in his face, which made him flee from the face of God, as you may ſee, Gen. iii. 7. 8. ‘The eyes of them both were opened,’ their conſciences accuſed them, and they hid themſelves. And this conſcience is only in men and women, for brute beaſts, wanting reaſon, are not capable of conſcience, and the beaſts when they die, there is an end of them. But, it is not ſo with man, for conſcience, in man followeth the man farther than the grave. For, if men might bury their conſciences with them in their graves they might be happy notwithſtanding all their abuſes of conſcience! For man oftentimes, againſt all reaſon, enquiry, or conſcience, doth worſe than the worſt of beafts.

And this conſcience keepeth his court in the heart, and there fits upon the life or the death of the ſoul; and according as he finds every man’s work, ſo doth he paſs ſentence of condemnation or abſolution, for there is no bribing of conſcience. Conſcience will ſpeak the truth of every man’s ways before the Lord, be they good or be they evil: ‘If our hearts condemn us,’ ſaith St. Paul, ‘God is greater than our hearts.’ That is our conſcience.

And God hath given this power to conſcience, becauſe men would have no plea or excuſe before the Lord. It was not Pilate’s waſhing of his hands, and ſaying, ‘I am guiltleſs of the blood of this juſt man,’ that could waſh away the guilt of Chriſt’s blood from his conſcience; Pilate’s conſcience told him, that Chriſt was a juſt man, and that he ſaw no cauſe of death in him at all, Luke xxiii. 24. And yet curſed Pilate, contrary to the light of his own conſcience, delivered the Lord of Life into the hands of bloody men, to be crucified, and ſo brought the guilt of his blood upon his own ſoul.

He that will not endure conſcience to reprove him for his ſins, certainly loves to go to hell without controul; and he that will not endure conſcience to tell him of his ſins here, ſhall, whether he will or not, ſuffer ſufficient torment for his ſins here-after; for an evil conſcience is an hell to the ſoul here, and ſhall be the hell of hells hereafter.

Now then, if there be ſuch a thing in man as conſcience, and that this conſcience; ſhall either juſtify or condemn him, then let every man take heed how he orders his converſation in the world. Do not give leave to yourſelves to think, ſay or do any thing, but what you are willing to own before the Lord at the laſt day. Therefore, let every one of us ſo think, “and ſo do, that we may not have conſcience to condemn us; but let us live as thoſe that expect to have conſcience witneſs for them before the Lord, that with godly ſincerity they have had their converſation in the world. But what multitudes are there in this world, that live as there were no conſcience at all, neither God nor devil, neither heaven nor hell; ‘whoſe God is their belly, and whoſe end is deſtruction,’ as St. Paul ſaith, Phil. iii. 9. ‘Who declare their ſin as Sodom, and hide it not. Wo unto them,’ ſaith the Lord, ‘they have rewarded evil to themſelves,’ Iſa. iii. 6. This may be ſaid of thouſands of us, whole countenance teſtify againſt them, their wantion carriages, painted faces, naked breaſts, powdered locks, and other antic faſhions, teſtify againſt thouſands of both men and women, that they do little mind this great truth, that conſcience can and will declare all their doings to God. Proud Hamans, drunken Nabals, whoring Jezebels, declare their ſin as Sodom, and hide it not. And as for conſcience, they turn him off. But let theſe miſerable wretches know this, as the prophet ſaith, ‘Wo unto them, who have rewarded evil unto themſelves.’ They have a long black, bloody bill, for conſcience to open againſt them at the laſt day of the term of their lives; as ſoon as ever their ſouls are departed from their bodies, ſentence ſhall be paſſed againſt them, according to their light, and the teſtimony of their own conſcience.

Seeing then, conſcience will give an account of every one’s ways, let us not ſlight conſcience; let us not ſtop the mouth of conſcience, ſeeing conſcience can and will ſpeak, and tell us what we are. Many there are that go about to ſtop the mouth of conſcience, when conſcience deals plainly with them, and tells them of their ſins: O! they cannot endure to hear of that. But remember the miſerable end of Judas: What ſaid Judas’ conſcience to him? Thou haſt betrayed thy Lord and Maſter for a little ſilver: Ah covetous wretch! But could Judas’ ſilver ſtop the mouth of his conſcience? No, Judas’ conſcience ſo terrified him, that he flung in the money again, and ſo went and hanged himſelf.

So likewiſe, remember the fearful ſtate of Spira, and many others, whoſe conſcience made them poſſeſs the wrath of God here on earth. ‘A wounded ſpirit.’ ſaith Solomon, Prov viii. 14. ‘who can bear?’ A tormenting and condemning conſcience who can endure? O! there is no reſiſting of conſcience! it is God’s vicegerent in the ſoul: When conſcience ſpeaks threatening language, to many, for ſuch and ſuch ſins, they ſeek to turn conſcience out of doors. But becauſe they cannot poſſibly do this, they ſtrive to ſtop his mouth, by running wilfully into ſins, like men that deſperately give up their ſouls to the devil, and ſo make ſhipwreck of faith, conſcience, ſoul and all for ever. And then followeth (what we have ſeen by woeful experience, ſelf-ſtabbing, ſelf-hanging, drowning, or poiſoning, or ſome ſuch like accurſed end. O conſider this, all ye that forget God, and make no conſcience of your ways; you undermine your own ſalvation.— Men deal with conſcience as Felix did with Paul, Acts xxiv.

15. They will hear conſcience ſo long as he ſpeaks groſs; but, when conſcience tells them roughly of their ſins, their darling ſins; then they have enough of conſcience, and ſo put him off till they be at better leiſure.

When there was no king in Iſrael, every man did what was good in his own eye; ſo, where there is no conſcience alive in the ſoul, men live as they lift. But yet for all this, conſcience will ſpeak home at laſt.

If thou art a drunkard, or an adulterer, or an unjuſt dealer, or whatſoever ſin it is that thou art guilty of, conſcience will make it known. And if at laſt conſcience doth condemn, thou ſhalt never be ſaved. But, on the contrary, though men and devils ſay thou art an hypocrite or the like, yet, if thou haſt the teſtimony of thy conſcience, God will own thee as juſt and righteous. One dram of peace of conſcience is worth a thouſand worlds: What would the damned in hell give for a little of this laſting joy, this peace which paſſeth all underſtanding: The want of this is hell, yea, worſe than hell.

Think upon this, O ye great ones of the world, who live in pleaſure! remember that there is a conſcience, and that there is a God, and that thou haſt a precious and immortal ſoul, which if thy conſcience witneſs againſt, ſhall be thrown into hell. You that eat the fat and ſweet of the earth, and drink wine in bowls, and clothe yourſelves in ſilk, remember this, that conſcience takes notice of all thy ways, of the pride of thy heart, of the vanity of thy life, and ſetteth all down in his ‘Black Book.’ You that, like the harlot, Prov. vii. cry, ‘Let us take our fill of love and pleaſure,’ conſider that all theſe things muſt have an end. When all is done, the ⟨bell⟩ muſt toll, and you muſt all dance after death’s pipe, who are now ſinging and ſwinging yourſelves in worldly pleaſures and delights. O! if God would ſay to any ſoul of you, as he did to the rich fool in Luke xiv. 20. ‘This night thy ſoul ſhall be taken from thee.’ It ſhall little advantage you then to weep and cry, O! that I were out of theſe infernal and eternal flames! O! that I had hearkened when time was, to the voice of Chriſt and mine own conſcience.

The ſighs and groans of dying men are often very ſad; but the ſighs and groans of the damned in hell can never be imagined or expreſſed. O! conſider this, ye that ſin away confcience, that quaff and drink away conſcience, accompanying one another in ſin; take heed you be not one day to weep over one another’s backs in hell. Certainly whole coachfuls of gallants will be tumbled down to hell; the Lord awaken your ſleepy dead conſciences before you go hence and be no more ſeen! What pity is it, that perſons that bear the image of God, and are, as it were in outſide glory and beauty, gods above others: What pity is it, that ſuch beauty ſhould come to be embraced by ugly lothſome devils in hell. Thouſands there are that court and ſport, pine and pant away their time whoſe end is to be burned, and ſhall at laſt periſh in hell. Fruitleſs fig-trees they are, that bear nothing but leaves, ‘Cut them down,’ ſays Chriſt, ‘and caſt them into the fire.’ To periſh in a priſon or on a dunghill, is nothing; to die for want of food is nothing; Lazarus did ſo, whilſt Dives, with his delicious fare, died on his bed of downs, and was caſt into hell. You that ly on beds of ivory, and have your hangings of needle-work, if you get not Chriſt and a good conſcience, hell ſhall be your fate, and devils your companions, to torment you for ever. ‘And who ſhall be able to ſtand in the day of the Lord’s wrath? And who can dwell with everlaſting burnings?’

Companions in ſin, ſhall be companions in hell, and thoſe that can ſport and play one with another, ſhall in hell drag and torment one another, and curſe the day that ever they ſaw one another, and cry out to one another, O what miſerable wretches were we! to loſe the heaven of heavens for a little vain delight, the love and favour of God, for the love and favour of wicked companions, in whoſe preſence we were more delighted, than in the everlaſting love of God, whoſe pleaſures are pleaſures for evermore. What profiteth it now, that we have had our wine, and our muſic, our fill and our full of carthly delights? O wretched creatures that we are! Who ſhall deliver us from this death, theſe miſerable torments? Wo unto us! we have rewarded evil to our own ſouls, we are baniſhed for ever from the preſence of the Lord, and have utterly loſt that inward peace of conſcience, the want whereof, addeth torments to our torments, and maketh us in our miſeries more exceedingly miſerable. Now the Lord give every one of us this peace, this joy; the which, that we may all have, the peace of God, which paſſeth all underſtanding, keep our hearts and minds in the love and knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt; and waſh and purge our conſciences from dead works, that we may ſerve the living God. Which that we may all do, the grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt be with us all. Amen.

Take heed to yourſelves what conſcience you have,
For conſcience will damn, and conſcience will ſave.

FINIS.

J. Neilſon printer.