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Houfe at mid-night, he can find nothing amifs and out of order; but let a man come in at noon then he can efpy the leaft diforder: Even fo poor ignorant Souls, not knowing the Law of God, cannot fee any wound in their Confciences nor nothing amifs in them; but let them once come to the Word of God,and look in his Glafs, then they fhall find themselves much out of order, to have wounded Souls and defiled Confciences.

Then the other impediment of a good Confcience is worldly luft; namely, the love and exceeding defire of Riches, Honour, Pleasures,&c. and he that fuffers thefe defires to rule too much in his Heart cannot poffibly keep a good Conscience.

And here I would advertise every Christian, Firft, to do all things that may ferve and cherifh true faving Faith, whereby our Souls may be affured of the love of God, in Chrift Jefus, for the pardon of our fins. For Faith is the root and foundation of a good Confcience. And without Faith there can be no good Confcience. Now to preferve Faith, we must often hear and read in the word of God, repent of our fins; acknowledge and confefs them, and be humbled for them, and walk in the Path of Faith and Repentance, and in fo doing we shall find more and more the Comforts of a good Confcience. And therefore we must take heed that we do nothing to break off the feeling of God's love, for to wound our poor Confciences.

Secondly, We must endeavour in all things

to

to obey God's will, and to bear a conftant purpofe not to fin in any thing; for a purpose to live in fin, and a good Confcience, cannot stand together, fo that where a purpose is to live in fin, there is neither Faith nor a good Confcience.

Thirdly, We must walk with God by example, as Enosh and Elias did; fo to order our lives, as if we were always in the prefence of God; and likewife to remember that his eye is an all-fecing eye, tho' we think none doth behold us, yet God fees us, and will punish us; but remember this, and this will make us keep a good Confcience; and the want of this maketh man bold to fin, because they confider not that God fees them, and that they have a Confcience within them.

And another Book was opened, which is
the Book of Life.

What is meant by the Book of Life.

Hus when Chrift Jefus hath examin'd the Books of Mens Confciences, to view what is therein written, that Judgment may be a-warded accordingly, now he fheweth, that he will open a fecond Book, and that is even the Book of Life. And of this Book of Life we fhall fee often mention made in the Word of God, both in the Old and New Teftament; as that of Mofes, Exod. 32. 31, 32. Oh this People have finned a great fin: therefore now if thou pardon their fins, thy mercy will appear; but if thou wilt not, I beseech thee rafe me out of the Book which thou hast written. Again,Pfal. 69, 28. Let

them

them be blotted out of the Book of the living, and not be written with the Righteous. Again, Rev. 3. 5. He that overcometh fhall be cloathed in White Rayment, and I will not blot his name out of the Book of Life. And the Holy Ghoft fpeaking of the Heavenly Jerufalem, faith, There hall in no wife enter into it, any thing that defileth or worketh Abomination, or maketh a lie: But they which are written in the Lamb's Book of Life, Rev. 21. 27. Now if you would know what is here meant by the Book of Life, it is the Book in which all the Names of God's Elect, which in his eternal purpose he hath chofen, are written as it were with Letters of Gold: It is nothing else but the Almighties eternal counfel, purpofe and decree, wherein he hath elected and chofen a certain company of Mankind, to beftow eternal life upon them: for we muft not think that God hath any need of a Book, but only for our understanding he fpeaketh thus. Even as a Captain recordeth the names of his Soldiers, to call them one by one; and as in Cities the names of the chief men are recorded: So God hath, as it were, enroll'd the names of all his Saints, and engraven them in the Book of Life, with Letters of Gold for ever, fo that not one of them fhall perish. Thus having fhewed you what is meant by the Book of Life, let us fee what we may learn hence.

Doct. 1. Hence then we learn, that God hath a Book of Life wherein the Names of all the Elect are written, who is able to call over his fervants and people by their names, even as

Records

Records are kept in a City or Corporation, wherein the names of all that are Free in the fame are written: So perfectly are all the Elect known to God, who can tell them all over by their names. Let us hear the reasons for

the further confirmation of this Point.

Firft, He is the true lhepherd of his fheep: now every good fhepherd knoweth his sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine, John 10. 14.

Secondly, The knowledge of God is so exact and perfect, That nothing can be bid from him. He fearcheth the heart, he trieth the reins, and understandeth the hearts long before. His Eyes are like unto a flame of fire, and his feet like fine Brafs, Rev. 2.18. as St. John faith, to fhew that nothing can be hid from his fight.

What are the Ufes.

Ufe 1. First, Hence we behold the blessed and happy eftate of all the Elect and chofen Children of God: For all these which are written in the Book of Life, are bleffed and happy for ever. If thy name be written in the Book of Life, thou shalt never perish. Chrift will not blot thy name out of the Book of Life, but acknowledge it to be in his Book at the latter day, to thy endless joy and eternal comfort, whom God loves once be loves to the end. But miferable are thofe that are not written in this Book, for all fhall be fhut out of Heaven whofe Names are not in the Lambs Book of Life, Rev. 21. 27.

But here take heed of the carnal reasoning of wicked Men and Women. Many there are

who

who reafon thus; if I be a Child of God, and written in the Book of Life, let me live as I lift, nevertheless I am fure to be faved. Others fay, if I be a reprobate, and not written in the Book of Life, I am fure I fhall not be faved, although I live never fo well: Take heed, I fay with St. Paul, that evil Communication do not Corrupt good manners, we know that God hath made us without our help, yet he will not fave us without our help, or whether we will or no: Such poor fouls, they know not what they fay! for if God hath elected any man or woman to eternal Life, he hath ordained that they should walk in the way leading thereunto, and by their good works which others behold, may glorify their Father which is in Heaven: And it is impoffible that they fhould run on in fin, and live and die therein. And therefore fuch Reafoners do caft away their fouls, and with Cain and Judas are their own Judges and Executioners, but let all men know, that as God hath or dained fome men to eternal Life, and written their names in Heaven, fo he hath appointed them the way to walk in, to bring them thereto. Secondly, We are taught here, that the Lord hath a Book of Life, wherein all the names of the Elect are written; we fee hence, what must be our chiefeft joy and comfort; even this, to know affuredly, that cur names are written in the Book of Life. This Chrift himself will teach us in that fpeech of his, to his Difciples, who joyced because the Devils were fubdued, and caft out by them; N.y, rather (faith our Savi

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