Religion & morality > Human nature in its four-fold state ... in several practical discourses

Head IV. opened. 485
Good or Evil: sTis, as it were, a Day-book, in
which the Lord puts down all that pafleth in Mens
Hearts, Lips, and Lives; and ’tis a filling up every
Day that one lives. In it are recorded Mens Sins
and good Works, fecret and open, with all their Cir-
cumftances. Here are regiftred all their Privileges,
Mercies temporal and fpiritual, fometime laid to
their Hand; the Checks, Admonitions, and Re¬
bukes, given by Teachers, Neighbours, AfBi&ions,
and Mens own Confciences ; Every Thing in its
due Order. This Book will ferve only as a Libel,
in Refpeft of the Ungodly: But it will be for a-
nother Ufe in Refped of the Godly, namely, for a
Memorial of their Good. The opening of it is the
Judge’s bringing to Light what is written in it;
the reading as it were, of the Libel and Memorial,
refpe&ively, in their hearing.
Secondly, The Book of Conference will be opened,
and (hall be as a thoufand Witnelfes to prove the
Fad, Rom. ii 15. IVbich Jhew the Work of the Law
written in their Hearts, their Confcience alfo bearing
Witnefs. Confcience is a Cenfor going with every
Man whitherfoever he goes, taking an Account of
his Deeds done in the Body, and, as it were, noting
them in a Book; The which being opened, will be
found a Double of the former, fo far as it relates to
One’s own State and Cafe. Much is written in it,
which cannot be read now ; the Writing of Con¬
fcience being, in many Cafes, like to that which is
made with the Juice of Lemons, not to be read, till
it be held before the Fire: But then Men (hall read
it clearly and diftindly: The Fire which is to try
every Man’s Work, will make the Book of Con-
• fcience legible in every Point. Tho’ the Book be
! feal’d now (the Confcience blind, dumb and deaf)
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