down my field which I have kept back by fraud, 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 slight this good voice of conscience. Wo unto me! my punishment is less than my iniquities 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
