Durham - BV4615 D87 1732

on 1 Peter 3. 2i. 141 obedience on another account, as from fome felfiih mo- tive or confideration, fuppofing it to be a duty. A fecond way to difcern its anfwer, is this, light, inclina- tion and afé&ion, put to the thing in the general only ; but the anfwer of Confcience refpe&eth all the circum- fiances of the thing. Confcience doth not only fay, Go i and pray, but pray n this manner, to wit, with faith, love, fear, reverence and fincerity of Heart ; the rea- fon is, becaufe Confcience confidereth the duty, as cir- cumOEantiated in the word, and therefore its anfwer is no broader nor narrower than the word is : Whereas, when a man is put to fuch a thing from credit, fear or delire, his pra&ice is extended no further than to fuch an end ; Credit, fear of lofs, or the like (if he have any regard to circumftances) levelleth and modelleth him in all the circnmfiances of his a &ing, fo as he may attain that which driveth him on to fuch a duty But when Confcience putteth to duty, that God may be obeyed, and peace in him enjoyed, it regulateth the man in all circumftances of his duty, in order to that end ; and this is the reafon why fome are fo foon and fo well fatisfied with duty, others are never throughly fatisfied, becaufe the one goeth about duty for the fa- ihion, to guard againft, and hold off challenges, or for fome other unifier end, and fo is f1í11 driven on from fuch a principle, and for fuch ends : But the other go- eth about duty, in obedience to God, and fo as he may have peace in him ; and, while any thing is wanting that may mar that, he is difquieted -, ;. We may difcorn it from the nature of the anfwer, and the effe&s that it bath on the man to whom the anfwer is given ; Con- fcience being God's deputy, and the mofi divine thing in man, even the candle of the Lord that fearcheth into the fecret and inward parts of the belly, and when, acing its part aright, the molt excellent reprefenter of God ; if it be well obferved, anfwereth, t , In another manner, and with another kind of authority, boldnefs and holy fatelinefs, than bare light, affeEtions or paftions do, which, tho' they drive more violently, yet not with fuch divinenefs (to fpeak fo) nor with fuch majeltick authority. And therefore, 2, When Confcience an- fwereth,

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