71än5 9. 1. 199 performing duty ; Thus may poft, as it were, through their prayers, fpeaking of many good things in them from, light ; but, not endeavouring to carry Confcience its teflirnony along with them of their fincerïty, they fpoil.'and marr that which was well intended and begun by them. A 4th ground, reafon or Caufe of this is, the great difficulty that there is to maintain and keep up a right frame of heart for any conliderable time ; and a man will never keep a good Confcience along particu- lar duties, if he maintain not a right frame of heart. Tho' a thing good in itfelf were never fo fairly floored (to (peak fo) and its ground never fo well taken lip, yet the leaft bia.fs or rub eafily puts it by, and makes it go out: All which fhould, in reafon, make us ftudy the more watchfulnefs. 5th/y, Obferve (which will help to the ufe of the for- mer, and is of forne affinity with the fi`fl particular obfer- vation,) That perlons would endeavour to walk in every particular duty or a&ion, fo as they may not only ad- vert to what Confcience fays of it, but may alfo carry it along with them in it, and have the pofitive approv- ing tefiimony thereof all alongfl the doing of it, which may be, tho' there be ndt rcfle&ing on it every mo- ment ; that is, not only would they before they undertake any thing be clear that it is a warrantable duty (as was marked before) but further, when they have done this, they would fo carry Confcience along with them in it, as they may have its teftimony, that they go about it confcientioufly : Therefore Paul ask - eth, not only what Confcience fays of the action as to its matter, and as to his hncerity; in undertaking it ; but he bringeth it out ipeaking for him while he is doing it, My Confcience (faith he) beareth me witñefr. The rea- fon of the do &rive is, becaufe it is not encugh to hear what Confcience faith, for it may accufe as well as ex- cute ; but we would endeavour to carry fo, as we may have a good teflimony from it ; which it will not give, nor fpeak peace to us, if we fludy not to take it with us all along the a &ion. This is a notable way to curb fin, to mortify hafts, to make us accurate in duties, to keep us from polling (to fpeak fo) through our pray- N4 erst
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