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V
ER;Iö.
Ephejanr,Chap.d.
783
what
abittetneffeitis,
when
we have our confciences accufing
for
any moregrievous
fwerving, the
belt
is
when
it
commeth home
by
weeping croffe
:
but how
woe£ull
is
the
ftate
of the
foule ,
till
repen-
tance
bcgivenr
For
as
affomachfutcharged
;which bath neither
vent
upward nor
downeward,
fo
is
a
foule
clogged with guilt
,
but wanting
repentance.
Now
then to
fpeake
to
the
doétrine
:
we
that
are
Chri
flians, mull all
labour
to
ftrengthen
out
felves
with the
teffimony
of
a
good
confcience , and
a
righteous converfation. Thus Hq.ektah
walked, doing
that
which was good inthe fight
of
God
,
neither
tur-
ned on
right hand,
norleft,
from
all
that God
had
commanded. Thus
Zacharie
and Elizabeth
walked,
Luke
1.6. But wee
have
Paul by
pre-
cept
and
praétice,teaching the point, Phil.4.8. Furthermore brethren,
whatfoever things
are
honeft,
whatfoever things
are
juit, whatfoever
hings are pure,&c.
think on thefe things. And
we may
fee,firft,how
his
confcience did
not acculehim
for
time
prefenr, t
cor.4.
3.
As
touching
me
I paffe
little
to
be judged
of
you.
How
he endeavoured
for the time
tocome
to keepe it fo,
t/fcgs 24.16.
And herein I
endea-
vour
alwaies,
to
have a cleare confcience
toward God
,
and
towards
man.
3.
That
he wasnot
without
his exercife
of
repentance.
O
mife-
rable man
that
I
am,Rama.
This will
keepe
us in
our daily courfe,and
in
the
evil)
houre; whereas if thefe
be
not renewed,
we (hall
come by
fcare
:
as
Iudah
going forth without
harneffrng
himfelfe,
by
renewing
this purpofe,
we
fee
how
Toone
he was wounded with evil).
This then
laeing
the duty
of
Chriftians, doth
rebuke
fuch
, who
either content them
felves
with
a
falfe
armour,
or have
none at all.
Some there are,
Thar
are
good Church
men ,. honeft
,
righteous,
jut}
dealing men; but
because
they
lay
nota
good foundation
of
faith
in
jefus
Chrift,
and
of
repentance from dead works , becaufe they care
nor for the fpirit and
power
ofgodlineff
:
therefore,
brown paper
shall as
well keepe
out Musket
Choi,
as
this
will help
them,
when the
Devil)
!hall let flye his
murdering bullets. Many have none
at all,but
naked
breafts
¡hot
through
already , their confcience being able
to
accule
them, that they
have lived
in
profanenell'e,
contempt of.Gods
ordinances,
in
pride,
wrath,
covetoufneffe, pleafurest
their
purpofes
havebeene to
walke
after their ownehearts lulls, doing
that
which
is
good
in
their owne
eyes. Inffeed
of
furrow
never
to
be
repented of;
they can
tell
you, they
were
at fach
a
place,
where they were frolick,
had entertainment
with
fporrs, &c.
Poore thrals
of
the Devill that
have
no armout'of God
upon
them.
2.
We
mull
learne our
duty, not
to
run on at
adventure, but looke
to.thefe rules:
we areall
Prkltsof
God,
we
muff
not goe without
this
brefl-plate
enamelled with Vrim
and
ghammim.
Wherefore looke
that
our
confciences fpeake
with
us,
God
is
greater then
they,
renew your
purpofésevery day, ftrike lure covenants with
God
:
take up
the
blef-
fed exercife
of
broken
hearts,
bewaile
your
daily wants
:
for
we
fhould
not let
a
thought
which
is
awry
,
no
not
a dreame
which
fa-
;
voureth
Yfe
I.
Yfe