4Ö4 I I. Queflionr,and (;af `e,r of Confeience Chap. 401 5. There is the like confli& between the fle(h and Spirit in the confcience. For as it is. regenerate, it is fo enlightned by the fpirit of grace, that likea true witrleffe, it gives an infallible tellimony between God and us , excufing when we do well CO encourageus, and accufing when we do ill that we may forsake it,and recover our felves by unfeigned repentance. Yea,before our doing ofeither of them, it gives in its approbation to that which is good that we may em- brace it , and difcovers that which is finful that we may avoid it. it plays alfo the part of a Judge , and according to this true evidence , it either juflifies or condemns us : From the former whereof arifeth peace, comfort , and joy in the holy C,hofl for our encouragement inwell-doing ; and from the other, ei- ther fear , whereby we are reflrained from finne, or forrownot to be repented of , a Cor.7.1o. after we arefallen. But on the contrary , the confcience as unregenerate, is blinded with ignorance, or corrupted with malice, and there- fore always ready to play the part of a falfe witneffe either colouringover our finnes with deceitful colours , that we may commit it, or excufing it, when itscommitted as venial , or none at all that we may continue in it : Or on the other fide, it accufeth whenwe dowell in Gods fervice, or in the ufe of our Chriflian liberty about things indifferent to raife in ourminds fuperfl;itious few, or caufelefle doubts , that being affrighted we may be hindred in out Chriflian duties, or difcouraged whenwe have done them. It plays alfo the falfe Judge, condemningwhere God and a good confcience nullifies, and ju- flifyin; where they condemne : which falfe lentence is the caufe of carnal fe- curity, when we continue in fin, and of needleffe fears , when we are careful to perform our duty : Yet if at any time that fentence be reverfed by the good confcience enlightnedby the word and fpirit,and the t(glinefle offin be difcover-. ed,then the corrupt part of confcience,which before Teemed fenfelefs, being thus awakened, fills the minde with loud cries, andgrievousaccufations,and hide- ous fears, and now as eagerly moved to defpaire , as it did before to fecurity, and prefumption, tellingus that our fins are unpardonable , and that its too lare to repent ; But then again the good confcience filenceth it, andquiets the furyofit, by witnefling to us that our heartsare upright , though we have been overtaken , and have fallen through infirmity': or at leaf}, bybathing it felt from the filth offin in the precious blood ofChrift, which is fufficient to purge us even from prefumptuous fins,it thereby quiets our hearts again. Secondly,come we' now to the fight which is between them in the will,which is muchmore !harp and fenfible. For it likewife being partly regenerare and partly unregenerate,there is a continual combate between tilde contrary fa&ions, whiltî the regenerate part wills , and affe&s that which is good , and the unregenerate part wills, and choofeth that which is evil,and refufeth that which is good : As for example ; the regenerate part being guided by the fan&i&ed underUanding , choofeth God as the chiefeft good , aryl refufeth the world andearthly vanities; the fervice of Satan, and the momentany pleafures of fin, which in the end bringdeath, though the former be bitter to the flefh, and more imbittered by affli&ions , and the latter be fweet and delightful to the carnal appetite: But on the contrary, theunregenerate part of the will , being diret}ed by that wif- domeofthe fle(h which is worldly,fenfual anddevilifh, negleð andrefufeth the prefent comforts of grace , which it relifheth not, and the future hopes of heavenly happineffe, which itknoweth not, and choofeth thisprefent world with the vain honours, and uncertain riches, and tined pleafures of it, be. caufe they are fubje6t to the fenfes, and may be had in prefent poffef ion: and in this confli&, fometimes theone , and fometimes the other prevails, and caitfeth the adverfe parry to give ground. So, Rem.7. r 5, & c. Thirdly, having feen the confli& between the flefh and the fpirit in the nn- derflanding and will feverally , come we now to that confli t which is in them, being
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=