449 Qufigis,andCafesefConfcience Ç.hap,43, efficient of a good Confcience : Its Gods Spirit without fpirits that makes the good Confcience, 'Kew. 9.1. The fingle Tef imony of naturali Confcience is I not much tobe regarded : but when Confcience is cleared by the Spirit, and fe- conded with the Spirit , the Teflimony of thefe two is great, and weighty: Gods Spirit thus witneffing toour Spirit is the cleareff tenimony of our Adop- tion, and Salvation, Rom. S. 16. Hence, i Cor.z.io,r 1,1 a. So then where the Spirit of Cod is, there is a good Confcience. II. Secondly , The fubfery rent means are thirteen, wherein the fir(}fixdire& us what to doe : the other fever: whatto avoid. I . Thoumull get Faith to rnak-e thee a good Confcience, therefore Faith and a good Confcience are often joyned together, Acts 15.9. Chrifl gives faith for this end, to purifie the Confcience where faith is pure, the Confcience is pure : this makes the good, and mends the bad Confcience. Now this Faith that makes, and keeps a good Confcience, is three fold : t }unifying Faith : for there muff be apprehending, and applyingthe blood of Chrilt, Aft. 15.9. For Fides qua creditor, is Fides qua vivitur. Faith whereby we believe, is the faith whereby we live. z. Do&rinal Faith, I Tim. 1. 59. For corrupt opinions, breed corrupt con-. fciences : and corruption in morals, ufually follows corruption in Intel- leftuals : Here begins commonly the firft ftep backward to all Apoftacy, and the firft fie') forward to all impiety. 3. Aparticular warranting Faith to legitimate our aftions, which alto may in fome fence be called a juflifying Faith, not to jufiifie our perfons from all guilt, but our a&ions from fin : Every a&ion that is good i11 it felf, is hereby fanetified to the ufe of Confcience by the word of God. So 4?m.14.5,23. z. Repentance, and thedaily renevttall thereofis a fecond means : This ever goes along with true Faith, Mar.1.15. Hence thiswas the total fummeof what Paul taught : To repent andbelieve, A61.20.21. So, Job 11. 14, i 5. Confcience mull fhur all known fin out a doors , or fin will foon thruft Confcience out a doors. If thouwouldeft have a good Confcience, obferve what hints thou haft at any time fromChrin, and the Spirit. Good Confcience mutt obferve the eye, voice , beck;finger, and every motionof Chrin. As its afearful! judgment co fear whereno fear is. So its a foule fin not to fear where fear fhould be , î fer.5.3. Thou ball fmitren them, and they have refufed to receive correthon, &c. Hence, Prov. 29.5. they (hall fuddenlybe deflroyed. Peter by obferving thefehints from Chrift, recovered after he haddenied him. .t. Linen attentively to the mutterings,and whifperings of thy own Confci- ence : Takenotice what news Confcience brings thee home every day : Com- muneoften with thy ownheart, Pfal. 4.4. So did `David ,Pfal. 77.6. Thefe So- liloquies are our bendifputes, and the molt ufefull conferences. Obferve every day what were thy a&ions , what were thy pallions : See what words fell from thee, what purpofes, and thoughts were in thee. Non venieur ad bonam Confcientiam, nifiper Cordis cufiodiam. Bern. 5. Yet fo we mull hearken to, andconfer with Confcience , as alfo to confer Confcience with the Scripture : chats the Book of life, and according to that, our Confcience munbe copied, or cotre&ed. Zlnicuiquefuse liber efi Con- fcientia, Bern. Search the Scriptures, and crun not chine own judgment too far. This rule well obferved, would refolvewhat is to bedone in many cafes : mo[I men, whatfoever their opinion, andpra&tife is, plead Confcience, Confcience : Its my Confciencefay they, my Confciencebids me do thus : I, but what cloth Codbid Confcience do?Had Adamnever fallen, we fhould have needed none other rule,butour own Confciences? Butnow we have a Lawwritten, and pro- claimed,
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