C,4i..¢3. about ,cottfc*ensegood andbad. 455 abufed.:'. Thus Sant when he had facrificed pretended confcience ,and that all I was to feriae God ::rf,-hfolon when he hatched rebellion prerended.a vow , and fo hemuff out of confcienceperform it. [Judas when he repined at the oint- ment pretended charity and confcience , when it was lull and cove- toufnelfe. Secondly, when itsfanryand imagination which perfwades thee, andnot con- fcience : Thus fancy bath a great influence upon many : In melancholly perfons effpeeially itshard todifcern when its their. fancy , and when its conta- in= that works nthem trouble for t heir fns. Thirdly, cullome, education, and prepoffeffed principles fometimes work up- . on manas.0 rhey were confcience : Thus manyare affeeled in religious things, not out ofconfcience but cuftome : they have beenufed ro fuch things, brought up in lush away offervingCod, and therefore theywould have fuch wayes and 4y1ftomesfiill. ß&ittbìzs notconfcience but cuhorn, will eauily appear , in that they -will change .according to outward advantages : when Sliechem would be circun cited, it was not out of confcience : but for ,Dina's fake. When jeroboam ere&ed as Altar, it was not for confcience, but out of carnal policy. Fourthly, ifit beconfcience that puts usupon duties, and Chafe commanded, yet hardly are they donefor confcience fake. The faine dutiesmay be done out ofconfcience to Godby Tome , and from corrupt finful motives by others. Thus Rom.13.5. Paul pteflethobedience, not only for feare, but for confcience: If it werefrain fear only, it were finful. Hence Peter fpeaks of a cenfcience of God , I Pet. 2.19. A confcience towardsGed, i Pet.3.21. which is not to beunder- floodfubjeáively,asif God had a confcience but objeEtively , for a confcience that refpeis the will,and authority ofGod : Many frequent Ordinances, not out of confcience toGod, but in regard oftheLaws of men,or Tome filch other refpea. Whereas , Coif. 3. 27, t8. all fhould be done he,artiiy as to Gad , &c. Fifthly, natural confcience is greatlypollutedby original fin in regard of the limited and partial convi6}ion , or illumination that it is apt to receive. Confci- encewill receiveTome light, and be convinced in foam fmàller things , but the weightier things its apt to negle&. So the Pharifees, Luk. t x.42. Sixthly, its polluted in that its very fevere in cenfuring other mens fins , but blinde aboutits own. In this itslike the eye which can fee all other things but it felf, Mgt.7.3i This Chrili charged) upon the Pharifees, bidding them firfl to putt out the bean: out of their own eye, &c. So Rom. 2./ . ?udah was very fe- ivere againfl 7hemar, till he faw the ftaff and the bracelets. Such have the eyes of the Laurie, that they takeup when they go abroad , and lay alide when they cone home. Seventhly,its defiledbecaufe of the cafe, and fecurity it bath , whereas, ifit were awaken, it would give the finner no tefl, daynot night. The rich man bad his foul cake its cafe, he found nogripes of confcience. Eighthly,its groflydefiled, both becaufe it bath loll its fubordination to God and his word , the true rule of confcience, and alto its fuperiority over the will andaffections : Towards God it keepsnot its fubordination , but naturally falls into two extreams , either taking other rules then the Scripture , as we fee thePapifis do : or elfe reje&ing the word whollyas a rule, as the eXmino- 1 miana do, who fay, that aman isperfei when he canfin, and his confcience never fmite hireforit. And as for the affe&ions, and will, confcience cannot now I rule, and command them. (Quell. How if confcience defiled whentroubled and awakened ? Anfw. Firfi, when though it trouble, and ascufe, yet it Both it prepofleroufly, 1 ¡not feafonably and opportunely. Itfhouldput forth its effectual operation bee- IV. Ie
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