On i Peter j. . . it is the firft of there that we intend to (peak a word to at this time, viz. That there is a way of getting an anfwer from the Confcience, and of underflanding its mind about any thing that men ¡hall put to it : Or thus, Confcience bath a way of making known its mind, and giving an anfwer about any thing that is put unto it. Thefe words anfaver of Confcience, imply fo much (as we laid) efpecially being diflinguifhed from the eater- - nal fervice and adminiftration of baptifm fpoken of in the words before : And it is yet more clear, if we con- fider how the fcope runneth in comparing of there two together, viz. the verbal reflipulation of thefe that are tome to age, and the inward anfwer of Confcience s, there is the gofpel on the one fide requiring fuch a thing, and the anfwer of the party baptized on the other fide ; and the apoftle maketh the anfwer of the Confcience diftin& from that, tho' fometimes it goeth along with It : So that a man will not anfwer more clearly to the thing than his Confcience will, when it is ferioufly put to it, This might be branched out in thefe three, >< ó in re- fpe& of a man's ¡late, z. In refpe& of fotne truth of religion, and of the heart's imbracing of it. In re- fpeL-t of fotne pra&ice or duty that a man is called to e All thefe do fall under the anfwer of Confeíence, when is queftioned about them ; but it is the Taft of them that we intend to fpeak to, viz. its anfwer as relating to a Chriftian's duty and pra &ice, about which Confcience, being asked or pofed, is able to give him an anfwer which I (hall clear from two grounds, and then come to the ufe. The firfl Ground is taken from the nature of Contd., ence, which we force way explained when we began to fpeak of this fubje&, Confcience being deputed of God in man, to take ftri& notice of every piece of his walk and pra &ice ; and being the candle of the L6id, fearchin' all the inward parts of the belly, to let men fee what God talleth to, and to put them in mind of their duty. This ( I fay) being the office of Confcience, and the end why God bath placed it in men, it is no doubt furni- waed with Each' a faculty (if we may fpeak fo) as to
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