Durham - BV4615 D87 1732

32 Sermon Is be able to give an anfwer concerning what it is' queried about. More particularly, it hath a threefold power in refe.. renec to a man's way ; and thus it reprefents God in three of his attributes. I. It hath a power of counfel- ling, advifing and carving out of a man's duty ; fo that, when he doubteth what is to be done, Confcience bath a power to advife him, and give him an anfwer; and this is called the dzc`fating of the Confcience,anfwerable to the Jovereign authority of God, whereby he commandeth all his creatures, to whom Confcience is fubordinare ; in which reppe& men are condemned for thwarting with their Confcience, Rom. I. ult. Who knowing the judgment of God, that they that commit filch things are worthy of deaths rot only do the fame, but have pleafure in them that do them. Here is Confcience di&ating to men what they fhould do,, before they do. 2. There is a power, or fomething in the Confcience, that goeth along with the man's a&ing, or that waiteth on him in the time of his a&ìng in duty; and this efpecially is called the to fli fjying of Confcience, or its bearng witnefs concerning the fincerity or unfound - nefs of the a& : Not only cloth the man's mouth fpeak,, and his hands do, but the Confcience will give anfwer, if the heart be going along with the man's fpeaking and doing, or not; wherein it reprefents God's omnifcience or all- knowledge. Hence it is that (Pfal. i 7. 8.) David faith, When thou fairy., Seek ye my face, my heart anfwered,`'hy face will I Peek, O Lord. And, Pfal. i 6. 2.0 mÿ foul,thou haf¡aid unto the Lord, dhou art my Lord. This is the lan- guage of the fincerity of the heart teftifying by the Con- fcience,or Confcience anfwering the fincerity of the heart, .There is a power in the anfwer of the Confcience,which is fubfequent unto, and followeth upon, the a &ion when done, either approving or difapproving, either accufing or excufing, either abfolving, or condemning, called the recognofcing or examining of the Confcience ; which is done, when Confcience putteth the man's deed or a &ion, when performed, to the trial ; and, having try - ed it paffeth fentence on it : Thus Confcience repre -. fenteth God as Judge, and as a }uíl Judge. Now all thefo

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