144 Sermon 2. There are yet two queftions remaining, for farther clearing of this ufe,, to be fpoken to r. If, even when men are defirous to know the fence and anfwer of Confci- ence, it may not be filent, and no diflin& clearnefs at_ tamed to ; Whether they be called to fuch a thing,or not, or how they are to go about it, or how it fhould be timed ? zdly, If Confcience may fometimes be filent, or at lean not anfwer fo clearly ; What then is to be done in that cafe ? As for the fi, We lhall anfwer it in two ad°ertions, and then clear them. The i ft affertion is,. That fometimes, in God's wife holy, and fovereign providence, and in his fecret, pro- found and myfterious way of ordering thing, it may fo Come to pafs, that men may fet themfelves to enquire at Confcience, and yet after enquiry not find, at lead for a time, fo clear an anfwer, as to warrant and dire& them what hand to turn to. The zd affertion is, That fometimes Confcience may fpeak, and anfwer clearly enough ; and yet men, from fome one temptation or finful diftemper or another that they are under, and from negligence and finful inad- vertancy in taking heed to the anfwer of Confcience, May think that it fpeaketh not clearly, when it doth, and thus be left in the dark : So that Confcience is not always to be blamed, as if it anfwered not, when we think fo. For clearing of the firft of thefe, That Confcience may be filent, or not fpeak fo clearly, even when enquired at ; we fuppofe it is clear, not only from the experience of all generations, wherein believers (if put to fpeak) would declare, that they have fometimes been very defirous of light and clearnefs Concerning their being called to this, or that place, Ration, or flare and condition of life; as alfo it may be, as to the way and time of performing fame called -for duties, and yet have not attained to clearnefs therein : This one thing will both clear, and give the reafon of it, viz. That Confcience being Gods deputy, whereby his mind is made known, can - not fpeak, when he keepeth up himfelf; and, feeing he may and will now and then keep up himfeif for a time Confcience, during that time, may, and muff b filent;
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