148 Sermon z. the Confcience, will fometimes, in that cafe, not Puffer it to fpeak a word. The other is like that which we have, Pfal. 66.8. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my Prayer. When men come in a profane tem- per and frame of Spirit to God, and are not fingle, and (as I Paid) abfolutely fubmiffive, Confcience will not an- fwer : For Confcience hath not one word to fpeak, but to them to whom God fpeaketh. A Fifth, and laíf Cafe is, When men are driven, and flirred up to Peek to know the mind of Confcience, f rom a corrupt or felfy principle, and for fuch or fuch a felfy end ; As, for inffance, when men leek clearnefs and re- folution from their Confcience, anent fuch an efface of life, fuch a calling or Ration, or anent the undertaking of fuch a journey or voyage, and are not put to feek that clearnefs anent them, out of refpe& to the honour of God, but from refpe& only or mainly to their own intereft, profit, pleafure, or credit ; As it was with Ba. laam, Numb. zz. io. that which lid put him to ask God's counfel, was not regard to the honour of God, but love to the wages of unrigbteoufnefs, as `7ude calleth them. And here many fail, and make a filent `Confcience, when they are feeking clearnefs; which may be known by this, that they would never ask, if it were lawful for them to take fuch a calling or place, or to engage in fuch an imployment, except Tome pleafure, preferment or gain led them to it : And the reafon why they ask the advice of Confcience in the matter, is not that they may be the more Rirred up to improve fach a place, imployment or ffate of life for God's honour, but that they may, with more quietnefs, freedom and confidence, follow their defign, and come by their end ; neither do they intend Jingly, (if at all) to follow the anfwer of Confcience, but would rather have Confcience to follow them ; as is clear in Balaam : Therefore, when the anfwer cometh cone trary to their inclination or afEdion, or to the felfy end, that they have before them, they will ask over again, as Balaamz did : Hence yames faith, Chap. 4. 3, and 4. r ask and receive not, becaufe ye ask amifi, to con - fume it upon your lulls. As men may leek to be affiffed in the performance of Duty, for the praifc of men; fo they
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