Durham - BV4615 D87 1732

x 56 Sermon 2e fy them. Where thefe, or fome of thefe, are found af- ter fearch to meet together, there is ground to fufpef, that, tho' Confcience hath fpoken clearly, yet men have fmothered, or flighted to notice, the anfwer of Confci- ence. 2dly, We may add force further direEions ; as, ill, Beg caufe our own unfinglenefs ufually maketh us dark and doubtful,therefore thefe who would have a good Confcience, and be in capacity to take up the anfwer of it, should keep their eye Tingle : For, if the eye be fingle, the whole body will be full of light ; but, if men in their aim be any way unfuitably biaffed, they will readily miflake the anfwer of Confcience. 2dly, We would confider what others think, who will probably be more impartial in our cafe than ourfelves, becaufe, not be_ ing in our circumffances, they have not the particular intere$ to fway them, that we have. idly, Confider, what we would fay to another in fuch a cafe, to whom the temptation cometh not fo near as it loth to us, who are particularly concerned in the thing ; Yea, confider what we would have thought of the thing before it carne to our own door, and we to be exercifed about it. But, 4thly, Confider efpecially, and try the rife of our pulfe, and exercife about the thing, whether it be zeal to the honour of God, that putteth us to confult Confcience anent it ; or becaufe fuch a thing is now come in our way, and Teems to be waited with fuch and fuch external ad- vantages; or to comply much with our humour and inclia nation : For, when God's honnour putteth us not to ask the anfwer, we may fufpe&t that it is not that which determi- neth us. We would readily never Peek light in fuch a matter, if it came not thus to our door, and if it were not in our offer ; and others will make no fuch a -do, or bufinefs, for light in it, becaufe they are very clear to let it alone. This much for the Firfl dire5ion, What to do when Confcience is filent, or its anfwer is not taken up, or miffaken : Men fhould impartially fearch and fee, that they have not fomeway determined and de- cided the matter before-hand within themfelves, to the thwarting or (mothering the anfwer of Confcience and that their inclination or atletton,, or fomo one or other

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