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1tt1IIT41110 y. Y 1 'ñce that can be fatirfying, but the teftisnóny of a Con- fcience fane ified, and in a fanFIifaed frame. Therefore he thinks it not enough tb fay, iMy Confcience heareth me wit- veil", but he addeth, in the holy Ghol. And in that paf fage, I Pet. 3. 21. 'tis not the anfwer of Confcience fint- ply, but theanfwer of a good Confcience, of a waking, ten- der, fpiritual, and well enlightned Confcience, that fa- tisfieth. Ufee Therefore, ere men lay much weight ©n the teftimony of their r ,_ they would frff put it to proof, and fee that it be the teffimony of a fancified Confcience, and in a fan &ified frame. If a man be not of fome credit, his teftimony will not be of much weight in any matter; it is even fo with Confcience, as to its teftimony. 6thly, Obferve, That foanetimes, and in fore café,; be- lievers may very 'warrantably atteft their Confcience, and appeal to its teftimony. Some believers in the Old Tpfta- ment, and fome in the New have done it. Tho' (a we laid before) the atteífing of Confcience be a very grave and folemn thing, and would not be ufed at all. times, and in all cafes ; yet at fon5.e times, and ih fome cafes, it may be warrantably ufed, when rightly gone. about. I fhall name three or four confederations, or cafes from the text, for clearing of it; I. Confcience may be attefled, when the matter that we affert, regUireth 1such a folemn atteffing of it ; and thefe things ce ncur here to clear, that the matter wherein he atteffeth his Confcience, is fuck : For, (i.) it is a thing that concerns eth God's glory not a little, that his fervant and meffen., ger is not walking according to the fffh. (z.) It tendetlì to the edification of others ; for, if he had not removed the prejudice that the yewvs had at him, it might have marred their receiving the truth from his mouth. (3.) It tendeth to his own vindication, in as far as it tendeth to the former two ends ; and he will not fuffer any blot to ly here. (4.) That whichhe afferteth, is a thing not ob- vious, and :could not well be otherwife made out, and ; it this fo great and grave a matter, he fpares not to at- teft God, and his own Confcience. 2. Confider the manner of his proceed inn.. 'Tis fpoken its the fight of e

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