on 2 Cor. i. 1 2. 233 ding to that ; otherwife it will not be an honeft aim, or a good end propofed to ourfelves in the doing of fuch or fuch a thing, or becaufe we are in a pardoned Rate, that will be fuffacient to make the a &ion truly good and ac- ceptable, and to give us ground of peace. idly, Ye would advert, andtake good heed if Confcience challengeth equal- ly, for one fin as well as another, and for the neglect of one duty, as well as for the negle& of another ; and if, as . the fin is comparatively greater or leffer, fo its challenges be leffer or greater : For, if Confcience its challenge lead you to the word, the more weight that the word layette on fin, the more weight will Confcience lay upon it when it is right. Sometimes perfons will be challenged for fome things much extrinfick to religion, or for omitting this or that wherein very little, if any thing, of religion confifts, or at leaft lieth very remote;, who yet will not be much troubled for taking of God's name in vain, or for neglect of prayer, and the like. I remember the fwying of a godly man to a perfon under exercife for a little fin, little in comparifon of others (for no fin is little in its own nature) That he thought the hand or work of the devil might be in it, to lay a ground for fpiritual pride, becaufe the perfon was fo much troubled with fo little a thing; or to divert from taking a view of groffer fns, for their deeper humiliation. When Confcience is right, it challengeth equally, and more or lefs, as the fm is more or lefs aggravated. Jr is an evil in this time, that extrinfick and remote things trouble force fo much, while, in the mean time, known fins and duties are but little minded and laid to heart ; as if, forfooth, the Confciences of fuch were more delicate and tender, than the Coi fciences of the faints of old : Nay there are not a few, who will difdain to be challenged for negleet of uncontroverted duties, who yet make a great deal of bufinefs and noife about thefe things, that are but of little moment, as if the whole and fiam of religion lay in them : This certainly thews a great deal of untender- nefs and fighting of Corifciencc, whatever pretenti- ous may be made to the contrary. And while a perfon is much, or wholly taken up with an extrinfick or very little thing which, it may be, is but a mere cireum... l#ancea
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