v,, :ß v.v a :. a s.. I cellency, nor the difficulty. Men are for the moff part difpofed w think, that religion is a thing of very little worth, and very eafily come by, when they fhall find it convenient for them to look after fomewhat of it ; be- caufe they never fet themfelves ferioufly and in good earneít to pra &iíe it, nor to experience the choice and excellent advantages that come by it : And we verily fúp- pofe, that there are not two things in religion lefs known and believed, than the difficulty of attaining to a well - grounded tef}imony of a good Confcience, and the un- fpeakable excellency of it, with the great advantage that comes by it when it is attained and entertained. We fpoke before to you of the great refrefhing and joy which the well- grounded teltimony of a good Confci- ence yieldeth, and of the great difficulty that there is to attain and come by it, as being the refult of much dili- gence, labour and pains, in folid anfwering of many queftions. Before we proceed any further, there may arife here a doubt or objesion, which would be cleared and anfwe- red, viz. If a particular fearch and examination as to the every a &ion and duty be neceffary, yea, if it be poffibie, ere the Confcience can give a good tefiimony ? and if fo, how a perfon can poffibly have peace in reference to his bygone way, when, in Peeking to review it, and to re- tied upon it, he finds it impoffible to examine every a&ion and the circumf.Iances of it ? We conceive it to be neceffary to anfwer this doubt or obje &ion, tho' we confefs it is very difficult to do it to full fatisfa&son, there being efpecially extremes upon both fides ; fome being ready to take an undue liberty and latitude to themfelves on the one hand, when any allowed qualifications are of- fered ; and others being in hazard to faint, and be dif couraged on the other hand, if the matter be kept in a peremptory ftate, without due qualifications and cauti- ons : And yet we are fore, that the right preaching of the gofpel (if we could win at it, will neither loofe reins to lawlefs and fìnful liberty to carnal perfons, nor make fad the hearts of thefe that are gracious and render, nor put them on the rack, nor involve them into a laby- rinth
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