y ucs sutra 1. challenged for it, Rom. 7. cries, O wretched man that t am, who fhall deliver me from the body of this death ? and fubjoins, I thank God through 'plus Chr flour Lord : He can quiet himfelf no where in nothing but in Chriff. It is a good token when perilous can admit the thought of no other way of cleaning and calming their Confdences, but by bringing them to Chriff and his Blood ; efpecially when the fenfe of uncleannefs, and the faith of the effi- cacy of his Blood, hath brought, or does bring, them to him as the fountain. 3. We would ask you, if the eftèft of a clean Confcience has followed your betaking of your - felves to Chrift ? and that is a clean life and honeff walk and converfation : For a purged Confcience will have a purged and honeft walk following on it ; and,íf men have once gotten a cleanfed and purged Confczence,theÿ will be very cheery of it, and loth to pollute it again ; and their great work will be, to live fo as they may not pol- lute it : But, ah ? how few, how lamentably few, have at tained to this effe& ? There are many purgings of Confci- ence, which are like the fweepings and garnifhings off that pouf, (fpoken of in the gofpel) that made it ready for the devil to re-enter into with [even fpirìts worfe than hi:nfelf. INIany,after light and tranfient touches of challenges, be come more hardned and prefumptuous, more fecure and carnal than they were before ; and their Confcience digetfs (as it were) greater fins, better and more eafily than it had wont to do; and it fares with them according to that Proverb, z Pet. z. ult. (often cited) the Dog is returned to Iis vomit, and the fow that was wafhed to wallowing in the mire : Their corrupt and filthy nature being (fill to the fore, they fall a- licking up that which formerly they Teemed to have vomited out, and return to their former look carriage. 4. What difcord and war is there with any remainder (if it be yet come to a remainder) of cor- ruption' and pollution that is behind ? what relenting and lothing is there of it ? If the Confcience be purged, and en- :deavoured to be kept pure, new defilements will be very unwelcome gueffs, and exceedingly troublefom to your peace , the bond - woman's fon (to fay fo) muff not a- bide with the free woman's in the houle, but muff be cart out,and will be endeavoured to be cart out : While a man
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