icience loth or may push to duty ? We anfwer afiirma; tively, Many things may court us, which by their impulfe do often thwart with Confcience; hence is the inward combate in the Chrifiian betwixt the flefh and the Spirit; the fl.efh doth pufh to one thing, and Confcience to the contrary : Therefore, Gal. 5. 17. 'tis laid, fhe flee lujieth againnfl the Spirit, and the Spirit againfi the flefi, and thefe two are contrary one to another ; and Rom. 7. 2.3. the A- pofile fpeaketh of a law in his members rebelling againfl the law of his mind, and leading him captive to the law of fin in his members. More particularly, thefe things (as we hinted before) may have an impulfe toward the doing of duty ; as, firfl, Mens credit hath a firong impulfe, where any thing croffing it is apprehended to occur. 2. Mens intereft hath often an impulfe, fo as to Gaary on a felfifh defign ; it will make gain Teem to be godnefs. 3. Mens natural inclinations, will and affections, have an impulfe alto ; and the impulfe of there will fometimes be exceed- ing like, to the impulfe of Confcience. And here we may confider thefe three things which they have influence up- on ; i. They may have influence to mar a mans light, and pervert his underfianding : As it is faid of a gift, It blindeth the eyes of the wife, and perverteth the underfland- ing of the prudent; fo mens credit, intereft, and natural inclination, may, in a fort, bribe the underftanding, and blind the judgment infenfibly, and the man not know ofit diflin&ly at leaft, a.. When they have perverted the judg- ment, they may engage the aflè &ions, and thefe drive vio- lently. 3. If the man yield not to fuch a thisg,his credit or intereft will vex him like Confcience, and take refi anti quiet from him ; as we fee in Herod, Matth. 14.9. who, when the dancing damfel fuited for the head of fohn the Baptil,was forry (or grieved) neverthelefs for his oath's fake, and for them who fat at table with him, he commanded it to be given her. Folk would have thought that it was his Con- fcience that made him forry, but indeed it was not Con- fcience, but credit ; therefore it is faid, not only for his aath's fake, but for them that fat at table with him. 'Tis like, if his oath had been given in private, Confcience would not much have troubled him ; antl while 'tis faid be was ferry or grieved) it iheweth plainly that his credit fu%ered
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