Fenner - BV4500 F466 1651

r1 treat2e ófConfctenee, I lit obedience in this fort, that we canhave no peace except webe given to obedience. Thefe meet that can finne and yet be at peace,vvcyc never juftified in their lives. A child ofGod when he finneth ; as for example, if he fhould be tempted to lie, or to omit a good dude, whichhe knoweth he is bound toper- form # yet this would much trouble his cottfcience ; his foul would be afhamed, his heart perplexed, he would not know how to look the Lord in the face ; ,3 have fonaeed: what (hall fal do unto thee, O thou preferver of men ? When David had finned againfl God, I am troubled, faith he ; and Igo mourn ing all dot day long. And therefore peace of confeience Both depend thus tarre on obedience, as that a man cannot have peace unlcfh he beobedient, and take heed of rinne, and labour in all things to be upright before God. Now if you ask me, But Dub, how doth our Peacedepend uponour obedience ? J anfwer, It Sol. dependeth upon obedience as the removing caute : It removeth that which would hinder otir peace. Sinne would interrupt our peace : now obedience removeth finne. To this purpofe the Apofl le fpeaketh i . Jokn ; . t Q, 19. My little children, let us not love in word and in tongue, but ix deed and in truth : Forhereby we know that we are ofthe truth, and(hall afore our hearts before God : Hereby we (hall aflúre our confciences that we are in him, if we take heed of hypocrite : Ifwe love in truth, and be obedient in truth, we (hall thereby remove all our doubts and our fears, our troubles and perplexities ofcon tcrence. So that peace doth depend on obedienceas the removing caufe : It removeth that which otherwife would hinder peace. This is the firfi. Again, our peace of conrcience dependeth up- on our obedienceas the witnefling cauteof it. Obedience is one of thewitnefh s of truepeace ; it vvitnefleth that we have peace with God. T'bis t our reioycing,even the te/limony ofour con t cer,t. i fcience, that in jimplicitie and godly fnneritie wehave hadour converfation in the world. See tiere, it is the witnefling caute of it : Paul had peace of confcience ; his confeietace was able to makehim rejoyce : How ? Becaule it gave teftimony that bis converfation was godly and fimple and gracious. Though we Cc be

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