tie tife of Cenfcie ce. Ifmen corrrriand us ag3iní} the word of God, we know their authcritie is the ordinance of God ; and therefore if they go beyond that, they do not bind us in cosifcience. If God had not bound us in conteience to him, others might ha'e taken it ill if we fhould not obey them : but now what caute have others to think ill of us ? What folly were it in us to fcek to plcaafe men and to diipleafe God ? If we were at libcrtie, then we might chooic whom we would obey : but tow we are bound unto God, and muff be obedient unto God, whatever j mencommand to the contrarie, let us do it therefore with chear- fulneife. By this we Chew our fubmitTion to God ; by this we fatisfic confcience , which being bound unto God cloth con- tinually urge us to obey him. Why fhould we omit part of the exaónefleof our obedience which the wordof God loth ? require ? We have more to do then ever we (hall be able to perform : we fhould therefore be carefull to do all chat we may. By our obedience to God in this kind we convince the conscience of others ofour uprightneffe towards God : Though through the over-ruling dominion of their lufts 8c pafflons they rage at us, and their mouths (peak evil of us, yet we may have an evidence in their confciences within which may teftifie for us : their confciences will whifper Nvith them, Surely they do well to pleafe God rather then mess : their confciences" will be on onr tide, though their actions and tongues be againft us. We have a notable example of this Aas 4. i ç, ad. When the pliers of the Jews had threatned the Apoffles, and had reviled them With many bitter words, and had bidden them ,o a(de for a while, then they concluded among themfelves, Surely an evidentfgne is done br them, ,tndwe cannot deny it So that their' eontctences acquitted them for good men. So when the wicked of this world have token evil of the wages of the 'righteous, and blafphenied the holy name after which they are named : yet when theyare alone, and their confci-. ences at counfel within therntelves, thin they conclude, In- deed .they do' sell. Thus their confciences _ive a good evi" dente of us;°and'accule them for not doing the like.' And Ii2 thus
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