-341 Nehe.n. 6. I I. ZJfe. I, Objea, Anfw. Ron I 3.5 iPef .z.19 vie e 2. A7 reatife ofConfezence. fballI do this great zvickednefe.? and fo linne againsî God ? It Was confcience that diffwaded Nehemiah from flying, Should filch a man as Ifile? And if one argument will not lerve, con- fcience will tire more. The nie of this may be firfl: for inflrulion, Hence we learn that natural men may have a confcicnce urging to good and re- flreining from evil. There is no man fo evil or ignorant, but he bath naturally forne light with him by which confcience is fet onwork to advife and to counfel, and to fay., Visit very good; do it. This it veryfinful; forbear it. This therefore is no fìgne of grace in any man to have his confcience calling uponhim to do good or diffwading him from evil : The very heathen had fo according to their light : yea and in many of them it was for- cible to reflrain them from many fins which they were inclined unto. And fó may many men be put upon many good duties, not for any love or liking of that which is good, but becaufe they would pleafe and fatisfie confcience, which otherwife will not fufer them to be quiet. It was confcience that kept dbimelech from defiling Sarah, and yet a carnal man. Here then a quefbbon may be asked. Whether a meer natu ral man can avoid fin for confcience fake. 1 anfwer, that thisexpreffion, For confcience fake, may be taken two ways : either i, For confcience of the Command. ment ofGod and love to it ; and fo none but Godschildren o- bey for confcience fake : and fo it is meant when Pau/fpeaketh of beingfnbjec1for confciencefake and Peter fpeaketh offuffe- ringwrong for confciencefake. Or fecondly, Forconfciencefake, that is, when confcience it felf inforced by fear compelleth one to do a thing or not to do it : As we fay, A'fy confcience Will not fuller me. Thus carnal men come toChurch for confcience fake, and pray for confcience fake, &c, that is,Their confcience driveth them to thefe duties, and will not be quiet without they perform them, Secondly, Sith a meer natural man may have a confcience flirting him up to good as well as the truly godly, it will not be amilfe to give you the difference. Thedifference is in three things : I. A
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