r... 44 ! ATreatife of Confcìence. ing, and reading, and hearing, and conferringwill never be a- ble to do it : it is only in the power of himwho made us to do it. Thyhand) have made and fafhioned me : o give me under- 73. Banding, that I may learn thy commandments. He who made our coniciences, he only can give them this heavenly light of true 2, knowledge and right underftanding : and therefore let us feek ear neflly to him for it. 2. We mutt leek it inhumility, alwayes fufpe&ing our own knowledge.We are not too confidently and prefumptuoufly to trull to our own judgment, and defpife or neglea the judgment of others, The humble God Will teach; Pride and felf conceiredneffe blindethexceedingly, 3. We mutt Peek with fobriety,always contentingour felveswith that know. ledge which is mot} necef ary , and not be curious about vaine and idle- brained que[tions, or folicitous to anfwer everyobje. lion that (hall be railed up againft the truth. A lover of the truth ( hould not be ready to entertain all obje&ions againft it, and never be fetled till he can anfwer all that can be cafe in; whichwill be never. It is not expe&ed that there should be in every man ii ch a ripeneffe of judgment and fuch a meafure of illumination as that he íhould be able to difpute with the molt learned, or anfwer everyobje&ion that can be railed : But we muff with that good Martyr fay , Though I cannot di- jbute for (hril I can die for him :we mutt be content with our meafure, to be wife unto fobriety. III. Thofe godly fouls that have weak confciences muff ufe them very gently : Scrupulofi nonfont rigidè tratlandi , Those that are fcrupulous are not to behandled rigidly.When a mote is in the eye, it is not boiftroufly tobe dealt withal : that will make it worfè. The eye is a tender part, and fo is the confci- ence. Again, we muff take heedofoffendingweakconfcif nces. ht may be thou knoweft thine own liberty that thou mayft do this or that; but thybrother is weak, and he doth not know it to be lawful : O take heed of giving offence : Confider the A- polies words,' Cor. 8. 12 Whenyefin againftyour brethren and wound their Weak.confciences, ye fin againft Chrift. Confider alto the praaice ofthe Apoftle, and the refolution that he had ;. If meat Pfd. a r9. P51 zS9. 3. Vfe 3. Antonia.
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