74 ( A 7`reatife ofG`onfcience. Gai.j.2. 2, PrOV 7.I4 rit of Godcometh in and witneffeth, Yea,you fay right; peace belonged, untoyou indeed, and 1Jay Amen to it. When the Spi- rit of Goddoth fay thus, then the Lord fpeaketh peace to the foul. Thefruit of the Spirit is love,joy, peace. Peace is the fruit of the Spirit : it fpeaketh it to the foul, breedeth it in the foul. Now, beloved, examine your felves : Is your peace of this flamp ? do ye leek it ofGod , and get it in the bloud of Ghrifl Jefus ? do yeget it by the world, and by your true (peaking confcience, and by the holy Spirit of God ? Ifye get it on this wife, then it is true peace ofconfcience indeed. Ifye get it by your own vaine hopes and by your good meanings, &c, this peace will not hold alwayes : when your consciences come to be awaked , your peace will all vanifh away and be no more. This is the firf} note to trie and examine your felves by . II. Ifour quiet and peace of confcience be good, it is ac- companyed with fuch a lifeas is agreeable to the will of God : it avoideth finne, as the thing that difturbeth the peace. How can any man have true peace of confcience when his life doth not pleafe God but provoketh his wrath againft him ? It can- not be that he fhould have truepeace who in his heart doth re- gard finne : There ù nopeace to the wicked, faith my God. No, where-ever true peace ofconfcience doth inhabit, it dwelleth with godlinefa of life and unblamablene ffe of converfation; as the Apoftle Teter joyneth them together, 2 Pet.3.14. Wherefore, beloved, Peeing ye lookfor fuch things, be diligent that ye may befound of him inpeace without fpot and blameleffe. Mark the words; In peace, Without ßot and blameleffe. If ever we would be found in true peace, we muff live without fpot and blamelefTe. A wicked mansconfcience may Teem to have peace, and tell him he hath ferved God ; This day I have payed my vows, faith the confcience of the Whore; but this is a rotten anddeceitfull peace. True peace of confcience is ever accom- panyed with fuch a kindof life as is agreeable to the will of God in his word. III Ifour peace be good, it will make us endure to hear any
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