Fenner - BV4500 F466 1651

86 4 treatÉfe of Confcience. anger ref}eth upon us and our confciences feel it, this is another caufeof the trouble of confcience. 3. A third caufè of the trouble ofconfcience is the fear of death and of hell : Whenwe know we have offended Gods law, and we know alto what our fnnes do deferve, namely death and judgement and damnation fòr ever ; this doth moll trouble and diíquiet confcience, when it fafineth on the appre- henfion of it. The Apofile calleth it afearfull looking for of jndgemnent, When confcience looketh for nothing elíc but for hell and damnation, this muff needs trouble conícience. 4. Another cau fe is privative, want of fiipportance ; when God doth with-hold from confcience the help of his Spirit. Ye know the Spirit can inable confcience to undergo all its trou- bles ; the Spirit can prompt it with mercies and the promifes of God, and hold it up : but when the Lord bereaveth the confcience of this help, and doth not at all fïxpport it, this mull needs alto trouble confcience. 5. When God doth fafien on the con feienee fuch thoughts as may affright and terrifie it ; as thus, Goddoth not love me ; Chr:ft will not own me ; 1 have finned, Iam a reprobate, pail hope, &c. When filch thoughts as thefe fallen on the confcience, it cannot choofè then but be troubled. Thus I have (hewed you what are the caufes of the trouble ofconfcience. Secondly , This trouble of confcience confifleth in two things : Firfi, in want of comfort : It cannot apply to it felt neither the promifes of this life nor of that which is to come. Confcience crieth, This belengeth not to me : This mercy, this comfort is not myportion. Secondly, In a terrour and anguifh ofmind from thefe three heads : i . From the guilt offinne ; 2. From the apprehenfion ofeSods wrath ; 3. From fear of death andof judgement. This is the three-fitinged whip wherewith confcience is lafhed. Thefe ye (hall find upon the con (cieticeof Adam and Eve, when they had finned againfi God. Their con- fcience was whipped. z . With the guilt of finne ; theyfaw they were nahed,Gen- 3.7. 2. With the apprehenfion ofGods wrath ; they bid thsmfelves from thepretence ofGod, verf. $. 3. With the

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