First, are ye willing to be informed? Will ye try and sift thing to the bran? Try ye if the thing be lawful which ye desire? If ye stop your eyes and ears, and will not examine it, you do not deny your selves; it is all one to stop the light, as to have it and not to follow it: Is there not a secret light within you, that tells you, this and this is a sin? doth your conscience whisper within you? if it doth, ye deny not your selves, except ye desire to be informed. Num. 22.20. Balaam would not go upon any terms to curse Israel, at the first and second request; he had a secret light within him that told him that he should not go, though God bade him go; but yet God who knows the ways of the flesh and Spirit, saw that he lingered after Balacks wages; and therefore he bids him go, ⟨p. 205⟩and he went: he did not satisfy his conscience. So SAUL carried it fairly, when as he offered Sacrifice before SAMUEL came; so he did when h• ••ared AGAG and the best things; pretending Sacrifice to be made with them: yet his conscience told him that it was a sin, he did not satisfy it· Examine things to the full, else ye deny not your selves. We preach to you, that you must do thus and thus; peradventure ye deceive your selves and reason against it, yet your Consciences are convinced. 2 Corinth. 4.2. We speak to your Consciences, and approve our selves to them; we preach not to the wits and humours of men, but to their consciences, in the sight of GOD and men. You must love the light: Joh. 3.12. He that doth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought of GOD. Do ye choose the light, without seeking any distinctions, or evasions? If a man seek evasions, it is a sign he is not of the truth. He that loves the truth, is of the light: approves things that are excellent;1 he is willing to hold up his actions to the Sun, as one doth a vessel, to see if there be ever a flaw in it. Ye may call sanctifying the Sabbath, Judaism; ye may call strictness of life, Hypocrisy and Preciseness; Zeal, indiscretion; But what say your consciences of them? If that which we do be but hypocrisy, why do you not it in reality?
First, are ye willing to be informed? Will ye try and sift thing to the bran? Try ye if the thing be lawfull which yee desire? If yee stop your eyes and eares, and will not examine it, you doe not deny your selves; it is all one to stop the light, as to have it and not to follow it: Is there not a secret light within you, that tels you, this and this is a sinne? doth your conscience whisper within you? if it doth, ye deny not your selves, except yee desire to be informed. Num. 22.20. Balaam would not goe upon any tearmes to curse Israel, at the first and second request; he had a secret light within him that told him that hee should not goe, though God bade him goe; but yet God who knowes the waies of the flesh and Spirit, saw that hee lingred after Balacks wages; and therefore he bids him goe, ⟨p. 205⟩and he went: hee did not satisfie his conscience. So SAVL caried it fairely, when as he offered Sacrifice before SAMVEL came; so hee did when h• ••ared AGAG and the best things; pretendi•g Sacrifice to be made with them: yet his conscience told him that it was a sinne, he did not satisfie it· Examine things to the full, else yee deny not your selves. Wee preach to you, that you must doe thus and thus; peradventure yee deceive your selves and reason against it, yet your Consciences are convinced. 2 Corinth. 4.2. Wee speake to your Consciences, and approve our selves to them; we preach not to the wits and humours of men, but to their consciences, in the sight of GOD and men. You must love the light: Ioh. 3.12. Hee that doth truth commeth to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought of GOD. Doe yee choose the light, without seeking any •istinctions, or evasions? If a man seeke evasions, it is a signe hee is not of the truth. Hee that loves the truth, is of the light: approves things that are excellent;1 he is willing to hold up his actions to the Sunne, as one doth a vessell, to see if there be ever a flaw in it. Yee may call sanctifying the Sabbath, Iudaisme; yee may call strictnesse of life, Hypocrisie and Precisenesse; Zeale, indiscretion; But what say your consciences of them? If that which we doe bee but hypocrisie, why doe you not it in reality?
- 1Phil. 1.10.
