Heaven upon earth in the serene tranquillity and calm composure, in the sweet peace…

He will either be at a loss as to his •ober composed and holy frame, and turn carnal, which is frequently and readily incident even to believers, or he will be at a loss as to the confidence, boldness, and peace that he might otherwise have in the performance of such an action or duty; for suppose a person to be in a good frame after he hath resolved on a duty, let it be for instance, speaking to edification, going about Prayer, or the making of some lawful Bargain, or the like; and he hath abundant light and clearness in his call to the thing, yet if he look not to, and reflect not on Conscience in the discharge of that duty, when a challenge cometh on the back of it, as if he had been wrong; he cannot well answer nor repel it; his being right being to him in that case (in some respect) little or no better then if he had been wrong; because he observed not Conscience ⟨p. 169⟩in the time of the action: And this is one great reason, no doubt, why believers have so little positive peace when they have done a good turn, because they do not advert what Conscience says to them, in their going about it; They are hereby also greatly at a lose, as to many sweet experiences of Gods kindness, and condescending in assisting them, and of their own singleness win at, through Grace in the performing of Duties: and we think also, that Christians living so much by a negative peace (to speak so) flows much from this ground, viz. Their little reflecting in the time of their doing Duty, (if once they be clear in the thing) whither they be suitably serious, and sincere in it; and so letting the opportunity go by, they are not so throughly clear in these things, that are evidences of a positive peace, in doing of such a duty rightly, as they might otherwayes be▪

He will either be at a loss as to his •ober composed and holy frame, and turn carnal, which is frequently and readily incident even to believers, or he will be at a loss as to the confidence, boldness, and peace that he might otherwise have in the performance of such an action or duty; for suppose a person to be in a good frame after he hath resolved on a duty, let it be for instance, speaking to edification, going about Prayer, or the making of some lawful Bargain, or the like; and he hath abundant light and clearness in his call to the thing, yet if he look not to, and reflect not on Conscience in the discharge of that duty, when a challenge cometh on the back of it, as if he had been wrong; he cannot well answer nor repell it; his being right being to him in that case (in some respect) little or no better then if he had been wrong; because he observed not Conscience