A37045:349
Heaven upon earth in the serene tranquillity and calm composure, in the sweet peace…
Heaven upon earth in the serene tranquillity and calm composure, in the sweet peace and solid joy of a good conscience sprinkled with the blood of Jesus and exercised always to be void of offence toward God and toward men : brought down and holden forth in XXII very searching sermons on several texts of Scripture ... / by James Durham.
Edinburgh: printed by the heir of Andrew Anderson, 1685
Title page typeset from the transcription.
HEAVEN upon EARTH in a Serene and Smiling good Conscience. › Sermons on romans n9.1 › Sermon 2
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The reason then (as I said before) why few Christians have solid peace, is this, if the matter of their Actions be good, and if they can answer their light therein, they reflect but little on their Conscience, in the performing thereof, and therefore want much of the peace and consolation that might otherwise accompany them in their Actions, and when they are done, and over: and this evidence of tenderness kythes rather, when a man is in the Act, then either before or after; for fear, or awe may make a man seek Light before an Action, and a challenge may put him to reflect, and examine when he hath done; But here mainly lieth the evidence of sincerity, and tenderness, when in every step all along the Action, or Duty so far as is requisite, and humane infirmity will admit, he taketh heed what he is doing: and, as we said the other day, That it was an evidence of a tender Conscience, to be always meddling in every thing that a man doth; So we say now, that it is an evidence of a tender man, to listen and hear what censure his Conscience passeth on him, in performing his Actions▪
The reason then (as I said before) why few Christians have solid peace, is this, if the matter of their Actions be good, and if they can answer their light therein, they reflect but little on their Conscience, in the performing thereof, and therefore want much of the peace and consolation that might otherwise accompany them in their Actions, and when they are done, and over: and this evidence of tendernesse kythes rather, when a man is in the Act, then either before or after; for fear, or awe may make a man seek Light before an Action, and a challenge may put him to reflect, and examine when he hath done; But here mainly lyeth the evidence of sincerity, and tendernesse, when in every step all along the Action, or Duty so far as is requisit, and humane infirmity will admit, he taketh heed what he is doing: and, as we said the other day, That it was an evidence of a tender Conscience, to be alwayes medling in every thing that a man doth; So we say now, that it is an evidence of a tender man, to listen and hear what censure his Conscience passeth on him, in performing his Actions▪