A treatise of delighting in God from Psal. xxxvij. 4. Delight thy self also…

2. Your own Conscience you will acknowledge ought to be a Rule to you, when it manifestly agrees with that former Rule, The supreme and Royal Law. Do you not find your selves herein to have offended against that? It may be your sleeping Conscience did not find your self to offend: But do you not find your self to have offended it, now beginning to awake? This is not a doubtful and disputable matter, (perhaps your minding such matters too much, hath hindered you in this), surely you will not make a scruple of it, a difficult case of Conscience, Whether you should take the Lord of Heaven and Earth for your God? Whether you should choose him for your portion, seek rest in him, and place upon him your delight and love? And if in so plain a case your Conscience hath not expressed it self offended, you have offended against it, in letting it sleep so securely, and not stirring it up to its proper office and work. And know, that sinning against the light of ones own Conscience, doth not stand only in going against the actual deliberated thoughts which we have had, but also in walking contrary to our habitual knowledge, and the thoughts and apprehensions which thence we might and ⟨p. 260⟩should actually have had; Inadvertency and disregard of known duty, is the most usual way of sinning against Conscience. And besides, Have you not in this often gone against the repeated checks of your own Consciences! Bethink your selves, Have you not in your prayers intermingled frequent confessions of your cold love to God, and that you have taken so little delight in him? And were those only customary forms with you, and words of course? Surely (though it might not be urgently enough) your Consciences did at such times accuse you. And let that be a dreadful thing in your eyes, to continue a course which, if you consider, you cannot but condemn. And,

2. Your own Conscience you will acknowledg ought to be a Rule to you, when it manifestly agrees with that former Rule, The supream and Royal Law. Do you not find your selves herein to have offended against that? It may be your sleeping Conscience did not find your self to offend: But do you not find your self to have offended it, now beginning to awake? This is not a doubtful and disputable matter, (perhaps your minding such matters too much, hath hindered you in this), surely you will not make a scruple of it, a difficult case of Conscience, Whether you should take the Lord of Heaven and Earth for your God? Whether you should chuse him for your portion, seek rest in him, and place upon him your delight and love? And if in so plain a case your Conscience hath not exprest it self offended, you have offended against it, in letting it sleep so securely, and not stirring it up to its proper office and work. And know, that sinning against the light of ones own Conscience, doth not stand only in going against the actual deliberated thoughts which we have had, but also in walking contrary to our habitual knowledg, and the thoughts and apprehensions which thence we might and