cönfidence towards God, explained 3 2 or not ; in order to which, I (hall lay dowtt S E x Mi the following propofitions; XIII. Firfi, That the approbation and the Con- demnation of our own confciences, upon which our hope towards God and the fear of his difpleafure depend, dò not relate to abfolute innocence, and to every thing which, ítricîly fpeaking, may be called finful. If the queftion were concerning finlefs perfec- tion, and concerning every kind and degree of moral evil, no man's heart Could acquit him; for there is not a All min that liveth upon the earth, and finneth not; The fame apoftle in this very epiftle teacheth us, that if we fay we have no fin, we deceive our- felves, and the truth is not in us, So far from knowing that we are of the truth; and aff'uring our hearts before God, by pretend ing to an unfinning obedience, men making fuch a prefumptuous claim, thew only their ignorance of themfelves and .of the truth; not their innocence ; for the very beft, who are always jealous over themfelves with a godly jealoufy, and look the moft ftrialy into their own hearts and lives, are always fenfible of their own frailties, and that they could not abide a trial by God's all-fearching eye, if he fhould mark every one of their X z infirmi-
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