3 32 The Foundation of f 5 E R M. teftimony of confcience concerning our fin= XIII. cerity in obeying the law which we are un- °"v""") der, hath nothing to do with the prefent fubje t. The apoftle doth not fay in the text, or mean, that whenever men have con- fident hope of the divine approbation and acceptance, however they came by it, and upon whatever ground, they fhall be accord- ingly approved or accepted ; but that if their hearts do not condemn them for infincerity, or wilful tranfgreflion, impenitently conti- nued in, they have well grounded confi- dence. The reafon why I obferve this is, becaufe very often prefumptuous finners have ftrong expectations of the mercy of God ; but their hope is built on quite an- other bottom than their hearts approving their moral difpofitions and behaviour, nay, in direst oppofition to the judgment of their confciences concerning them. Some lay great ftrefs on their religious profefiion, and the foundnefs of their faith ; others rely on their exalt obfervance of rites and ceremo- nies ; the hope of the Pharifees was founded upon their falling often, making long pray- ers, their ceremonial wafhings, their punc- tual tything of mint, annife, and cummin, and fuch like things. In like manner forne chrift ans depend on their baptifm, their receiving
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