Confidence towards God, explained. 341 finners, and a blafphemer, a perfecutor, and S E x M. injurious. What judgment is to be made of XIII. fuch an heart not condemning, it is hard for us precifely to determine. We are Pure that God will make all the favourable allowances for the weaknefs of his creatures, that the moll perfe t equity and goodnefs require; but the cafe particularly referred to, leads us to this farther obfervation. Lally, That there are different degrees of fincerity, which is the only object of the heart, or the confcience's approbation, and that only which God will accept. It not only implieth that we do not ad againft the prefent convi ±ion of our minds, but that they are not chargeablewith grofs care- leffnefs, or wilful, obftinate prejudices, mifleading the judgment. It is true, that as fincerity may well be called the whole of religion, it is imperfeé in this life. There is no man fo happy as to be wholly and uni- verfally free from the leaft degree of faulty inattention, or any bias upon his mind drawing him into failings. But this is not to be carried fo far as that we may not have fufficient affurance of our own fincerity to be a lull ground of confidence towards God. That which the mind mutt approve, which will afford it true fatisfaction in itfelf, Z 3 and
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