Confidence towards God, explained. 347 gion, is imperfect in this life, but that which S E R tvr, God will accept, being the habitual pre- XIV. valence of good difpofitions againft the con- trary ; and in the deliberate purpofes of the heart cleaving to that which is good, and chuffing to do what we know or believe to be right, even in oppofition to pallions, felfifh inclinations, and wordly intereft: Of this every man who is truly difpofed may be able to judge concerning himfelf, with fuf- ficient certainty ; however, the fureft way to make the teftimony of approving con - fcience fo clear, that it may be fafely relied on and leave no room to doubt, is, to en- deavour to grow always in fincerity, that is, in all goodnefs, and in the love and practice of every virtue. I proceed now, Secondly, To illulirate and confirm the truth of the doctrine thus explained, namely, that the judgment of the heart concerning itfelf, either acquitting or condemning it of infincerity, is the only jufl ground upon which we can expert the divine approbation or dif- approbation. The authority of the apoftle is fufficient to determine the point to chriftians, and, I think, his meaning is fo plain that there can be no hefitation concerning it. We may obferve, however, that what St. john here 3 teacheth
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