3 53 The Foundation of S E x m. without this it feemeth utterly inconceiv XIV. able, that the heart can juftify God. Upon the whole, then, it appeareth that if the heart, confcious of its own inclinations, pur- pofes, and aftions, condemneth itfelf, it is the fureft evidence we can have of God's condemning; and if the heart diverted of prejudice, not confcious of the prevailing love of darknefs and evil deeds, and careful in its'inquiry, doth not condemn, it is the greateft certainty we can attain to of the divine approbation. I proceed now to draw fome of ful infe- rences from what bath been faid. Firft, it is a dangerous miftake to place the hope of men's acceptance with God, not upon the goodnefs of their affeaions, and the inte- grity of their hearts, but upon the truth of their opinions, and the retitude of their external actions in themfelves, and abftraaly confidered. It is the former of thefe which is the proper object of the mind's teftimony and judgment concerning itfelf, not the lat- ter, of which we have not in many cafes a fufficient certainty.' Upon a review of what paiTeth in our minds, our inclinations, de- iigns, our motives of anion, and our whole condu ±, they who are impartially fo difpo -. fed, can well diftinguifh between what is right
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