2O5 aermon r. every thing that might be obferved from them, we (hall' affri& ourfelves to this fcope, viz. to point out the right ufe- making of Confcience, its fenfe arid teflimony of our way and a &ions after they are paff , and the duty of a believer in trying his by gone courfe of life, and every part thereof, as to Confcience its teftimony of it, or as to what Confcience can fay concerning it. Ifit then, Obferve bùt in paffing, That Confciencecari fgnify is mind to a man concerning his anions and couver fation of a long time pall ; So that, tho' he hath been in fuch a country among fuch a people, about fuch and fuch an action many years ago, Confcience refle&ed upon, hath a faculty (to (peak fo) of lignifying its fenfe thereof, as of every other a &ion of his life. Much' of Paul's time was now paff, and a part of it in the mini - ffry at Corinth; yet, looking fo far back, his Confcience gives him this teflimony : Which will be further clear, if we confider, I. The experience and pra &ice of the faints, in atteffing their Confcience, in paff, and in long f nce paff a&ions : Nay, we fuppofe there are few, or rather none at all, but their Confcience will fometimes challenge them for an evil a&ion that is by their hand, and that for a confïderable time ; Jofeph's brethren are a famous inflance of the truth of this: Now, if it can challenge or accufe, it can alto excufe and approve a man, and teflify for him, when we bath done well ; for cxcufing is as extenfive in a good cafe, as accufing is in an evil. z. 'Tis clear alto from the office of the Con- fcience ; which (as we (hew) is not only to di &ate, and , to be an ohferving companion,, but to be a judge ; which fuppofeth for ordinary the thing to be paff : Therefore, I John 3. zz. both the condemning and abfolving of the heart is ípoken of; which inferreth, that the Confcience (called there the heart) bath a way of recognofcing of, and paffing fentence on, a man's way and a &ions, not only while they are a- doing, but when pall. idly, Obferve (which is that we mainly intend to ípeak to) ghat it Is a main piece of a tender walk, and of the practice of a Chrzian, to be reflecting on his bygone sway, and trying what Confcience faith of it Not only (a
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