212 Sermon r. - foils) in their neck, looking to what flicks and cleaveth to their heels, as it were, when they have pafl any a&ion or duty, as the word is, Pfal. 49. 5. where the Pfalmi fpeaketh of the iniquity of hi; heels compa f ng him about; as knowing well, that in every flep of his way he leaveth forne foul veftige or print behind him, and therefore looketh back on it : This then we propofe as a piece, and a fpecial piece, of a tender walk, vit. That Chriffians not only deliberate before they do, and look to Confcience while they are a- doing, but that alfo they refle& and look back upon the a&ron when it is done and paff, To clear this a little further, there are three main things that a believer is called to in reference to what is pail, r. Examination of himfelf and his way. 2. Laying of himfelf and his way to and before his Confcience infor- med by the word. 3. Judging of himfelf according as he findeth his way to be, when he bath laid it before his Confcience. We need not curioufly and nicely diffe- rence there, for they go always together when a man is right: his examination of himfelf, and of his way, the examination of his way by his Confcience, and his felt- judging ; yet they may be force way differenced : Self= examination is more large and extenfive, taking in the whole that a man is concerned in, his ficklenefs, and his need as well as his finfulnefs ; but refle &ing on Confci- ence confidereth a man's way as finful, or not finful only Self - examination is a gathering,. as it were, of things to- gether ; but reflé&ing on Confcience is a laying of them to the rule, a putting of them to the touch (tone : Self - examination is the mids, Confcience reflexion is the end; and, if any fhould" offer to divide them, the gathering of things together by felf-examination will not dignify much, except they be tried by Confcience : Self exami- nation is antecedent to the fentence of the judge ; felf- judging is fubfequent, as a ratification of that which Confcience bath laid, when we have examined and found out things, and when Confcience bath on reflexion, a- greeably to the rule, given its fenfe and fentence : Our judging of ourfelves is our homologating, or own - ing, applying, and taking home to us, the fentence that Con-
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