ning, and fearcbing himfelo f; and refle&ing ,,on his way, that he máy know that it is fo ; for, tho Paul had his converfation by the grace of God, in fzmplicity, not in fe(h. ly wifdem, &c. yet he had not this joyful teflimony of his Confcience till he put it to proof, and found it to be fo indeed ; and, if .he had not done this, he had not had Confcience's good teflimony. A 6th and laft ground is, when all this is dono, that a man be denied to it, and lay the weight of it only upon, and give the commendation of it altogether to the grace of God. ; that he fingle him- felf out, and exclude himfelf from having any praife of that which he hath attained to : Therefore the apof le here attributes all to grace ; as he cloth in like manner, I Cor. 15. io. I laboured (lays he) more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with nze : And by the grace of God, I am what I am ; he takes indeed a large teflimony to himfelf, for the Corinthians their edification ; but attributes all to the grace of God. Now, when we fpeak of acknowledging God's grace, we would not have it done complementingly, or for foffe.. ring of pride or vanity, becaufe of its being difpenfed to us; but it would be done humbly and foberly : For a little fpiritual pride,conceit and vanity, in refle&ing upon what men have, or do this way, will be as a dead flie, that will make his box of lavoury and precious ointment to fend furth a ftinking fmel ; as we fee in the proud Pharifee, who vainly and. vauntingly faid,i thank thee, that I am not like this publican. There is nothing more neceffary for keeping the teflimony of a good Confcience clear, than to be very humble under it, "and much denied to ito SERMON . Heb. r;. iS. Pray fir us : For we trzß we have a good Confcience, in ail things willing to live ho- nefïly. IT is indeed a very exercifing, and up-taking bu1inell to attain and come by a good Confcience; but it hatt
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