072 Heb. I. I2. 295 he hath Tingly endeavoured to have it tender, and con- form to the rule, even that he hath been exercifed to have a Confcience void of offence, and that he hath re- fleded and fearched, and found it in Tome meafure to be fo ; the one of thefe lays the ground for the tefti- mony of a good Confcience, and the other draws forth the comfortable evidence of it. z. As to the perfon's prefent frame, there muff be fpirituality, finglenefs, and fome meafure of tendernefs, otherwife it will much obftru& this perfwading teftimony ; for 'tis not enough that a man has been tender, if he be not in force meafure fo now : Paul fays here, We bave (not only we had) a good Confcience. 3. There muff be force de- liberatenefs and determinatenefs of his purpofe and re- folution to walk with God for the time to come ; for, if a man do not dedicate and devote himfelf to the Rudy of holinefs for the future, tho' he be fuppofed to have had never fo much of it in his bygone life, this firm and comfortable perfwafion will be much marred and ob- ffru&ed. So then thefe three muff here go together, viz. holinefs in a man's bypaft life, holinefs in his prefent frame, and holinefs in his purpofe for the future : We will find them all conjoined in the experience of this fame apoflle, Phil. 3. where, when he has fpoken of his bygone carriage, how he had counted thefe things to be lofs for Chriff, which he fometimes counted to be gain; and how he had fufirered the lots of all things for Chrift; yet he thinks not this enough, but adds as to hits prefent frame, Yea,douhtlefs tcount all things to be but lofs, for the excellency of the knowledge of Chrifa` -efus my Lord. And, v. I2. Not as if 1 had already attained, or were already perfet. And, v. 13. One thing 1 do, fo; °sting thefe things that are behind, &c. He is as ferious and eager as if he had juft now begun, and tells us, that for the future he is refolved to prefs toward the mark, till he obtain the prize: Then he fubjoins,, Let us then, as many as be per - feet, be thus minded. This is not an abfolute perfeétion in holinefs that he fpeaks of, or a perfe&ion of degrees ; but a perfeé$ion of parts, or a perfw&ion of fincerity (tho' in a higher degree than many Chriftians win at) as po his,bypaft life) as to his prefent frames and as to his t
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