Atimony of a good Confcience do-th mainly lean, and the very hinge on which it is mainly turned, as being the greateff evidence of fincerity: We (hall yet premit fome things further for clearing of the Doctrine, and then we ha11 confirm it, which is in fubffance and in íhort this, That a man, who hath an univerfril willingnefs to live ho- rieffly, may have calmnefs and tranquillity of Confcience, kho there be many things in his life, for . which he may ,very juffly cenfiire himfelf. Fir fß, then, let it be premitted, That, when we fpeak of this calmnefs of Confcience flowing from the univerfal honefty of a perfon's life and walk, we mean not, i f, Such a perfedion of calmnefs and tranquillity as may Rand before God's judgment -feat; for, tho' we were in cafe to fay with the apoffle, i Cor. 4. 4. That we know nothing by ourfelves ; yet are we not thereby juflified, but he that judgeth us is the Lord, who is greater than our Confci- ence, and fees many things in us, that we fee not our- felves : Whoever therefore fuppofeth fuck a perfeaion, can never have calmnefs of Confcience while he lives in the world. 2dly, Nor is this inch a calmnefs as prevents all challenges ; a man may have challenges of Confcience, .rid yet have a good Confcience. Neither, 3ddy, is it filch calmnefs, as under it believers have no ground for, nor -ufe of, repentance and humiliation ; nay, repentance is not only confiflent with this calmnefs, but it is a notable mean 'of it, and a main ingredient in it 'tis a thing whereby in part it is both attained and entertained : The kindly gofpel- exercife of repentance for fin will not break our peace, but very readily vacation from this exercife will do it to purpofe : And therefore we would carefully di- 11inguifh betwixt repentance, humiliation and felf- lothing for fin, and the marring of the peace of our Confcience ; yea, there may be much exercife, wreffling and fighting inwardly in the fpirit of a Chriffian, and yet confiderable Calmnefs of Confcience in that fame condition : For that 47.7hieh gives peace, is not fo much the want of all exer- cife of mind, as a fuitable behaviour under that exercife ; s we may fee in the apoffle Paul, who, tho' he was deep - ly exercifed, and forely combated with the remainder of body of death within him, as he gives a lamenting ac- count-9
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