V/b 116.160 always void of offence toward God and toward men; and on the contrary, it is a very ill thing at any time to have offence toward either of them lying on the confcience. The fifth is, It is the duty of all men, and more efpe_- ' cially of believers, to walk fo, as they may always keep a confcience void of offence ; yea, it is not only a duty, but we may look on it as an excellent mean for advancing of holinefs. The f xth is, Where men honeffly aim to keep a con fcience always void of offence, it will be an exercifing and uptaking thing. The feventh is, -Where this exercife is negle &ed, and not ferioufly carried on the confcience is left to Rumble at, and to abound with, offences. As for the frig, That there are many kinds of offences which people are fubje& to, toward God and men ; it is a thing uncontroverted by all, and we need fay little of it; Only, i. There are fins againft the firft table, which are offences toward God, being immediately againft him ; and there .are fins againft the fécond Table, which, altho9 they be againft God, yet immediately they touch and re- fle& on men. z. There are fins againft God that are fecret, which God only is witnefs to ; and there are open fins, which fcandalize men. Paul endeavoured to efchew all thefe ; for àll are fins againft the law of God, and wounding of the Confcience. The fecund is, That there is a confcience within every ynan,which takes notice of every piece of his carriage and is accordingly affected with it, and affects him for it : This is the ground of all that follows,and had need to be more particularly fpoken unto. This truth then contains thefe three things, i. That there is a Confcience in every man, that takes notice of every piece of his way and walk ; hence it is faid to bear witnefs, z Car. 1. 12. I'his is our re- joycing, the to flimony of our Confcience, &c. and it is alío faid, to accufe or excufe , Rom. 2. 15 . It witneffes for men, and excufes and cornforts them when they do well ; and witneffeth againft them, accufeth and reproveth then when they do evil ; and fo is to them as a check, captors or cenfor. The apoftie's aim, to have a Confcience void of ofe ce,fuppones, that be and every man has a confci- encet
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