072 Ac9s zq.. 16. 67 change his way in fuch or fuch a particular,indeed to the better, when yet it loth not let him on endeavours in the ftrength of grace to change his way and life in the general traE of it ; for as true grace is uniform, fo a well- informed and truly good .Confcience makes a man en- deavour an univerfal and uniform change in his way. And viithout all doubt it is as clear a duty to pray, to fearch his Confcience, to walk without giving offence, to hear the word, to meditate thereon, to injure no man, Erc.. and yet he will be ftri& in fuch a particular, but prayeth no more, waiteth upon Ordinances no better, than he had wont to do, &c. This looketh very like an erring Con- fcience ; for (as I laid juft now) Confcience maketh not a man to change in one thing only, but it puts him to endeavour alfo a change in ail : Therefore beware of fuch deceits, for Confcience is much abided in this time. It is indeed a excellent thing to keep a good Confcience, and void of offence ; but 'tis a defjerate thing to make a shoe -horn or stalking horfe of Confcience, to make it fubferve our own humour, and the carrying on of our own particular interest ; or to leave the word and to pretend Confcience, and to be fwayed by interest un- der pretext of Confcience : There is great need then to look well to the word, and to have the word and Con- fcience going hand in hand together ; to keep near God, and to walk in holy fear, that Confcience have not any thing wherewith it may charge us juffly. SERMON III. AEs 24. 16. And herein do 1 exercife myfelf, to have always a Confcience void of offence toward God, and toward men. THere are many fad mistakes about a 'Chriîtian life and the ferions and zealous following of holi . nefs ; for men either diminifh from hnlinefs, as tö the extent of it, or difpenfe with 'and take a liberty and latitude to themfelves in the following of it. E 2 r:a
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