in this or that condition of life,and not in another,or un- der the crofs, and not in profperity. But, as the word is here in the text, he is always to exercife himfelf in this fludy And, tho' a man fhould live many years with a Confcience void of offence ; if he begin at lait, tho' it be but now and then, to take undue liberty, Confcience will take notice of it, and challenge for it, becaufe the word, the fuperior of Confcience, taketh notice of it. 5. To walk according to Confcience, extendeth itfelf to all circumflances and qualifications of duty : It looketh, not only to the matter of duty that it be good, but that it be fpiritually profecute in all the circumftances of it : It will look to the man's aim, that it be fingle ; and, if it he not fo, it will find fault: It will look to his manner of do- ing, whether he be fpiritual, lively, tender, zealous &c, in what he doth : And it will look from what principle he a ð,from the ftrength of grace,or from a gift only ;from his own ftrength, or from Chrift : And it will look to what is his end,or aim (as I juft now laid) whether he be bring- ing forth fruit to himfelf,or to God ; whether his end be to pleafe iven,and to have their approbation and applaufe,or to glorify God, and to approve to him ; whether it be to flop the mouth of his Confcience,or to honour God. Con - fcience taketh notice of thefe, for founding its accufing or excufing ; and in this it differech from all courts among men, it will accule and condemn where they will abfolve, contra. 6. Confcience will put a man to take notice of all the means, opportunities and helps whereby holinefs may be furthered; and, if a man corne thort in the ufe of any mean it will put him to run the back trade,as it were, and to take with the guilt : 'it will fay, Man, whether mightff thou not have had more knowledge, having had fo many opportunities to hear and to learn,having had fuch and fuch miniflers and Chriftian friends to advife with, and to be inftruted by ? as the Apoftle hath it, Heb.,c.a 2. e might have been teachers of others,by reafon of time and means ; and yet ye have need to be taught the fri principles, &c. To have a Confcience void of offence, it is neceffary to ufe every mean to further us in the knowledge of God's will, and to attain to the practice of it. 7. Confcience will look efpecially to what tale we make of our holinefs anog
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