7. And if it be directed thereby in fact, then hath he _the answer of a good conscience toward God_. A _good conscience_ is what is elsewhere termed by the apostle, a _conscience void of offence_. So, what he at one time expresses thus, _I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day_, Acts xxiii. 1. he denotes at another, by that expression, _Herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward man_, ch. xxiv. 16. Now in order to this, there is absolutely required, first, a right understanding of the word of God, of his _holy and acceptable and perfect will_ concerning us, as it is revealed therein. For it is impossible we should walk by a rule, if we do not know what it means. There is, secondly, required (which how few have attained?) a true knowledge of ourselves: a knowledge both of our hearts and lives, of our inward tempers and outward conversation: seeing, if we know them not, it is not possible that we should compare them with our rule. There is required, thirdly, an agreement of our hearts and lives, of our tempers and conversation, of our thoughts and words and works with that rule, with the written word of God. For without this, if we have any conscience at all, it can be only an evil conscience. There is, fourthly, required, an inward perception, of this agreement with our rule. And this habitual perception, this inward consciousness itself, is properly a _good conscience_; or (in the other phrase of the apostle) _a conscience void of offence, toward God and toward man_.