men ! It can strike terror into the minds of monarchs on their thrones. It can make multitudes tremble and shake before a few bold Mends of truth, like a flock of sheep. Blind and mistaken as conscience often is, unable to convert man or lead him to Christ, it is still a most blessed part of man's constitution, and the best Mend in the congregation that the preacher of the Gospel has. No wonder- that Paul says, "By manifestation of the truth we commend ourselves to every man's conscience." (2 Cor. iv. 2.)
He that desires inward peace must beware of quarrell- ing with his conscience. Let him rather use it well, guard it jealously, hear what it has to say, and reckon it his Mend. Above all, let him pray daily that his con- science may be enlightened by the Holy Ghost, and cleansed by the blood of Christ. The words of St. John are very significant: "If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God." (1 John iii. 21.) That man is doing well who can say, " I exercise myself to have a conscience void of offence toward God and toward man." (Acts xxiv. 16.)
Notes. Luke XXIII. 44—49.
44. — [About the sixth hour.'] According to the Jewish mode of reckoning, the day began at what we should call six o'clock in the evening. Our Lord was crucified at the third hour, answering to our nine o'clock. The darkness began at the sixth hour, answering to our twelve o'clock in the day. It should be observed, therefore, that the supernatural darkness mentioned here took place precisely at the brightest part of the day, between twelve o'clock and three. Six hours was the whole length of time during which Jesus hung on the cross before He gave up the ghost.
[There was a darkness.'] This was a miraculous darkness. It could not have been an eclipse of the sun, because our Lord's crucifixion took place at the passover, and the passover was