SERMONS UPON ACTS XXIY. 14-16. 437
better than thou wert before ? And he saith of himself, Quoiidie aipud. me causam dico, iotinn diem mecirni scndor, dicta et facta mea reme- tior ; that he scanned all his actions and speeches in the day. Shall heathens be more serious, and shall christians, vrho are acquainted with eternity, never take time to set conscience a-work ? Oh ! let us be ashamed of our slightness and negligence I
10. We can never have a sound conscience till we be sincere ^\-ith God in a constant uniform course of self-denying obedience : 1 John iii. 19, ' Hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him ; ' and this is described in the text by ' keeping a conscience void of oflence both towards God and towards men.' So 2 Kings XX. 3, ' I beseech thee.. 0 Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight,' and this not in an act or two, but in a man's whole course : Ps. cvi. 3, ' Blessed are they that keep judgment and he that doeth righteousness at all times.' Not by starts and good' moods only, but constantly and at all times. And our obedience must be self-denying as well as constant and uniform. That rehgion is worth nothing that costs nothing : 2 Sam. xxiv. 24, ' I will not ofter burnt- offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing.' When we value God's interest above our own, and we can deny our- selves upon the hopes of glory, then is our sincerity most evidenced. But if we embrace only the safe, cheap, and easy part of religion, and cannot deny our ease, profit, and honour, we do not set up Christ's re- ligion, but a Christianity of our own making : Mat. xvi. 24, ' Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any one will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.'
11. If we would have conscience to do its office, there must be gi'eat heed and watchfulness, for it is corrupt as well as other faculties, and from a judge it may become an advocate, excusing the partialities of our obedience. To evidence this more fully with re.^pect to conscience, men may be considered three ways — as acting without conscience, or according to conscience, or against conscience.
[1.] A man may act without all conscience, so a man may do either good or evil.
(1.) Good, as those that act rashly, inconsiderately, or customarily. As when men pray, give alms, go to church : conscience did not send them thither, but custom, inducement of friends, persuasions of parents, or the like. These do that which is good, but they do it not well r Luke viii. 18, 'Take heed how you hear.' Conscience doth not put them upon it. To this first sort may be reckoned those that intended to do evil, but by accident do that which is good ; as Joseph's brethren : Gen. 1. 20, ' But as for you, ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good.' And those that perform the duties of Christianity so far as the interest of the flesh will give them leave, for the flesh itself will command you to do well, and sin itself forbid sin, that it may not disgrace them in the world, and bring some hurt and inconvenience on them. Conscience doth not guide them herein, but hypocrisy or sin sets them a-work.
(2.) Evil, as Lot s incest with his daughters : Gen. xix. 33, 34. ' He perceived not when they lay down, or when they arose.' Conscience
'438 SERMONS UPON ACTS XXIV. 14-16.
■was laid asleep ; it did not stir and chasten or rebuke him. So when the people of Epliesus came together, Acts xix. 32, ' The most part knew not wherefore they were come together ; ' they were in a hurry, tumult, and sudden passion. These consult not with conscience in their actions, and the evil they do is not against conscience ; yet evil it is, and doth not exempt from punishment, for a man is bound not to act , rashly, but according to the dictate of conscience,
[2.] A man may act out of conscience, or according to conscience, and so he may act either good or evil.
(1.) Good, either lawful, because it is permitted, or necessary, because it is commanded ; in the one conscience is sensible that he may, in the other that lie ought to do so. This he doth not out of terror, but the sweet force of love and willing obedience unto Grod ; for feat- and conscience are opposed : Kom. xiii. 5, ' Wherefore ye must be faithful, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake ; ' but he doth it in obedience to God : Ps. xxvii. 8, ' When thou saidst, Seek ye my face, my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.' I acknowledge thy power over me.
(2.) Evil. So Paul out of conscience persecuted Christ, for his erring conscience told him that the precepts and ceremonies of the law of Moses were all of eternal obligation, and necessary to a man's justification towards God, and therefore that Christ, abolishing the ceremonies, was an enemy to Moses : Acts xxvi. 9, ' I verily thougJit with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.' Error of conscience dictated it to him. But did Paul do well or ill herein ? As to the manner of the action, it was well, for he did it with a good mind, and according to his conscience ; thus far Paul sinned not. But as to the matter of the action, he did wickedly, that he followed the dictates of a misguided conscience, and did not subject his conscience to that higher revelation of God which is in scripture, but to the tradition of the elders. So many persecutors do evil, and do not think they do evil, but do God good service : John xvi. 2, ' They shall put you out of the synagogues ; j'ea, the time ■cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service ;* and this through ignorance and blind zeal. This erring conscience is their bane ; it may urge them to do evil, but it cannot oblige them to do evil, for they are bound to know better ; and according to the means of their conviction, so is the greatness of their sin.