necessity of abasing ourselves before God in dust and ashes, and of " fleeing for refuge to the hope set before us." In short, it must be convinced, that " a life of faith on the Son of God," and " a cleaving to him with full purpose of heart," are the distinguishing features of the true Christian. But besides this, it must be acquainted also with the several duties which we owe to our fellow-creatures, as superiors, equals, and inferiors ; and that too not only in their civil capacity, but in their relation to us as members of Christ's mystical body. When it is thus enlightened, then, and then only, is it capable of being void of offence toward God and man.
But it is yet further necessary that conscience should be able to testify, upon good grounds, that there is a correspondence between this rule of duty and our actions.
Its testimony must proceed from a watchful ob- servation of all our motives and principles of action. It must be in the habit of bringing our conduct to the touchstone, and of discerning between the pure metal and the most specious counterfeits. It must be on its guard against the bias it receives from pre- judice and passion; and must be able to appeal to the heart-searching God for the truth of its testimony. Not that it need testify, that there is no sin in us ; for then who could ever receive a favourable verdict, seeing " that in many things we all offend ?" But its testimony must be to this effect ; that, after searching the sacred records, after praying for the teachings of God's Spirit, after carefully investigating not only our actions, but our motives and principles, and after comparing these with the rule of duty, it cannot discern that there is any one sin habitually indulged, or any one duty allowedly neglected.
This is the true import of what is called in our text, " a conscience void of offence :" and this every true Christian labours to maintain.
We now come to shew, II. The vast importance of it to every child of man —
Men in general are well pleased if they can secure