560 Acts, Xxiv. 16. [1808.

before the Jewish Sanhedrim, that he had " lived in all good conscience before God until that day." And in another place he speaks of the testimony which his own conscience bore to his character in these respects, as a source of most exalted pleasure to his soul : " our rejoicing," says he, " is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly since- rity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world." A similar testimony was given by our Lord himself to a man of far less attainments than St. Paul : of Nathanael he said, " Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile." But it may be said, ' We acknowledge that Chris- tians are so described, and that some eminent persons have attained to that character:' but still the ques- tion recurs, Cannot a man be a true Christian, without having such a conscience as has been described? Before we give a precise answer to this, we should observe, that it is possible a man may be a Christian, and yet not enjoy the comfort of such a conscience ; the cor- ruptions of his heart, the temptations of Satan, an occasional commission of sin, and even certain disor- ders of the body, may prevent his conscience from yielding such a testimony ; yea, may cause it to accuse and condemn him, notwithstanding he be a real Christian. But if any ask, whether any one can be a true Christian without having a just ground, for such a testimony, or in other words, whether he can be in a state of salvation without possessing real inte- grity of heart ? we answer, that, if there be any truth in the word of God, he cannot. What says David with respect to this? " If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." This cannot mean that if he have iniquity in his heart, God will not hear him : but that if he harbour it, or allow it in any instance, it will be in vain for him to hope for any mercy from God. St. John speaks yet more strongly to the same effect : " He that committeth sin is of the devil : whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him ; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God: in this the