duty to God1; and that pride, envy, selfishness, &c. may accord with love to manm. How should conscience, thus blinded, give a just verdict ? or how should its blindness cause that to be good which is in itself evil ?]
It should be able also to testify upon good grounds that there is a correspofidence between that rule and our actions —
[It should be in the habit of examining our principles and motives, and be on its guard against any bias from prejudice or passion : it should be able to appeal to God for the truth of its testimony; not that it need to testify of sinless perfection"; but it must testify, that, after the strictest search, it can find no sin habitually indulged, or duty allowedly neglected.]
" A good conscience " being that which every true Christian labours to maintain, I proceed to mark,
II. The vast importance of it to every child of man —
To labour for it is certainly the character of all who fear God —
[The world are satisfied with gaining the applause of men ; but the Christian makes but little account of man's judgment0. He knows that the eye of God is upon his heart p : he there- fore " studies to approve himself to God :" he has respect to every part of his duty " toward God and manq:" and this, not at certain seasons only, but always : nor will he be deterred by any regard to ease, or interest, or fear. Inquiring only, " What is duty?" he will say with the Apostle r — .]
Nor can any one be a true Christian who has not attained it —
[Every pardoned sinner is supposed to be without guile3. All in the primitive Church are spoken of in this light1. St. Paul did not hesitate to affirm that such was his character". And the same is ascribed to one who, in point of experience, was far inferior to himx: nor is any one in a state of salvation
I 1 Johnii. 15. m 1 Cor. xiii. 4 — 7.
II That is not possessed by any, Jam. iii. 2.
0 1 Cor. iv. 3. p Heb. iv. 13.
<l He does not think that his observance of relative duties super- sedes the necessity of delight in God ; nor, on the other hand, that the devoutest exercise of prayer and praise can absolve him from his obligations to equity and mercy. Jam. iii. 17.
1 Acts xxi. 13. s Ps. xxxii. 2. 1 Phil. i. 10. and ii. 15. See also 1 Thess. v. 23.
u Acts xxiii. 1. 2 Cor. i. 12. x John i. 47.