2. A pledge of eternal misery —
[When conscience is enlightened, it sees innumerable abominations in the heart : and when sanctified, it feels an utter abhorrence of what it does see. But yet " God is greater than our hearts" both in respect of penetration to discover sin, and of holiness to hate it. He " knoweth all things" that have been done amiss, and that too, with all the particular aggravations that have attended every omission of duty, and every commission of iniquity. Not our actions only, but our very thoughts, are " sealed up in his bag," to be brought for- ward against us at the last dayr. The present testimonies of conscience are a previous and preliminary sentence, declaring noiu upon few and partial grounds, what God himself will hereafter declare on a complete review of our whole lives.
We say not indeed that there is no room for repentance : God forbid: the accusations of conscience are the voice of God within us, calling us to repentance : and the most guilty conscience that ever tormented the soul of man, may in an instant be purged by the blood of Jesus s: but if conscience summon us to its bar, as God summoned Adam and Cain to answer for their conduct1, its decisions shall be ratified in the clay of judgment, unless they be reversed through penitence and faith in Christ : what it " binds on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and what it looses on earth, shall be loosed in heaven."]
Nothing, on the other hand, is a richer blessing than a good conscience : its testimonies are,
1. A source of unspeakable comfort —
[St. Paul tells us that he found this to be a well-spring of happiness within him ; " Our rejoicing is this, the testi- mony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world u." Indeed, such a testi- mony is a continual feast to every one that enjoys it. Having an inward witness of our own sincerity, we may " assure our hearts before Godx," we may "have boldness of access to him with confidence y," we may " ask of him what we will, and it shall be done unto usz." Such a testimony inspires a " con- fidence towards God" in every thing that relates to our present or future welfare ; it fills the soul with a " peace that passeth all understanding," " a joy that is unspeakable and glorified." How desirable then is it to be able now to appeal to God, like
r Job xiv. 17. s Heb. X. 22. and 1 John i. 7.
t Gen. iii. 9. and iv. 9, 10. u 2 Cor. i. 12.
x ver. 19. y Eph. iii. 12. z ver. 22
i:»s i John, 111. 20, 21. [2150.
Job, "Thou knowest that I am not wicked3;" or with Peter, *' Thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love theeb!" And how blessed to say with Hezekiah in a dying hour, " Re- member now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight0 ! "
2. An earnest of eternal happiness —
[The witness of our conscience is, in fact, the witness of the Spirit of Godd: for it is the result of a divine illumination, whereby we discern the agreement of our experience with the word of God, and of a divine communication, rendering that agreement an occasion of joyful confidence. What then can this be but a foretaste of that bless which shall be consummated in heaven? In this view these divine communications may be considered as " the first-fruits of the Spirit," and " the earnest of the Spirit;" because they are, as it were, the beginnings of heaven in the soul, and they assure to us a complete and ever- lasting possession of it. Even in the day of judgment itself this holy confidence will remain e : they who possess it now, will go forth with joy to meet the bridegroom; " they will stand before him with great boldness f," and, assured of their relation to him, will exclaim, " This God is our God for ever and ever."]