■ Let the conduct of Levi be our pattern™ — and the
command of Jesus our rule" — .]
2. To maintain always a good conscience —
[God has given us a conscience, to be his vicegerent in the soul. It may be said, that Paul sinned in following his conscience °. We answer, that he sinned, not in following his conscience, but in having such a misguided conscience. We should by a constant study of the Scriptures, and by fervent prayer for the teachings of God's Spirit, get our conscience enlightened and rectified. If we neglect to do this, we are
' Prov. xxix. 25. ^ Acts iv. 19. i Luke xii. 4, 5.
'n Deut. xxxiii. 9. " Luke xiv. 26, 27. " Acts xxvi. 9.
answerable before God for all the errors we run into. But still we must follow the light we have. We must listen to the dic- tates of conscience at all times, and follow them without reserve. Every thing that it enjouis we must do^, and nothing that it forbids''. If it even suggest a doubt, we must not proceed till that doubt be removed ^ Nothing is more terrible than an accusing conscience^; nothing more delightful than testimonies of its approbation*. Labour therefore with all your might to acquire a good conscience, and " exercise yourselves night and day to maintain it**."]
I' Jam. iv. 17. 1 Rom. xiv. 22. "■ Rom. xiv. 2.3.
s Matt, xxvii. .3, 4. ' 2 Cor. i. 12. " Acts xxiv. 16.
Matt, xxvii. 26 — 31. Then released he Barahbas unto them : and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the Governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the wliole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And ivhen they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, king of the Jews ! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, arid smote him on the head. And after they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on hivt, and led him away to crucify him.
AT this season^ we are naturally led to contemplate the sufferings of our blessed Lord. In general, we think it desirable to fix your minds on some one point ; because that, if duly opened, will afford ample matter for one discourse : but now we will rather call your attention to this assemblage of facts ; not so much for the purpose of elucidating each particular indignity that was offered him, as, from a collective view of them, to shew you the Lord Jesus Christ,
I. As the predicted Messiah —
There was scarcely an incident relating to his death which w'as not the subject of a distinct prophecy —
[It was foretold that he should be scourged. The Pro- phet Isaiah says, that "the chastisement of our peace was
^ The Passion Week.