143

ON CONSCIENCE.

"Herein do I exercise myself, to have always 66 a conscience void of offence toward God "and toward men

THE languid approbation of virtue, or

a mere concurrence in the forms of religion, will never lead to the possession of that approving conscience, which St. Paul so emphatically avows. Not to dwell on the horrors of that mind, where the promises or denunciations of the Gospel have been equally disregarded, where an unlimited depravity of principle has led to the vices which are degrading to nature, to reason, and to sense, and sooner or later dreadful in

* Acts xxiv. 16.

their consequences, it may not be unprofitable to consider conscience, in a less guilty light, though perhaps not in that progressive state of perfection which the Apostle enforces for our example. There are various candidates for the rewards of virtue; and many, who believe they have entered in at the "strait gate," who have made but little progress on the road to salvation; many whose conscience is temporarily lulled, either by constitutional insensibility, or by limiting the duties of life according to their own conceptions of right and wrong, and awake not to a sense of their errors till it be too late to abjure them. There are others, who pursuing the beaten track of common place example, or from an habitual fear of the world's censure, or from some latent ideas of a future reckoning, conscientiously discharge their duty in that public sphere of action, which an in

tercourse with the world has necessarily extended. Let us take a brief view of this character in the hour of trial, and in the relative and moral duties of life..

In the hour of trial is the ordeal supported with Christian fortitude and Christian forbearance of spirit? If disappointments cloud the happy prospects: of life, and poverty, sickness, or any other species of calamity unexpectedly intervene! can such a conscience reflect, that the tender offices of sympathy and friendship have been duly exercised to others in their hour of trial or affliction? In the day of prosperity have the precepts of virtue been united with every active principle of benevolence? In a word, has the great Gospel rule of "doing as we would be done by," appeared the proof of genuine Christianity? Have the outward ceremonies of religion been uniformly attended to? and morality of character disciplined by the

H

strict regulation of the passions? If these, and similar questions can be satisfactorily answered, doubtless we shall say, herein has this man "exercised "himself with a conscience void of "offence toward God and toward his "fellow-creatures:" Not to derogate from such a praiseworthy conduct, but to pursue it to the point of perfection, we will follow this man of exemplary goodness, in the private and the social walk of life, in a general intercouse with his family and dependents. Does he join urbanity of manners with the strict principles of religion? Is he ever indulgent to the errors of the ignorant? a stranger to the petty discords of life, from having gained that victory over the incidental irritations of feeling, which might have degenerated into the cap-. tiousness of ungoverned humour? Is the domestic circle the circle of happiness? Does he view the beings dependent upon him for nurture and sup

་

port, with the tenderness of a father, not with the severity of a judge? Does he sanction the innocent enjoyment of their lives, increasing, not checking by his presence, the gaiety of youth and childhood? Does his conscience acquit him of imposing on his children's minds the unnecessary weight of parental authority, instead of the mild persuasions of age and experience; or of wounding the bosom of affection, by those various traits of unkindness which moroseness of manners, or the captiousness of temper have alone encouraged? Does his example also sanction the order and regularity of his household? Does he not only approve and talk of piety, but join in the endeavour that his children and dependents shall serve the God of ali mercies in prayer and daily praise? Are all worldly concerns attended to, through an habitual industry of mind, and regulated