must be enlightened; and it must be watchful, both advising before, and after censuring, according to that light.

The greater part of mankind little regard this; they walk by guess, having perhaps ignorant consciences, (and the blind, you say, swallow many a fly,) yea, how many consciences without sense, as seared with an hot iron"; so stupified, that they feel nothing! Others rest satisfied with a civil righteousness, an imagined goodness of conscience, because they are free from gross crimes. Others that know the rule of Christianity, yet study not a conscientious respect to it in all things. They cast some transient looks upon the rule, and their own hearts, it may be, but sit not down, they make it not their business, to compare them. They have time for any thing but that; but share not with St. Paul, do not exercise themselves in this, to have a conscience void of offence towards God and men. Those were his Asceticks, [d] he breathed himself, in striving against what might defile the conscience, or, as the word signifies, elaborately wrought and dressed his conscience". Think you, that other things cannot be done without diligence and intention, and is this a work to be done at random? No, it is the most exact and curious of all works, to have the conscience right, and keep it so. As watches, or other such neat pieces of workmanship, except they be daily wound up and skilfully handled, they will quickly go wrong; yea, besides daily inspection, conscience should (as these) at sometimes be taken to pieces, and more accurately cleansed; for the best kept will gather soil and dust. Sometimes a Christian should set himself to a more solemn examination of his own heart, beyond his daily search; and all little enough to have so precious a good as this, a good conscience. They that are most diligent and vigilant, find nothing to abate as superfluous, but still need of more. The heart is to be kept with all diligence', or above all keeping. Cor

1 Tim. iv. 2. • Non vacant bonæ menti, 4 ασκήσασα χιτῶνα. Ηom.

P Acts xxiv. 16. r Prov. iv. 23.

i

ruption within is ready to grow and gain upon it, if it be never so little neglected, and from without, to invade it, and get in. We breathe in a corrupt infected air, and have need daily to antidote the heart against it.

You that are studying to be excellent in this art of a good conscience, go on, seek daily progress in it; the study of conscience is a more sweet profitable study than of all science, wherein is much vexation, and, for the most part, little or no fruit. Read this book diligently, and correct your errata by that other book, the word of God. Labour to have it pure and right; other books and works are Epsepya, curious, and mappy, by-works; they shall soon disappear, but this is one of the books that shall be opened in that great day, according to which we must be judged".

On this follows a good conversation, as inseperably connected with a good conscience. Grace is of a lively active nature, and doth act like itself; holiness in the heart will be holiness in the life too; not some good actions, but a good conversation, an uniform even tract of life, the whole revolution of it regular: The inequality of some Christians ways doth breed much discredit to religion, and discomfort to themselves.

But observe here, 1. The order of these two. 2. The principle of both.

1. The conscience good, and then the conversation; Make the tree good and the fruit will be good, says our Saviour'; so, here, a good conscience is the root of a good conversation: Most men begin at the wrong end of this work; they would reform the outward man first; that will do no good, it will be but dead work.

Do not rest upon external reformations, they will not hold, there is no abiding, nor no advantage, in such a work; you think, when reproved, Oh! I will mend and set about the redress of some outward things; but this is as good as to do nothing; the

Rev. xx. 12.

* Matt. xii. 33.

mind and conscience being defiled, as the Apostle speaks, doth defile all the rest; it is a mire in the spring; although the pipes are cleansed they will grow quickly foul again; so Christians, in their progress in grace, would eye this most, that the conscience be growing purer, the heart more spiritual, the affections more regular and heavenly, and their outward carriage will be holier; whereas, the outward work of performing duties, and being much exercised in religion, may, by the neglect of this, be labour in vain, and amend nothing soundly. To set the outward actions right, though with an honest intention, and not so to regard and find out the inward disorder of the heart, whence that in the actions flows, is but to be still putting the index of a clock right with your finger, while it is foul, or out of order within, which is a continual business, and does no good. Oh! but a purified conscience, a soul renewed and refined in its temper and affections, will make things go right without in all the duties and acts of our callings.

2. The principle of good in both is Christ: Your good conversation in Christ. The conversation is not good, unless in him, so neither is the conscience.

1. He the person, we must be in him, and then the conscience and conversation will be good in him; the conscience that is morally good, having some kind of virtuous habits, yet being out of Christ, is nothing but pollution in the sight of God; it must be washed in his blood ere it can be clean; all our pains will not cleanse it, floods of tears will not do it; it is blood, and that blood alone that hath the virtue of purging the conscience from dead works".

2. In him, the perfect pattern of holiness; the heart and life is to be conformed to him, and so made truly good.

3. He is the Spirit of Grace, whence it is first derived, and always fed and maintained, and made active; a spirit goes forth from him that cleanseth

Tit. i. 15.

w Heb. ix. 14.

our spirits, and so makes our conversation clean and holy.

If thou wouldst have thy conscience and heart purified and pacified, and have thy life certified, go to Christ for all, make use of him; as of his blood to wash off thy guiltiness, so of his Spirit to purify and sanctify thee. If thou wouldst have thy heart reserved for God, pure as his temple; if thou wouldst have thy lusts cast out that pollute thee, and findest no power to do it; go to him, desire him to scourge out that filthy rabble, that abuse his house and make it a den of thieves. Seek this, as the only way to have thy soul and ways righted, to be in Christ, and then walk in him. Let thy conversation be in Christ, study him, and follow him; look on his way, on his graces, his obedience, and humility, and meekness, till by looking on them, they make the very idea of thee new, as the painter doth of a face he would draw to the life; so behold his glory, that thou mayest be transformed from glory to glory: But, as it is there added, this must be by the Spirit of the Lord*. Do not, therefore, look on him simply as an example without thee, but as life within thee, having received him; walk not only like him, but in him, as the apostle St. Paul speaks, and as the word is here, have your conversation not only according to Christ, but in Christ; draw from his fulness grace for grace.

2dly, The other thing in the words is, the advantage of this good conscience and conversation, its success in this contest with evil-speakers. (1.) Even external towards the malicious ungodly world; they shall be ashamed that falsely accuse you. Thus often it is even most evident to men; the victory of innocency, silent innocency, most strongly confuting all calumny, making the ungodly false accusers hide their heads. Thus, without stirring, the integrity of a Christian conquers; as a rock, unremoved, breaks the waters that are dashing against it. And this is not only a lawful but laudable way of revenge,

* 2 Cor. iii. 18. VOL. II.

y Col. ii. 6.
E

2 John i. 16.

shaming calumny out of it, and puuishing evilspeakers by well-doing; shewing really how false their accusers were. This is the most powerful apology and refutation; as his was of the sophister, that would prove there was no motion, by rising up and walking. And without this good conscience and conversation, we cut ourselves short of other apologies for religion, whatsoever we say for it. One unchristian action will disgrace it more than we can repair, by the largest and best framed speeches on its behalf.

it so.

Let those, therefore, that have given their names to Christ, honour him, and their holy profession, most this way; speak for him as occasion requires; why should we not, provided it be with meekness and fear, as our apostle hath taught? But let this be the main defence of religion, live like it, and cominend Thus all should do that are called christians, should adorn that holy profession with holy conversation: but the most are nothing else but spots and blemishes, some wallowing in the mire, and provoking one another to all uncleanness. Oh! the unchristian life of christians! an evil to be much lamented, more than all the troubles we sustain. But these indeed do thus deny Christ, and declare that they are not his. So many as have any reality of Christ in you, be so much the more holy: the more wicked the rest are, strive to make it up, and to honour that name which they disgrace. And if they will reproach you, because ye walk not with them, and cast the mire of false reproaches on you, take no notice, but go on your way; it will dry, and easily rub off. Be not troubled with misjudgings; shame them out of it by your blameless and holy carriage, for that will do most to put lies out of countenance. However, if they continue impudent, the day is at hand, wherein all the enemies of Christ shall be all clothed over, and covered with shame, and they that have kept a good conscience, and walked in Christ, shall lift up their faces with joy.