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mendation that they should contribute for the poor Jerusalem christians, who were either in or flying from the destruction of that unhappy city.

There are a multitude of weighty things in this epistle, which cannot at present be retailed-the Apostle's labours and sufferings, the comparison made between the old and new testament dispensation; the motives and encouragements to christians to endure with patience all their persecutions; and his grand vindication of himself and brethren from the reproaches and opprobri ous insinuations of false and wandering teachers.

In this first chapter, he states his troubles, the goodness of God, his afflictions and his sincerity, honesty, faithfulness and integrity. This latter he exhibits in all the language of just propriety in our text. This wears not a tincture of boasting or vain glory.

He looks inward, amidst all the clouds of reproach, thickened by slanderous tongues around him, and feels the approbation of his own mind. He makes a solemn appeal to the deputy appointed by God in his soul. To the voice of conscience, and in the midsts of all the calumnies cast upon him, he rejoices in the testimony thereof. That he and his brethren had not their conversation in guile, deceit or craft, but in open candour, fairness, simplicity and godly sincerity. They employed no low cunning, or the carnal wisdom of the word, no political manœuvres, but their whole conduct was formed on the grace of God," and more "abundantly to you ward;" that is, in a special and distinguishing manner, for your spiritual and everlasting benefit. "For "our rejoicing is this, the testimony 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, and more abundantly to you ward."---In an attention to this subject, we shall endeavour,

First, To enquire into the nature of conscience, and its tes timony.

Secondly, Show the foundations, on which it gives witness in our favour.

Thirdly, The grounds such a testimony lays for rejoicing in all circumstances.

First, As to the nature of conscience, I will not follow the philosophers into their many and various disquisitions on this head. Nor with them will I dispute, whether it is an act, habit or faculty of the soul. It is enough for my purpose to "It say, "is the exercise of reflective reason in determining the nature of "moral actions, whether they be good or evil." I will not detain you with descriptions of the various species of conscience, with which philosophers have amused the world. Such as a natural and enlightened conscience; an erroneous, doubting and scrupulous conscience; an ignorant and probable conscience, &c. Conscience is a word in common use, and the learned and unlearned have a better idea of it from reflection upon the feelings of their own minds, than by all the laboured discourses of the great masters of science. Consciousness, or an inward perception of our own tempers, thoughts, words and actions, will afford us a better understanding of the term conscience, than any possible definitions or abstract essays.

All the actions of moral agents must have a reference to some law, arising from the light of nature or divine revelation. Of this law there must be some apprehensions of what it recommends and prohibits. And under these apprehensions, the approbation or disapprobation of our thoughts, words and conduct, is what is strictly stiled conscience. And from this feeling of pleasure or displeasure with our actions, it is often called a moral sense. The standard of this moral sense among christians, is the holy scriptures. By these it acquits or condemns. Its approbation is

called a good testimony, and the answer of a good conscience towards God.

To constitute this good testimony, three things are necessary. Some understanding of the will of God; some knowledge of ourselves; and some perception of the agreement of our hearts and lives with the great rules prescribed. And this inward feeling of the moral sense, is what is meant by the testimony of conscience. And this conscience is good, when it is void of offence towards God and man; when it accuses not of any wilful offence against either. It is a pure conscience, purged from dead works.

There is an evil conscience, defiled with vicious habits; and a conscience seared as with an hot iron. This is an obdurate, hardened conscience, which is past feeling, and on which no impressions can be made. But a good conscience is such as is enlightened, well informed, is tender and testifies in a person's favour, and affords him internal peace and comfort.

Secondly, We are to show the foundation, on which it gives witness in our favour.

The First foundation is, to have our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience by the blood of Christ. Naturally our souls have no esteem of, nor regard for God. Who enquires, where is God his Maker, who hath formed him wiser than the fowls of heaven? How many can spend their days in stupid ease, in pieasure and business, and God enters not into all their thoughts? This evinces a deep degeneracy of nature, which must be cured by Almighty grace. In order to enjoy this precious testimony, it is necessary that the tempers of our spirits should be renewed; that we apply by faith to the blood of Jesus, to have our consciences cleansed from dead works, and purified to serve the living God.

Secondly, Simplicity of heart is another foundation requisite for this purpose; an uprightness of intention, and purity of de

sign. This our Lord recommends in the phrase of a single eye. "The light of the body is the eye, if therefore thine eye be single, "thy whole body shall be full of light." What the eye is to the body, that the intention is to our words and actions. Hence, if the eye, the aim and design of the soul, be single, the whole life and conversation will be full of holy light. It will be decent, undisguised, and uniform. This simplicity consists in a reference of ourselves in all our views and plan of conduct to the will and wisdom of God. It implies in it a steady and single intention of mind, to honor God, and approve ourselves to him in well doing.

Thirdly, Godly sincerity is another ground for the testimony of of a good conscience. The distinction between simplicity and sincerity may be considered in this way. Simplicity regards the design or intention itself sincerity the execution of it. Where simplicity and godly sincerity habitually prevail in the heart, the actions will flow in an uniform stream to the glory of God, and the life will move as it were, in a strait line towards him. The conversation is not governed or directed by fleshly wisdom. It takes not its rise from carnal motives, nor is it supremely pointed to carnal ends. Actions may be unexceptionably or materially good in themselves, yet be faulty from sinister motives, and because not well referred. Such actions will never produce the testimony of a good conscience. The noble spirit of christianity abhors meanness, all tricking, double dealing and chicanery. It detests insincerity, hypocrisy, disguise, dissimulation and intrigue. The genius of true religion is firmness, openess, candour, integrity and uprightness, and from these arise the honorable testimony of a good conscience.

Fourthly, It is necessary for this purpose, that by the grace of God, we have our conversation in the world. We need the grace of God to support us under trials, succour us in temptations, assist us in duty, restrain us from sin, comfort us in sorrows, and be our staff and stay in death. We are to feel our dependence upon di

vine grace, to bear us through this evil world; to work in us both to will and to do according to the good pleasure of heaven. Our hearts must be pure, and our eye single, aiming at the glory of God. Thus we must maintain a gospel conversation, and pass the days of our pilgrimage in this world. We must remember our dependence upon Christ and the communications of his Spirit ; that all things are of God, and if we are enabled to do any thing with success and acceptance, it is through Immanuel strengthening us. We must always bear upon our minds, that we are debtors to the grace of God, and absolute dependents upon his bounty and fulness. These are the foundations on which the testimony of a good conscience rest. They are the pillars of consolation, peace and joy to the christian in his passage through life.

I proceed to consider,

Thirdly, The grounds such a testimony lays for rejoicing in all circumstances. That it performs this important part is self-evident, and a fact that cannot be disputed. There is an inexpressible pleasure in the very endeavour to keep a conscience void of offence toward God and man. The trial to walk in all good conscience before him, yields a sacred satisfaction, preferable to all the joys a person whose conscience is defiled, is capable of tast ing in any thing he possesses. If the mere endeavour to maintain a good conscience affords real pleasure, how far must the experience of the joy of having done so, exceed it? Though we can pretend to nothing higher in our conversation than sincerity and simplicity, yet how sweet are the reflections of a well instructed conscience relative here to? When our hearts reproach us not, we are conscious of no base designs, nor decline the all penetrating eye of our heavenly Father, but are ready to submit ourselves to his search in our daily actions and wonted course; and appeal to him as the Psalmist did, saying, "Judge me, O "Lord, for I have walked in mise integrity; I have trusted also

in the Lord; therefore, I shall not slide. Examine me, O