eth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself." I He has not to travel far and wide in search of proofs that he is a child of God. The evidence of the fact is within him. He knows that he has sincerely repented of his sins and turned to God, that he has fled for refuge to the Saviour's cross, that he has believed "with the heart unto righteousness," that he is now dwelling in Christ and Christ in him by the Holy Spirit, and that, "forgetting the things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, "he is daily pressing towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." 2 'Our rejoicing,'3 exclaims the Christian, 'our theme of exultation and triumph is this, the testimony of our conscience.' He walks through the world with a good conscience for his inseparable companion. He listens to her counsel and her testimony, as to that of a faithful monitor; he regards her judgment as of more importance to him, than that of all mankind; he confides in her as in the friend, who will neither mistake his character, nor flatter him in his errors, nor mislead him in his course. She speaks to him as God speaks to her, and in her decisions he hears the righteous determinations of heaven. When therefore an enlightened conscience approves his conduct, he rejoices as if he had received a message 1 1 John v. 10. 2 Phil. iii. 13, 14. from the eternal Throne, conveying the assurance that God owns, honours and delights in him. Our next inquiry is— II. In what manner does the testimony of conscience produce this joy? Assuredly not by practising any deception upon the Christian's mind which shall create a false and treacherous peace, not by withdrawing him from the most humble and entire dependence upon the merits and death of Christ, not by rendering him insensible to his own inherent guilt and depravity, but by bearing testimony to the simplicity of his intentions; to the integrity and holiness of his character; to the cause both of this simplicity and this integrity, not "fleshly wisdom, but the grace of God;" and lastly, to the effect upon his conduct and conversation in the world. 1. Conscience gives joy to the Christian, by bearing testimony to the simplicity of his intentions. 66 Simplicity is here opposed to double-mindedness, to insincerity, to deceit, to everything in human character, which is not really what it assumes to be. The expression of the apostle, Simplicity and godly sincerity," ought perhaps rather to be "godly simplicity and sincerity," so that the word godly should be held equally applicable to both, as describing the quality of the two virtues with which it stands connected. A divine 1 'ATλóτns. Candor animi et sinceritas, probitas, integritas, bonus et sincerus animus. èv άπλóтηT candidè, sine ulla frâude, sincerè, non fraudulenter. Schleusner. simplicity of purpose must be interwoven, like a golden thread, into the whole tissue of the Christian's character. The object at which he aims, is simple truth, and the means by which he pursues his end must be open, sincere, and unaffected. He is to be " an epistle of Christ, known and read of all men," so that all may behold in him the Saviour's moral image reflected-the simplicity of a child with the understanding of a man,-the "meekness of wisdom" with the fortitude of "a good soldier of Christ Jesus,"-constant devotedness to the one great end of life, without either provoking or dreading the opposition of the world,—a course of conduct which shall stamp him as a decided follower of Christ, and shall leave no doubt, either in his own mind, or in that of others, respecting the cause he has espoused, the business in which he is engaged, or the point to which the current of his thoughts and efforts is directed. "A double-minded man,"-literally a man of two souls" is unstable in all his ways." The want of a simple aim at a clearly defined mark, leaves him a constant prey to the rival influence of conflicting and irreconcilable masters. He has no determinate object of pursuit, no fixed principles of action; and therefore no firm resolves, no just views, no certain and intelligible course of action, but fickleness and inconstancy characterize all his procedure. 1 James i. 8. Ανὴρ δίψυχος. M But he who, with divine simplicity serves God, and follows the dictates of an enlightened conscience, goes straight to his purpose, and escapes those distracting thoughts which draw the mind in opposite directions, and leave it alike dissatisfied, whether it acts or refrains from action. He sets his foot on solid ground, and treads with firm aud steady pace, the path which Christ has trodden before him, to everlasting life and glory; and it is not to be questioned, that holy tranquillity and even joy attends the consciousness of such a state of heart and feeling. 2. But while conscience testifies to the sincerity of the Christian's intentions, it also bears witness to the general holiness of his CHARACTER. This is the second method by which it communicates gladness to the heart. The term rendered "godly sincerity," as distinguished from the term "simplicity," may be taken to have a wider reference to the entire character; and a deeper signification, implying advancement in holiness, growth in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It supposes a consistency of conduct, which makes it appear clear, transparent, capable of bearing strict investigation in the strong light of the meridian sun. This integrity and moral excellence follows as a consequence, from that simplicity of intention which has been explained. 1 'Eiλikpivela Oeôv. Sinceritas, puritas et candor rei, quæ, ad solis plendorem spectata, examen fert.' Schleusner. The sacred writer, in comparing the course of the just man with that of the sun, carries his comparison no further than to the point, where the orb of day acquires his greatest elevation, and shines in his greatest splendour: "The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." From this point the comparison fails. The sun descends again till he sinks beneath the horizon, and day is succeeded by midnight darkness; but the Christian charac-. ter is formed for constant progression. It is, in its earliest stages, feeble and defective. Yet even the morning twilight is the harbinger of noon; and the opening graces of true religion are the pledges of future, solid, and enduring excellence. Or, if we adhere to the figurative illustration which the apostle seems to have had in view, when he wrote the passage now before us; we may observe, that the Christian's character at first would bear only a transient and general inspection; the outline only must be looked for, and the dim shade of twilight must screen it from severe and acute criticism. But daily contests with sin, daily fervent intercession, daily returns to the source of strength and grace, daily application of the blood of sprinkling, and daily renewal by the Spirit of grace, will produce habits of mind and of conduct, which will render the character more capable of bearing close investigation, till at length 1 Prov. iv. 18. |