Download PDF - Free Methodist Church

152 THE EAENEST CHRISTIAN.strain them from evi! and chide themfor its commission—to urge them togood, to approve of its performances,and reprove them for its omission. Toscruple respecting the action or affectionlong enough to learn its moral quality,is a part of the same work.A scrupulous conscience, (understandingscrupulous to signify nice, exact,careful) will lead a man to bee(iually concerned to do right, and torefrain from doing wrong. It securesobedience, and prevents disobedience.Now the danger of disobedience doesnot lie so much in the probabUity ofinaction, as of wrong action. Hencealmost all the decalogue has a negativecharacter. A scrupulous conscience isadapted to such a law. It is God'sagent in the soul, for carrying out hisgreat moral purposes in the earth.It leads men to receive instructiongladly—to cease to do evil, and learnto do well—to watch and pray lest theyehter into temptation—to have an eyesingle to the glory of God—to call noman master,—to " believe not everyspirit, but try the spirits whether theyare of God," and "whatsoever thingsare true, whatsoever things are honest,whatsoever things are just, whatsoeverthings are pure, whatsoever things arelovely, whatsoever things are of goodreport; if there be any virtue, and ifthere be any praise, it leads them tothink on these things." It urges mento holiness of heart and life, and allm^anner of conversation ; and thus, "bypatient continuance in well doing," toinsure their happiness and usefulnesshere, and their eternal salvation hereafter.The value of such a conscienceis infinite. The world, with all itswealth, cannot buy it. It is not to bebought nor sold. Neither particularlycourting the smUes, nor fearing thefrowns of the world, it independentlyrests oh the Lord, seeks his pleasure,his way, his joy, and his heaven. Itregards man's feeling and happiness.It would not willingly rouse his prejudices;it highly prizes, and earnestlylongs for his spiritual welfare ; it desiresnot his worldfy enjoyments, mournsover bis follies, and cannpt encourageone .wrong act, word, or desire. Ithiakes God's will the standard of action,feeling and enjoyment. It counts nothingdesirable which his written wordforbids, and nothing unimportant whichthis enjoins.Such a conscience, so well ad^aptedto the wants of this sinful woVld, is nota thing of mere nature, but of pursuitand cultivation—a rare attainment.The just idea of a conscience is, notthat it is a legislator, nor a mere judgeor executor of law; but, as a faithfulsupervisor, it watches the, interests ofthe soul; and as a witness, it accusesor approves, condemns or jus^tifies forthe past; and as a prompter, it calls toduty, and remonstrates against transgression.It approves and encouragesthe right, and condemns the wrong, anddissuades from it. Nowif this is itsuse, the more it can hold men backfrom sin, and urge them on to right, fhemore e-xact and precise conscience is,or, in other words, the more scrupulousit is, the better does it accomplish thedesign of a conscience.This then is the just idea ofa scrupulousconscience. Who will say that it isa thing of no practical use f Will auybackslider, who has had personal experienceof neglecting to hear its admonitionsand reproaches ? WiU any servantof God say so, who has heard its,call to " go on unto perfection? " WiUany saint sa}', "I formerly thought theway very narrow, but since I threwaway my scruples, I have met with lesshuman opposition, and have enjo-edmore of God?"There are two large classes of unscrupulousmen. One class are themen of the world, who do not scrupleto do an}'thing which offers a fair prospectof success. This class embracesthose of almost every grade of worldliness; from the mere neglecter of religion,to the blasphemer, the infidel, thief,and murderer. These hardly mentionthe term conscience, but choose to ignoreit almost altogether.The other class is composed of thosewho make more ado about conscience.