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It includes many members of the church,the great mass of worldly professors ofreligion, whose consciences are easilysatisfied—perhaps with a mere profession,or with the idea that tbey comparefavorably with others. Such persons,instead of ignoring the term conscience,have chosen to exalt it to the authorit}'of a teacher come from God. Theyappear to esteem it God's minister pie-,nipotentiary, clothed with full authorityand power to transact any moral businesswithout an appeal. With suchpersons an appeal to the Bible is superfluous; for their conscience does not. condemn them, and the question istherefore aettled unmistakeably. Thorough Bible instruction is unnecessary,for conscience is at hand to teach allGod's wfll.There is another class ot persons whoprofess a scrupulous conscience; butthose who maintain it at all time's, are" the fewest of all people."•• tiuick as the apple of an eye,O God! my conscience make;Awake my soul when sin is nigh,Aud keep it still awake."They abstain from all appearance ofevil—from unrighteous oaths, to performunknown and unrighteous actsfrom motives of human fear or gain, asis done in secret societies. They seekknowledge as the foundation for everyact. •The true difference between thechurch and the world, is not a differenceof obligations, but a different recognitionof obligations. The claim of the Bibleupon every man is, that he beUeve,obey, and love the Lord. Conscienceis the spirit of duty—the feeUng ofought; and when enlightened and free,always seconds this claim, and oftenmakes a great tumult in the mind ofhim that neglects it, so that he feelswretched, and runs to every fair prospectof rfilief; frequently tO scenesmost accessible or familiar. Sometimes,to drown or hide this tumult, he may- resort to common vices—to gamblingand smoking, drinking and dancing.There is undoubtedly much naturalA SCEUPULOUS CONSCIENCE. 153difference, in the vigor of conscience,and in the attention of different individualsto its voice. In general, educationalso has much influence, both inthe demands of conscience, and in themanner of its pacification. It ought tobe an unbribed monitor or witness;dealing candidly with its possessor; butit is generally much influenced by thesupposed opinions and desires of associatesand spectators. The heathen,feeling the burden of guUt, offers thefruit of his body for the sin of his soul;or offers his own body in sacrifice. TheEomanist, with similar light and design,flees to the priest for absolution, doessevere penance to pacify his conscience,and trusts iri The ^^irgin for protectionand salvation. The Mussulman worshipsThe Prophet and is at peace. St.Paul giving some statements of personalhistory says: " Beyond measure I persecutedthe church of God and wastedit: and proflted in the Jew's reUgionabove many my equals in my own nation,being more exceedingly zealousof the traditions of my fathers. Butwhen it pleased God, to reveal his Sonin me, that I might preach him amongthe heathen; immediately I conferrednot with flesh and blood."-Gal. i. 15. Afterwardwhen brought before the councilbecause he preached " the faith whichonce he destroyed." he says : " Ihave lived in all good conscience beforeGod until this day."^Acts xxui. ToFelix he says: "Herein do I exercisemyself to have always a consciencevoid of offense toward God and towardmen."—Acts xxiv, 16, His Jewish trainingsettled his conscience to persecutethe church of Christ His spiritualenlightenment so changed his views,motives and actions, that he "lived inall good conscience," and exercised himself" to have always a conscience voidof ott'ense toward God and toward man."The man living in the land of Bibles,and instmcted in its claims, writhingunder the blows and rebukes of conscience,perhaps endeavors to silenceits voice and smother its murmurings,and succeeding becomes an unscrupulousman. Or after a struggle which fails