with the knowledge of God, we are no longer averfe to his fervice, but confider it at once our duty and happiness to love him, and live to his glory. The vail which covered the world and concealed its vanity being withdrawn, we turn our backs upon it, and, aftonished at our former folly, cry out, "What have I to do any more with idols?" and affirm, concerning the creatures, "Miferable comforters are ye all." Sin appears in all its deformity, accompanied with a long train of miferies, and we flee from its pernicious touch, and abhor the garment fpotted by the flesh.” Holiness thines forth in all its luftre and beauty, and we embrace it with our whole foul. We have respect to all God's commandments, and delight to fulfil them, convinced they are true and righteous altogether, more to be defired than gold, yea, than much fine gold; fweeter than honey and the honey.comb; and moreover, that in keeping of them there is great reward." We acquiefce in all the difpenfations of his providence, and with fweet complacency and delight acknowledge, "Good is the will of the Lord." How many foever our disappointments, loffes, and fufferings are, ftill we fay, "Not my will but thine be done. Be it unto me even as thou wilt." "We fee the hand, we worship and adore, Io. In the fanctification of the Spirit, I fuppofe is included, 3dly, that of the Confcience; which has as much need of being renewed, as our other powers, it being equally depraved with them. For it is naturally blinded and miftaken, hardened and infenfible. Unacquainted with the will of God, it does not give us due information concerning it, but erroneously approves where it fhould condemn, and condemns where it fhould approve. It It gives an uncertain found; who then can prepare himself for obedience? Nay, too often it gives no found at all, but fuffers us to go on quietly in the way of our heart, and to walk after the defire of our eyes. It is its duty indeed, like a faithful watchman, to warn us of approaching danger, and advertise us of the advances of our enemies. But alas! intoxicated with the ftupifying potions of fin, "It sleeps "On rofe and myrtle, lull'd with fyren fong.", Our threefold enemy affaults, prevails, and conquers; we are wounded, mangled and flain; but ftill confcience gives no alarm, ftill we are infenfible of our mifery. We are, as the Apostle expreffes it, anλynxoles, paft feeling. Temptation hurries us hither and thither at pleafure, we drive furioufly in the way of fin, and (if divine grace prevent not) we never ftop, till down the precipice of death we rush into the dreadful lake, where confcience awakes into a worm that dieth not, and where the fire is not quenched." 1. This would be the cafe with all mankind were it not for the grace of God. This makes the difference wherever it is. But, fuppofe thro' the influence of that grace, operating different ways, our confcience is awakened from its fleep, and roufed from its lethargy; fuppofe, further, it is no longer erroneous, but rightly informed concerning the will of God; yet ftill it is not fanctified till it be fprinkled with the blood of Chrift, but is what the Apoftle calls an evil confcience, ftained and polluted with fin and guilt. Such was David's confcience when he faid, "Innumerable evils compafs me about, mine iniquities have taken fuch hold upon me, that I cannot look up, therefore my heart faileth me.' "My wounds ftink and and are corrupt thro' my foolishness." Such was the confcience of the Publican, when he prayed, "God be merciful to me a finner." Such that of the Jailor, when he came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas," and afked, "Sirs, what must I do to be faved ?" And such the consciences of the three thoufand, converted on the day of Pentecoft, when being "pricked to the heart, they cried out, Men and brethren, what fhall we do?" 12. Now the fanctification of the Confcience, implies an acquittance from guilt, a freedom from condemnation, or the remiffion of fins, and acceptance with God; in confequence of which we are now no longer obnoxious to God's wrath, and liable to everlafting punishment, but being poffeffed of his favour, are entitled to eternal life. That our confcience may be thus fanctified, it is abfolutely neceffary, ift, That we should be in Chrift by faith, and have an intereft in his fufferings. For it is the blood of Chrift alone which cleanseth from the guilt of fin, and it is only to those that "are in him that there is no condemnation." And then, 2dly, that we may continue in this ftate of reconciliation with God, it is further neceffary that we "walk not after the flesh, but after the fpirit, that we walk in all God's ordinances and commandments blameless. " For if we would "rejoice in the teftimony of our confcience," we must have our conversation in the world in fimplicity and godly fincerity, not with fleshly wifdom, but by the grace of God." Thus only can we have a confcience" void of offence towards God and man." 13. It is easy to fee, that in what I have now faid refpecting the Confcience, I include all that is generally understood by Juftification, which is the name whereby this work is commonly called, both in the Scriptures and in the writings of the moft eminent Divines. I have only to add, when this inestimable bleffing is conferred upon us, and we have peace with God thro' our Lord Jefus Chrift," when we "tafte that the Lord is gracious," and can apply to ourselves the following words with confidence, "O Love, thou bottomlefs abyss! My fins are swallowed up in thee! then let us dedicate our Confcience to the Lord, that being guided by his word and Spirit, it may direct us in the way of duty, and warn us of the danger we are in from the affaults of our spiritual enemies; and thus will it be properly fanctified and employed according to the will of him, who fent that guardian angel to conduct us thro' the fnares of this world to his heavenly kingdom. 14. Once more on this head : The Memory muft be fanctified. So we call that wonderful power, God hath beftowed upon us, of recalling former ideas and recollecting paft events. This faculty, tho' ftrangely weakened and corrupted by the fall, fill retains a furprizing degree of ftrength and vigour in fome; all ages having produced individuals whofe power of recollection has been amazing. But with the generality the cafe is different : their memories are exceedingly treacherous: which by no means proves that their fouls have fustained more moral injury by fin than others, but only that their bodies are lefs perfect for it is well known known that the memory depends on the brain, and is ftronger or weaker as the modification of that organ is more or lefs calculated for exerting this function. But, be it ftrong or weak, it is certainly, like our other powers, greatly corrupted in all. Instead of being, as was originally intended, a well ordered Repofitory of divine truths and useful remarks, drawn from experience and observation, it is become a mere fink of fin, or a lumber-room of impertinence and folly. We commonly remember beft what it would be well to forget, and forget what we ought to remember. Our minds, like a leaky veffel, readily let out the pure water of life, while they feldom fail to retain the filth of fin and dregs of vanity. What is pious and useful makes but a very faint impreffion, and is therefore foon forgot, whereas what is impure and prejudicial, being agreeable to our carnal hearts, finks deep and remains long. 15. But the cafe is quite altered when the Memory is fantified. Then, the things of God, appearing to the mind in all their importance, make a deep and lafting impreffion upon us: whereas earthly and temporal things, the vanity and short duration of which the understanding difcovers, do not much affect us, and therefore are not remembered. Thus the memory is weakened with regard to those things, which are trifling and hurtful, and strengthened with regard to thofe which are important and ufeful. Or rather, it cafts away the former as unworthy of a place in fuch a facred Repofitory, and retains the latter, as things that deferve to be locked up in the cabinet of the heart. The Understanding, the leading faculty, being enlightened, and the Will rendered obedient to its dictates, the Memory is only entrusted with what is ufeful and excellent, to which it is more at libety to |