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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
REGARD TO CONSCIENCE RECOMMENDED
IT is well known that there is a great diversity of opinion amongst good men respecting the principles of religion. Nor are they altogether agreed upon the subject of moral duty. Some have a clearer insight into the nature and extent of Christian liberty, whilst others are in bondage to superstitious rites; and some are ready to plead for a degree of latitudinarian indulgence, which others feel themselves by no means authorized to admit. There is, however, one point in which all are agreed; and that is, the necessity of following the dictates of our own conscience. The man who violates his own principles, whether he be right or wrong in his judgment, stands condemned in his own mind: whilst, on the other hand, as the Apostle tells us in our text, “he is happy, who condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.”
The subject of conscience needs to be treated with extreme delicacy and care; lest we wound a weak brother, and make the heart of the righteous sad.” It is however a subject of such vital importance, that we must of necessity enter upon it, and prosecute it, with all fidelity. Let me, then, state to you,
I. The office of conscience—
The proper office of conscience is admonition. It is not given to instruct us in any thing new, but to regulate us according to some fixed principles in the mind. It is given us,
1. As a secret monitor—
[In every man there is something which has within him the force of a law. Those who possess not the knowledge of God’s revealed will have yet some principles of action, which they regard as binding, and in accordance with which the voice of conscience speaks. Having no other law, “they are a law unto themselves [Note: Rom_2:14.]:” and the office of conscience is, to testify, when they fulfil, and when they violate, this law. Nor does this testimony refer to their actions merely, but to their motives also: respecting which, none but themselves can form any correct judgment. This is the view which the Scripture gives of conscience: “The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly [Note: Pro_20:27.].” Not that it waits for the execution of an act: it testifies beforehand respecting the quality of the act proposed; and operates as a stimulus, if the act be good; or as a check, if it be evil. Its influence indeed is, for the most part, proportioned to the desire which a man feels to be governed by it: if a man disregard its motions, it may be reduced to utter silence: but if he desire to act agreeably to its dictates, it will be a most kind and faithful monitor on all occasions. It will say to us what no fellow-creature could venture to say; and it will take the same freedom in the bosom of a king as in the meanest of his subjects. It is rarely very clamorous, except after some enormous transgression: its testimony is, for the most part, delivered in a still small voice, which none but the person himself can hear. Yet, on some occasions, it will betray its operation in the mind, especially when it reproves for something amiss, and for something which the man himself would be ashamed to have known: it will then suffuse his cheek with a blush, or perhaps cast over his countenance a pallid hue, which a wise observer cannot easily misinterpret.]
2. As an authoritative judge—
[But it is not as a monitor only that conscience acts, but as a judge also: and in this respect it is God’s vicegerent in the soul. It erects a tribunal there! and summons a man to appear before it, and to give an account of his conduct: and then it passes judgment, “either excusing or accusing him [Note: Rom_2:15.],” as the occasion warrants; and acquitting or condemning him, as God himself will do at the future judgment. Sometimes it exercises its authority immediately; as when it declared to Adam, in Paradise, that he was despoiled of the divine image in which he had been created [Note: Gen_3:10.]: or, as when it caused David’s heart to smite him for numbering the people [Note: 2Sa_24:10.]: or, as when it caused the acccusers of an adulteress to go out from the presence of our Lord [Note: Joh_8:9.]. At other times, it delays till some occasion arise to draw forth its judgment: thus it did in the case of Joseph’s brethren, whom it made to feel the injustice and the cruelty which, some years before, they had exercised towards him [Note: Gen_42:21.]. Sometimes it delivers its sentence in a way to produce becoming humiliation, as in the case of Peter: and sometimes in a way to drive to utter despondency, as in the case of Judas; whom it impelled to suicide, as the only refuge from its poignant reproaches.]
Let us now contemplate,
II. Our duty in reference to it—
Men have a duty towards their minds generally, to cultivate them and improve them in knowledge, and to fit them for the better discharge of all the functions of life. But towards their conscience they have obligations of the highest order, on account of the pre-eminent authority with which it is invested, and the influence which it exercises over our whole man. We ought, then,
1. To get it well informed—
[We have before observed, that conscience prescribes no rule to us, but only gives its testimony according to a rule which has previously existed in the mind. Nor does any man ever commit sin by following its dictates. St. Paul, when he persecuted the saints, supposed that in so doing he was discharging a duty to God; for “he thought that he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus.” Doubtless in this he sinned: but his sin consisted, not in following the dictates of his own conscience, but in having his conscience so ill-informed. Had he studied the Scriptures with more humility of mind, and sought instruction from God, he would have been kept from the fatal errors into which he fell. Indeed, he himself assigns as an extenuation of his guilt, that he had contracted it “ignorantly, and in unbelief [Note: 1Ti_1:13.]:” for had he known what evil he was committing, and yet persisted in it, there was reason to fear he would never have obtained mercy at the Lord’s hands. If we would have conscience perform its office aright, we must take the law of God for the standard whereby it shall judge. We must not go to men to instruct us in the principles of the world, which are altogether founded in error; but must look to God, to “guide us into all truth,” according to his unerring word, and through the influences of his good Spirit. Nor must we hastily imagine that our views are correct: for there is a film upon our eyes, and we are far from seeing things so distinctly as we ought. We should maintain a godly jealousy over ourselves, lest “Satan beguile us,” or our own heart deceive us. We should take care that “the light which is in us be not darkness:” for if it be, how great must that darkness be! But, “if our eye be single, then will our whole body be full of light [Note: Mat_6:22-23.],” and the testimony of conscience be in perfect accordance with the mind of God.]
2. To consult it on all occasions—
[We should not go on blindfold, but should endeavour to see our way clear before we enter upon any course of action. To act first, and afterwards make inquiries, is almost a certain way to involve ourselves in guilt [Note: Pro_20:25.]. To make conscience a pretext for doing a thing to which we are previously inclined, is indeed a horrible delusion; and not less common than it is hateful. But, on the other hand, to do any thing without a careful inquiry into the quality of the action proposed, is presumptuous in the extreme, and shews that we have not really the fear of God before our eyes. Nor is the testimony of conscience easily obtained. Sometimes, indeed, it speaks instantly, and without much previous consultation: and in that case its testimony is almost always according to truth; and a man will do well in paying especial respect to such spontaneous motions of the monitor within him. But, for the most part, it requires time to make a fair statement of the circumstances of which the conscience is to judge: and in such cases, if they have respect to God only, we should consider attentively the conduct of our blessed Lord and his Apostles on similar occasions: or, if they have respect to man, then should we in all cases change places, as it were, with the person concerned; that so we may judge with more candour than we are likely to exercise, if we stand altogether on our own ground; because our judgment is but too likely to be warped by self-love and sinful partiality. We should never forget, that, “if we doubt of the lawfulness of any thing, we are self-condemned if we do it; since whatsoever is not of faith, is sin [Note: ver. 23.].” We should pause therefore, and deliberate, till we see our way clear; and determine, if possible, not to do any thing till “we are fully persuaded in our own minds [Note: ver. 5.].”]
3. To keep it upright and tender—
[Conscience may easily be warped, yea, and silenced too; so that it shall give no testimony whatever, till it is awaked by some flagrant enormity, or by some peculiar occurrence. If we go and consult worldly advisers, they will of course justify the ways which they wish us to follow: and if we listen to the voice of interest or inclination within us, we may soon be furnished with reasons enough for prosecuting the line which they would prescribe. They will tell us, that the object for which they plead is commonly approved by all in our circumstances: that we need not give way, except on this or that particular occasion: that to hold out against the wishes and solicitations of our friends can be ascribed to nothing but spiritual pride, and will give just offence to those whom we are bound to please; and that, in fact, our preciseness will only offend those whom we ought rather to conciliate, and make religion hateful to those whose eternal welfare we wish rather to promote. A thousand arguments of this kind will be presented to our minds, either by our worldly friends, or by our own carnal hearts; and by them we may persuade conscience to alter its sentence, and to sanction our ways: and, after a time, we may so blind and sear our conscience, that it shall no longer perform its proper office. But to effect this, is to inflict an irreparable injury on our own souls, and to seal, I had almost said, our eternal condemnation. The utmost possible caution, therefore, should be used on this head. No standard should be referred to, but that which God himself will approve; and according to his written word should every sentiment and every act be tried. “Whoever speaks not according to this word, there is no light in him [Note: Isa_8:20.];” and his advice, if followed, will only cause our feet to stumble to our ruin. Taking that for our guide on all occasions, and under all circumstances, we should say with holy Job, “My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live [Note: Job_27:6.].”]
Address—
1. Those who consult not their conscience, nor are troubled by it—
[Though there is no man without a conscience, yet the greater part of the world live as if they had no such faculty to controul them. Whatever be the life which they have chosen for themselves, they walk in it without much thought, or any remorse. The lovers of pleasure, the votaries of gain, the formal religionist, all conceive their respective lines to be, on the whole, such as they are at liberty to follow, and such as shall issue well in the end. As for trying themselves by the test of Scripture, they think not of it: they stand self-approved; and they conceive that God will confirm the testimony of their own minds. But I must remind all such persons, that there is a future judgment; and that God will judge, not by the laws which men establish for themselves, but by the law which he himself has given in his written word. By that shall the whole universe be judged, and according to that shall every man’s eternal doom be fixed [Note: 1Co_4:4-5.] — — —]
2. Those whose consciences are weak and troubled—
[If your minds be troubled, see whether there be not just occasion for them so to be: and when you have found out the accursed thing, put it away from you with abhorrence, and implore mercy at the hands of God for your sin in having ever indulged it. And if it be but a mote in the eye, let conscience never cease to weep, till it has wept it out. There are, it is true, circumstances which may well admit of doubt: and, under such circumstances, you will do well to consult some one of known piety and deep experience; and at the same time to seek direction from God, through the influence of his Holy Spirit. Whilst your doubts remain, it will be well to pause: for, “if a man esteem any thing unclean, to him it is unclean [Note: ver. 14.].” Yet it is by no means advisable to rest without obtaining satisfaction to your mind. It is a painful state in which to be; and you should use all proper means to obtain deliverance from it [Note: Gal_6:4.]: but, till that deliverance come, take my text for your guide: “Happy is he who condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.” “If once you make sacrifice of a good conscience, you are in the way to make an utter shipwreck of your faith [Note: 1Ti_1:19.].”
Yet I must say, Do not judge those who see not with your eyes, and walk not in your path. Another person may have a fuller insight into the nature of Christian liberty than you: and “to his own Master must every man stand or fall.” Be you contented with approving your own selves to God; and leave to others the latitude which you claim for yourselves [Note: ver. 4, 5.].]
3. Those who enjoy the testimony of a good conscience—
[This is a most exalted privilege, and, whether in life [Note: 2Co_1:12.] or death [Note: 2Ki_20:3.], a source of unutterable joy. Be thankful for it: and, at the same time, be washing your very best actions, no less than those which are more faulty, in the fountain of your Redeemer’s blood: for, if He “bear not the iniquity of your holy things [Note: Exo_28:38.],” your most righteous acts will condemn you. Take care, at the same time, that your liberty be never so used as to become a stumbling-block to your weaker brethren. It were better to forbear any gratification whatever, than, by indulging yourselves in it, to make it an occasion of offence to any [Note: 1Co_8:9; 1Co_8:13.]. Let your whole conduct shew the excellence of the principles by which you are governed: and let it be “the one labour of your lives to maintain a good conscience both towards God and towards man [Note: Act_24:16.].”]