SERM. Neceffity of being in the wrong, and has XIII. been himself the Caufe of his erroneous Conscience by refufing to ufe proper Means of getting it rightly inform'd. Therefore, for a Man to do a Thing contrary to the Will of God, when, if he had made ufe of proper Means, he might have prevented it, and then to cry out, He has acted according to his Conscience, and to think that that will be an Excuse for him, is very abfurd and finful ; because, if he had us'd his Endea vour, his Confcience would not have directed him to the doing of it, but quite the contrary. What a difmal Condition then muft a Man be in who has brought himself to a Neceffity of finning do what he will, whether he acts according to his Confcience or against it! And this, by the way, is one sad Effect of neglecting to inform our Consciences aright; whereas he who does his Endeavour to get the beft Knowledge and Information he can, and after all his Care cannot get rid of his Error, will be fure always to find this Satisfaction, that he has done what he can to find out the Truth, and tho' he is ftill in an Error, yet he is sure it is not a wilful one, and therefore a good God will not punish him for it. Now, in order to help our Confciences to a true Know

Knowledge of things, we should take care SERM. to keep them clear from Scruples; for how- XIII. ever fome may flatter themselves with a too good Opinion of a fcrupulous Conscience, and fancy themselves the better Chriftians for having fuch a one, yet it is certainly an Argument of a weak Mind. And here a Man ought to use his utmoft Care and Diligence in this Matter, becaufe without it his Scruples will remain, and the Fault will lie at his own Door. He should examine, whether thefe Scruples are not owing to Prejudice, or are cherish'd by an idle Humour of raifing Scruples purely for the Sake of doing fo; for these are not Scruples of Confcience, but downright Hypocrify. Indeed one Man is not to be tied up to the Confcience of another, but then it is his Duty to keep his own as clear as he can; for tho' one Man may differ from another, yet every one must be perfuaded of the Lawfulness or Unlawfulness of what he does, as much as he can. One Man efteemeth one Day above another, (fays St Paul) another efteemeth every Day alike; but then (lays he) let every Man be fully perfuaded in his own Mind. But if a Man can't conquer his Scruples, tho' he's much to be pity'd for it, yet he must so far overcome them as

SERM. to make them give way to all positive Laws XIII. of God, or the lawful Commands of his

Superiors; for when a Man is convinc'd in general of his Duty in thefe Cafes on the one Side, and has however a few Scruples, which will not on the other Side prove the contrary, if he does not incline to that Side that has the greatest Evidence, he makes his Humour the Rule of his Actions, than which nothing can be more abfurd. Befides, 'tis a Rule allow'd of in all Cafes, that to Demonftration on one Side, there ought not to be oppos'd any Difficulties on the other. But,

Secondly, After we have done what we can to know our Duty, we must be fure to be as diligent in the Practice of it; and the great Motive for doing fo is, as St Paul tells us, a Belief of the Refurrection; for this will teach us to lead good Lives here, that we may be happy hereafter. The Knowledge of our Duty, without the Practice of it, is of no Use, unless it be to make the Omiffion and Neglect of it the more finful; but both together argue a good Confcience, and make a Man perfect and compleat, as far as he can be fo in this Life.

Το

To conclude. A good Confcience will SER M be always our beft Friend, and notwith- XIII. ftanding any Troubles or Misfortunes

that may befall us at prefent, we may be fure That will bring us Peace at the laft. Mark the perfect Man, (fays David) and behold the Upright, for the End of that Man is Peace.

Now to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, be afcribed (as is moft due) all. Honour, Glory, Praife, Might, Majesty and Dominion, now, henceforth, and for evermore.

Amen.

SERM.
XIV.

SERMON XIV.

2 TIM. iv. 7, 8.

I have fought a good Fight, I have finished my Cour fe, I have kept the Faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, Shall give me at that Day.

S

ST. Paul being well affured that he was about to put off this earthly Tabernacle, and that the Time of his Departure drew nigh, was not at all uneafy under the Apprehenfions of it; but, having the Teftimony of a good Confcience on his Side, declared his well-grounded Hope and Confi dence in God, and, like a victorious Soldier of Chrift, went off a Conqueror.

Indeed