fubftitute of all the three other rules of right conduct, it must have the same title to our regard. As this principle, however, is a thing of a variable nature, it must be corrected from time to time, by recurring to the principles out of which it was formed. Otherwife, as we fee exemplified in fact, confcience may come to dictate things moft injurious to our own good, or that of others, and even most dishonourable to God. What impurities, what ridiculous penances and mortifications, yea what villainies and cruelties do - we not find to have been acted by mankind, under the notion of rendering themfelves acceptable to the object of their supreme worship. If, however, a perfon has been well educated in a chriftian and proteftant country, and has lived some time under the influence of good impreffions, fuch as are favourable to virtue and happiness, the dictates of his confcience (which has been formed from those good principles) will will generally be right, and may be depended upon not to mislead him. At all events, it is very dangerous to flight and difregard the real dictates of our own minds, so as either to do what we have a feeling of as wrong, and what we condemn ourselves for at the time, or to forbear to do what appears to us to be right, what we ought to do, and what we feel a fudden impulse to do. For if we can difregard even an erroneous confcience we may come to disregard the authority of confcience in general, and as fuch, which after 'all, is the fureft and best guardian of our virtue. 2. If the principle of confcience has been well formed, in confequence of a just train of fentiments, and proper impreffions, fince it is the result of rational self interest, benevolence, and piety, jointly, it may be confidered as the very quinteffence and perfection of our rational natures; so that to do a thing because it is right, will be to act from a nobler, and more more exalted principle of conduct, than any of the others. For it is, in fact, every juft principle united, and reduced into one; and, on this account, it will naturally claim the preheminence over the dictates of any of them fingly, fuppofing them to clash; and many cafes may be put, in which it ought to correct and over rule any of them. The regard I have to my own interest, believing it to be my higheft, the love I bear to my fellow creatures, or even what I take to be the command of God, may dictate one thing, when my fense of right and wrong, whether natural or acquired, may dictate another; and it may be safest and best for me to follow this guide.. Thus a papift may really believe that he does good to the fouls, by tormenting the bodies of his fellow creatures, and thereby does God fervice, and that it is no fin to deceive hereticks; but if he feel an inward reluctance in pursuing perfecuting measures, and cannot tell a deliberate falfhood. falfhood without compunction, we should not hesitate to pronounce, that he would do well to forbear that conduct, notwithstanding his belief that he is thereby con. fulting the good of mankind, and the glory of God; at least till he hath carefully compared the dictates of his confcience with what he imagined to be the command of God. 3. The fatisfaction that refults from obeying the dictates of confcience is of a folid and permanent kind, and affords confolation under all the pains and troubles of life. Whatever befall a man, if he can say that he hath done his duty, and can believe himself, he will not be wholly unhappy. On the other hand, the pangs of a guilty confcience are the most intolerable of all evils. One villainous action is fufficient to imbitter a man's whole life, and years of remorfe will not make the reflection upon it lefs cutting and difquieting. All the riches, honours, and luxury of life are not sufficient to give ease to the mind mind of that man, who thoroughly condemns and abhors himself. 4. This mechanical and neceffary determination in favour of some actions, and against others, being either connate with the mind, or, which comes to the fame thing, arifing neceffarily from our conftitution, as influenced by the circumstances of our being, must have been intended for fome very important purpose; and this, in its own nature, can be no other than to be the monitor and guide of life. It is, in a manner, felt to be the reprefentative of God himself, and therefore, its fentence will be confidered as the forerunner of the righteous fentence which our maker and fovereign judge will pass upon us. It is not only prefent pain that dif quiets the guilty mind, but a dread of future and divine judgments; as, on the other hand, the approbation of our own hearts is the most pleasing feeling a man can have, not on its own account, so much as its being a kind of certificate of the di |