idea of thee new, as the painter doth of a face he would draw to the life. So behold his glory that thou mayest be transformed from glory to glory; but, as it is there added, this must be by the Spirit of the Lord.' Do not, therefore, simply look on him as an example without thee, but a life within thee. Having received him, walk not only like him, but in him. Let your conversation be not only according to him, but in him ;" animated by his Spirit as well as regulated by his law.

Such a christian conversation will, of necessity, be "a good conversation." It is to "walk as He also walked;" the "holy, harmless" one; "separated from sinners;" "who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth;" "who went about doing good." A conversation in Christ must, just because it is conversation in Christ, include in it every species, every degree, of excellence.

The apostle had obviously a particular purpose to serve, in giving this epithet to the christian conversation which he intimates is expected from those to whom he wrote. It suggests the thought, 'If you Christians were characterized by an evil conversation, then not they who speak of you as evil-doers, but you, would have cause to be ashamed; but if your conversation be the good conversation, which it must be if it be a conversation in Christ, then the reality in your character and conduct will so strikingly, so grotesquely, contrast with their calumnious misrepresentations, they will be so plainly in the wrong, that they must be shamed into silence.'

The mutual relation of the apostle's two injunctions, the one express, relating to a good conscience; and the other implied, relating to a good conversation, requires now to be attended to. The relation is different, according as you consider the good conscience as bearing the wide, or the more limited, sense in which I explained the phrase in the preceding part of the discourse.

If you understand it in the wide sense, then the good conversation is the result of the good conscience; and the exhortation is, ' Hold a good conscience that you may maintain a good conversation in Christ.' Seek to have your conscience habitually sprinkled by Christ's blood, enlightened by Christ's truth, influenced by Christ's Spirit, that you may exemplify all the graces of the christian character, and perform all the duties of the christian life. In this view, the words embody one of the most important maxims of practical religion.

If, on the other hand, you understand having or holding a good conscience, to mean, seeking to maintain the approving smile of our own mind in a consistency with the truth of the case, then the good conscience is the result of the good conversation, and the exhortation is, 'Let your temper and behavior as Christians be habitually such, as that, whatever calumniators may say, you shall have the approving testimony of "the man within the breast;" that you shall have conscience void of offence towards God and towards men.' This is another important maxim of practical religion.

a

The conversation cannot be made good but by having the conscience made good. The conscience cannot be kept good but by the

11 John ii. 6. Heb. vii. 26. 1 Pet. ii. 22. Acts x. 38.

1

conversation being kept good. To attempt, as some do, to get the conversation good, while the conscience is not good, is "to be still putting the handle of the clock right with your finger, which is a continual business, and does no good." And to try, And to try, as others do, while not maintaining a good conversation, to keep a good opinion of themselves, and think this the testimony of a good conscience, by cherishing antinomian dogmas, mystical dreams, or enthusiastic raptures, is like a person attempting, by the use of narcotic medicines, to preserve peace of mind, when, through indolence and mismanagement, his affairs are in disorder, and ruin is at hand, and poverty about to come on him as an armed man.

The particular object for which the apostle addresses these injunctions to the persecuted Christians, comes now shortly to be noticed. Have a good conscience and a good conversation in Christ, "that they who speak evil of you as evil-doers, and accuse you, may be ashamed."

Christians cannot gratify their calumniators more than by being induced, under the irritating influence of their false accusations, to do anything inconsistent with a good conversation in Christ, which would, of course, interfere with the testimony of a good conscience. Even the slightest deviation of a Christian, not only from what is right in the estimation of a lax worldly morality, but from what is right according to the principles of spiritual Christianity, gives countenance to the slanders, and enables their authors to say, 'You see he is not what his profession requires him to be, and he only needs to be better known to be found out to be, indeed, the very bad person we represent him.'

On the other hand, uniform, consistent, good conduct, as it is often the only, so it is always, in the long run, the most effectual method of putting down calumny, and putting to shame calumniators. "A lying tongue is but for a moment." Men cannot continue to believe without evidence, and in opposition to evidence. A uniform course of christian behavior secures, that, if the accusations are taken up and inquired into, they will be found not true. They will be found to be not even plausible; they will be found to be false, entirely false, obviously, malignantly false. Such was the result in the case of our Lord, when the attempt was made to substantiate the calumnies of his enemies. "I find no fault in him," said a judge certainly by no means predisposed in his favor. And such, too, was the result in the case of Paul, when he was spoken evil of as an evil-doer, and falsely accused. Claudius Lysias, the Roman commander, after inquiry, declared that, notwithstanding all the calumnies of his enemies, he had done nothing worthy of death or of bonds; and Festus the governor, and King Agrippa, came to the same conclusion; thus covering his calumniators with shame. Even where no formal investigation of calumnies takes place, a blameless holy life effectually refutes them. When our hope is called in question, in all ordinary cases we should defend it; but defend it with meekness and fear. Silence in such a case is often, is usually, injustice to truth. But when our character is calumniated, in very many instances it is the wisest 1 Leighton.

Prov. xii. 19.

course to allow it to vindicate itself. In such a case, to use Archbishop Leighton's beautiful figure, "The integrity of a Christian conquers, as a rock unremoved breaks the waters that are dashing against it. This is not only a lawful, but a laudable way of revenge; shaming calumny out of its malignant lies; punishing evil-speakers by well-doing; showing by facts, not words, how false is the accusation brought aginst us.' This is the most effectual apology, the most triumphant refutation. It is like the reply which was given to the sophist, who denied the possibility of motion, and fortified his denial by many very ingenious reasons. His antagonist, without speaking a word, rose and walked. The most elaborate refutation would not more satisfactorily have exposed the absurdity, or so effectually have put the sophist to shame.

It is also a very weighty consideration, that without this good conscience and conversation, any defence we can make of our religion is not likely to have much influence. One unchristian action on the part of a professor of Christianity, will cast more discredit on his religion than the largest and best-framed speeches in its behalf can compensate. Religion has never permanently suffered from calumnies cast on consistently religious men; and the objects of such calumnies have seldom been permanent sufferers. When they "trust in the Lord and do good," when they "delight themselves in him," and "commit their way to him," he often, in a manner that amazes themselves and confounds their enemies, "brings forth their righteousness as the light, and their judgment as the noon-day."

The apostle closes his exhortations to Christians under persecu tion, by directing their attention to a view of affliction, calculated at once to afford support and direction, consolation and guidance: "For it is better, if the will of God be so," or since it is the will of the Lord, "that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing;" literally, "that ye suffer as well-doers rather than evil-doers." 2

These words do not seem to have any peculiarly close connection with the verse which immediately precedes them. They are connected with the whole paragraph, occupied, as it is, with an account of the duties of Christians exposed to persecution. The force of the connective particle seems to be, 'You ought to submit to suffering, and you ought to act in this manner under suffering; "for it is better, since such is the will of God, to suffer; and it is better to suffer doing well, than doing evil."'

It is better, since such is the will of God, that Christians should suffer. Suffering is not in itself desirable. Abstractly considered, it is not better to suffer than not to suffer. But, taking into consideration the whole circumstances of the case, it is much better that Christians should suffer than that they should not suffer. "It is needful" that they be "in heaviness through manifold trials." A life of ease would not be the suitable means of forming them to that character which is essential to their complete and final happiness. They all

1 Psal. xxxvii. 3-6.

· Κρεῖττον γὰρ ἀγαθοποιοῦντας (εἰ θέλει τὸ θέλημα Θεοῦ) πάσχειν, ἣ κακοποιοῦντας.

1 Pet. i. 6.

66

are made to see this in a good measure: and to say, "It has been good for me that I have been afflicted. I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me." The occurrence of the affliction is proof enough that it is the "will of the Lord." Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it ?" 2 Every affliction "comes forth from Him who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working." And the undoubted fact, that these sufferings are the will of God, is to Christians undoubted evidence that it is better for them to suffer. For, does not God love them? is he not infinitely wise? has he not promised to give them what is good, and to make all things work together for their good? Whatever, then, may be the form, whatever the degree, whatever the continuance of the affliction, there can be no reasonable doubt that this is the will of God concerning us; and as little doubt that that will is good. Nature may, nature often does, say, 'It were better that I did not suffer;' but faith reproves nature, and bids reason school her into a better mind. It is the will of the Lord that I suffer; that I suffer thus; and can anything be better, better for me, than the will of my Father in heaven, my Almighty, all-wise, infinitely righteous, infinitely benignant, unchanging Friend?'

There is to every rational being a strong argument for submission under affliction, in the sentiment, Such is the will of God.' For "what is, what can be, gained by our reluctances and repinings, but pain to ourselves? he doth what he wills, whether we consent or no. Our disagreeing doth not prejudice his purpose, but our peace. If we will not be led, we must be drawn; we must suffer if he will: but if we will what he wills, even in suffering that makes it sweet and easy when our mind goes along with his, and we willingly move with the stream of Providence, which will carry us with it, though we row against it, and we still have nothing but toil and weariness for our pains and why should we not will what he wills, when we know this is his will, even our sanctification, our salvation; and that when he wills our sufferings, he wills them in order to these?" a

But the words before us not only intimate that it is better, since such is the will of God, that Christians suffer, but it is better that they suffer doing well, than doing evil. The sentiment which our translation brings out of the words is a just one, "it is better to suffer for well-doing, than for evil-doing." Take heed,' as if he had said, that your enemies never have occasion to punish you for real crimes ;' "let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evil-doer, or as a busy-body in other men's matters"-that would be disgraceful to yourselves, disgraceful to your cause; but if any man suffer as a Christian, for righteousness' sake, because he will not deny his Lord, or renounce his faith, "let him not be ashamed." It is far better to suffer in this last way than in the first way. Your characters will be improved, your religion will be honored, by such sufferings. The other sort of suffering is calculated to disgrace both.

At the same time, the words do seem naturally to express a somewhat different, and an equally important and appropriate sentiment. It is better to suffer the trials to which, as Christians, you are exposed, • Leighton.

Paal. cxix. 71, 75.

⚫ Amos iii. 6.

doing well than doing evil. It is better to bear them in a right spirit than in a wrong spirit; to act properly under them than to act improperly. It is better, for example, that you should for injury and insult render blessing, than that you should resentfully retaliate; better that you should entirely rise above the fears of your adversary, than in any degree sink under them; better that you should meekly and piously meet the demands of your enemies for an account of your faith, than manifest either cowardice in shrinking from, or bad temper in 'conducting, your defence; better quietly live down the calumnies. of your enemies, than be hurried by resentment of them into anything inconsistent with the holding a good conscience, or maintaining a good conversation. It is not enough that Christians, when they suffer, should suffer not for doing ill, but for doing well; but farther, that they should do well, and not do ill, in suffering. They should be good sufferers in a good cause. It is not the mere suffering that is to do us good; it is the manner in which we think, and feel, and act under suffering. It is much better, when called to suffer in the manner the apostle recommends, than in an opposite way. How much more comfortable, how much more advantageous to ourselves, how much more honorable to God, how much more creditable to religion, to bear the afflictions laid on us, especially those which come in the form of persecution, in a quiet, resigned, pious, cheerful, humble, patient, meek spirit, than in a different, than in an opposite temper! "Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their souls to Him, in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator." Then will "tribulations work patience, and experience, and hope, that makes not ashamed." "The chastisement," though "not for the present joyous but grievous," will yield "the peaceable fruits of righteousness unto them who are exercised thereby ;" and their " "light affliction, which is but for a moment, will work out for" them "a far more exceeding and an eternal weight of glory."1

I cannot conclude without taking notice of the illustration which the subject of discourse gives, of what Tertullian calls "the adorable fulness of the Holy Scriptures." They are indeed full, full to an overflow, of the mind and spirit of Christ, of light and love, of truth and grace. All that man needs to know in reference to his relations to God and eternity, to make him wise, and good, and happy, is to be found there. There is no question respecting the Divine character and government, the solution of which is necessary to human duty or happiness, which is not there satisfactorily settled; and, amid the immense variety of circumstances in which a human being may be placed, there is not one situation to which there is not to be found their appropriate warning, direction, or consolation. The fulness of the Holy Scriptures, as a practical directory, must often have struck with wonder and awe, as well as gratitude and delight, the intelligent Christian. When the ear of his mind is opened to discipline, the Holy Spirit, bringing to remembrance his own oracles, makes him often in the hour of perplexity, in a way which astonishes himself, hear as it were, a word behind him, "This is the way, walk in it.”

1 1 Rom. v. 3, 5. Heb. xii. 11. 2 Cor. iv. 17.