spiritual life. In the one case he comes into a state of internal peace, tranquillity, and beatitude; but in the other, he experiences trouble and pain of mind, which is called remorse, or the sting of conscience.
Conscience is of two kinds; one exterior, which is a conscience grounded in the love of truth; the other more interior, which is a conscience grounded in the love of good. The former is properly called conscience, and is the life of spiritual men, who are influenced by charity towards their neighbour: but the latter bears the name of perception, and is the distinguishing characteristic of celestial men, who are principled in the good of love to the Lord.
An example or two will illustrate the nature of conscience. Suppose a man to be in possession of another's property, so that he can retain it without his knowledge, and without danger of the law, or the loss of credit and reputation, if he restore it to it's right owner, because he has no lawful claim to it himself, such a person is endued with conscience, inasmuch as he does good for the sake of good, and justice for the sake of justice. Suppose again that a man has it in his power to be preferred to some place of distinction, but he has good reason to believe, that his competitor is better qualified for the place than himself, and on this conviction he gives up his own claim for the good of his country and the public; such a person is endued with a good conscience. The same rule applies in all other cases. But he who regards himself alone, and, in order to promote his own worldly interest, scruples not to defraud and otherwise injure his neighbour, when he thinks he can do it without risk of detection, has no title to the character of an upright and just man, being totally destitute of conscience.
