§ 5: Proof From Conscience

Conscience is the incorruptible judge, the guardian of the written law that God inscribed in the human heart; the law had to have its guardian and human actions their judge; the coexistence of these two in humanity attests, first, to its freedom, the accountability of its actions, its distinction from its lawgiver, the expectation of reward or punishment and consequently the immortality of the soul. For if humanity did not possess an immortal soul, the law would be superfluous, conscience troublesome and irrational; and human actions would have no moral character, as natural operations inherent to nature; yet since there exists a written law and its vigilant guardian, this first testifies to the common sentiment of humanity, and second to the various moral states—good or evil—of each human working or practicing good or performing evil, whether keeping the law or transgressing it. The keeper of the moral law is recognized by their character; the peace of the soul and the serenity of the heart are reflected as in a mirror on the calm and tranquil countenance, and life flows quietly like a stream gliding gently within a pleasant plain; the expectation of future reward is manifest in their deeds and actions in general; they accept this with confidence. The transgressor of the law, utterly disturbed by the endless reproach of conscience, presents a pathetic and abominable image; peace and serenity—those two doves, sacred symbols of virtue and goodness—have departed; gloom, dejection, anguish, despondency, and despair are painted in dark colors on the altered and corrupted countenance; they await punishment. But behold, we see both being carried down to the grave; and on the stone of the evildoer are inscribed triumphs and symbols of victory and trophies, while on the unworked stone of the good is depicted a palm branch—sometimes even covered by dust, ignoble and invisible—and their tomb, which covered the athletic body, remains unknown; whence this opposition? Where is justice? Was the righteous one deceived? Did they run in vain? Where is the expected reward for which they toiled and which they awaited with sacred faith? Behold, they departed and the tomb completely covered them; are their hopes gone? Did the voice of their conscience deceive them? Behold, the evildoer, convicted by their own conscience, a bold transgressor of the moral law, ended life in glory and honor, and was deemed worthy of a splendid tomb and monuments of his glory eternal.

Is not the fear and disturbance illogical and the reproof of conscience aimless? No; the righteous one was not deceived; for living according to the demands of the moral law, they lived according to their destiny; the law was established so that humanity might be able to maintain its relationship with God, and might be able to preserve, develop, and advance toward perfection; hence the one who keeps the law is not deceived; for they fulfill their destiny; but neither is the transgressor deceived, for through transgression of the law they fight against God’s work and bear great responsibility; and they know their guilt; conscience informs them; but why has divine justice not rendered to each according to their deeds? Precisely for this reason: because humanity lives beyond death; in the endless and eternal life the righteous will receive the reward of their toils, while the wicked receive the fruit of their wickedness. The attribute of divine justice would be a meaningless word, since God is just and loves justice, it follows that both virtue is rewarded and wickedness punished. Since divine justice does not appear to be fully manifest here, it follows that in the future life awaiting all, divine justice will be fulfilled; conscience is therefore a clear proof of human freedom and the immortality of the soul.

[1]The Apostle Paul, apostle to the Gentiles, in his Epistle to the Romans, describes the reproof of conscience not dogmatically but psychologically and philosophically, and by right reasoning he proves that the moral law is written on the human heart, and that conscience is the true judge of human actions. Conscience always testifies whether what is done accords with the law or not; it upholds truth, honors virtue, praises prudence, and recognizes these as the only good and pleasing to God and fitting for a rational person. The voice of conscience echoes eternally in the ears of every person. No one of sound mind has ever denied the existence of this voice; nor its reproof, nor the war it stirs up against the transgressor of the divine law, against the violator of principles and convictions. Conscience is testimony of the moral written law existing within us, which God inscribed in the hearts of humans for the perfection of their immortal soul.