XVII

some good christian or other is hourly administering to himself,⁠—that he thanks God his mind does not misgive him; and that, consequently, he has a good conscience, because he hath a quiet one,⁠—is fallacious;⁠—and as current as the inference is, and as infallible as the rule appears at first sight, yet when you look nearer to it, and try the truth of this rule upon plain facts,⁠⸺⁠you see it liable to so much error from a false application;⁠⸺⁠the principle upon which it goes so often perverted;⁠⸺⁠the whole force of it lost, and sometimes so vilely cast away, that it is painful to produce the common examples from human life, which confirm the account. > > “A man shall be vicious and utterly debauched in his principles;⁠—exceptionable in his conduct to the world; shall live shameless, in the open commission of a sin which no reason or pretence can justify,⁠⸺⁠a sin by which, contrary to all the workings of humanity, he shall ruin forever the deluded partner of his guilt;⁠—rob her of her best dowry; and not only cover her own head with dishonour;⁠—but involve a whole virtuous family in shame and sorrow for her sake. Surely, you will think conscience must lead such a man a troublesome life; he can have no rest night or day from its reproaches. > > “Alas! Conscience had something else to do all this time, than break in upon him; as Elijah reproached the god Baal ,⁠⸺⁠this domestic god was either talking, or pursuing, or was in a journey, or peradventure he slept and could not be awoke . > > “Perhaps He was gone out in company with Honour to fight a duel: to pay off some