the liberty of
the pulpit; for it does not appear that the sermon is printed, or ever
likely to be.

Go on, Trim, quoth my father.)

'At first sight this may seem to be a true state of the case: and I make
no doubt but the knowledge of right and wrong is so truly impressed
upon the mind of man,--that did no such thing ever happen, as that the
conscience of a man, by long habits of sin, might (as the scripture
assures it may) insensibly become hard;--and, like some tender parts of
his body, by much stress and continual hard usage, lose by degrees that
nice sense and perception with which God and nature endowed it:--Did
this never happen;--or was it certain that self-love could never hang
the least bias upon the judgment;--or that the little interests below
could rise up and perplex the faculties of our upper regions, and
encompass them about with clouds and thick darkness:--Could no such
thing as favour and affection enter this sacred Court--Did Wit disdain
to take a bribe in it;--or was ashamed to shew its face as an advocate
for an unwarrantable enjoyment: Or, lastly, were we assured that
Interest stood always unconcerned whilst the cause was hearing--and that
Passion never got into the judgment-seat, and pronounced sentence in the
stead of Reason, which is supposed always to preside and determine upon
the case:--Was this truly so, as the objection must suppose;--no doubt
then the religious and moral state of a man would be exactly what he
himself esteemed it:--and the guilt or innocence of every man's life
could be known, in general, by no better measure, than the degrees of
his own approbation and censure.

'I own, in one case, whenever a man's conscience does accuse him (as it
seldom errs on that side) that he is guilty;--and unless in melancholy
and hypocondriac cases, we may safely pronounce upon it, that there is
always sufficient grounds for the accusation.

'But the converse of the proposition will not hold true;--namely, that
whenever there is guilt, the conscience must accuse; and if it does not,
that a man is therefore innocent.--This is not fact--So that the common
consolation which 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 neare