The reasons of the Christian religion the first part, of godliness, proving by natural…

§. 2. II. If there were no retribution in the life to come, the secret sins and duties of the heart and life would be under no sufficient Government. But the secret sins and duties of the heart and life are under a sufficient Government: Therefore there is a Retribution in the life to come.

This Argument is a particular instance,¹ to clear the former general Argument. The Major is proved by experience; the Heart is the Fountain of Good and Evil, man cannot see it, and therefore pretendeth not to govern it, or make Laws for it; if they did, it would be all in vain. The heart may be guilty of Atheism, Blasphemy, Idolatry, Malice, Contrivements, and desires of Treason, Murder, Incest, Adultery, Fraud, Oppression, and all the Villainy in the world, and no man can know or punish it: and God doth not do it ordinarily in this life, with any sufficient act of Justice. So also all those sins which men are but able to hide, as secret Murders, Treasons, Revenge, Slanders, Fraud, &c. do escape all punishment from man. And God hath no observable ordinary course of outward Justice in this world, but what he exerciseth by men, (though extraordinarily he sometime otherwise interpose.) And how easy and ordinary it is for subtle men to do much wickedness, and never be discovered, needs no proof. The like we may say in some measure of those secret duties of heart and life, which have neither reward nor notice in this life; and if observed, are usually turned into matter of reproach.

This Argument is a particular instance,¹ to clear the former general Argument. The Major is proved by experience; the Heart is the Fountain of Good and Evil, man cannot see it, and therefore pretendeth not to govern it, or make Laws for it; if they did, it would be all in vain. The heart may be guilty of Atheism, Blasphemy, Idolatry, Malice, Contrivements, and desires of Treason, Murder, Incest, Adultery, Fraud, Oppression, and all the Villany in the world, and no man can know or punish it: and God doth not do it ordinarily in this life, with any sufficient act of Justice. So also all those sins which men are but able to hide, as secret Murders, Treasons, Revenge, Slanders, Fraud, &c. do escape all punishment from man. And God hath no observable ordinary course of outward Justice in this world, but what he exerciseth by men, (though extraordinarily he sometime otherwise interpose.) And how easie and ordinary it is for subtil men to do much wickedness, and never be discovered, needs no proof. The like we may say in some measure of those secret duties of heart and life, which have neither reward nor notice in this life; and if observed, are usually turned into matter of reproach.