3. Yea the light of Nature will rise thus high, That a man should be conscientious, should make conscience of secret sins, of sins that none in the world could know of, or are ever like to know of. As I remember sometimes I have told you of one of the Heathens that did but owe for a pair of shoos to a Shoo maker, and no body knew it but only the Shoo-maker himself; the Shoo-maker dies, no body could challenge this of him, yet his conscience would never let him be at quiet, until he ran and threw the money into the shop, and said, Though he be dead to others, yet he is not dead to me: whereas he had a temptation to have kept it because no body could challenge it; he knew it was not his, he knew it was either the Children's, or Executors, and so he restored it. Many particulars might be named to show how far we might go by the light of Nature; but now I only bring it in to this end, to show that if we would have our Conversations ⟨p. 34⟩such as becomes the Gospel of Christ, we must go beyond what ever any have done by the light of Nature: and yet Oh Lord how short do many Professors of Religion come of this! How many that will profess they hope to be saved by Christ! I suppose there is not any one in this Congregation, or if I should go to every ones house that belongs to the Parish, they would say they hope to be saved by Jesus Christ; and yet what worship of God is there? And what justice is there among men to do as they would be done by? Nay, this is a Rule that will examine many professors of Religion, and their consciences would tell them that in such and such things they would be loth to be dealt with as they deal with others: And for gross sins, many Professors of Religion break out into them also, for all are a kind of Professors of the Gospel at large, Drunkards, and Adulterers, and Blasphemers, and yet they will come and make profession of Religion, and think it very much if they should be denied the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, Why, are they not Christians? and their children Christians? and yet must they not be Baptized? And yet they are beneath Heathens, Heathens will rise in Judgment against them. And for conscientiousness in secret, I appeal to every one of your consciences, are there no sins that you live in that your consciences condemns you for?
3. Yea the light of Nature will rise thus high, That a man should be consciencious, should make conscience of secret sins, of sins that none in the world could know of, or are ever like to know of. As I remember sometimes I have told you of one of the Heathens that did but owe for a pair of shoos to a Shoo maker, and no body knew it but only the Shoo-maker himselfe; the Shoo-maker dies, no body could challenge this of him, yet his conscience would never let him be at quiet, until he ran and threw the money into the shop, and said, Though he be dead to others, yet he is not dead to me: whereas he had a temptation to have kept it because no body could challeng it; he knew it was not his, he knew it was either the Childrens, or Executors, and so he restortd it. Many particulars might be named to shew how far we might go by the light of Nature; but now I only bring it in to this end, to shew that if we would have our Conversations ⟨p. 34⟩such as becomes the Gospel of Christ, we must go beyond what ever anie have done by the light of Nature: and yet Oh Lord how short do manie Professors of Religion come of this! How manie that will profess they hope to be sav'd by Christ! I suppose there is not anie one in this Congregation, or if I should go to everie ones house that belongs to the Parish, they would say they hope to be saved by Jesus Christ; and yet what worship of God is there? And what justice is there among men to do as they would be done by? Nay, this is a Rule that will examin manie professors of Religion, and their consciences would tell them that in such and such things they would be loth to be dealt with as they deal with others: And for gross sins, manie Professors of Religion break out into them also, for all are a kind of Professors of the Gospel at large, Drunkards, and Adulterers, and Blasphemers, and yet they will come and make profession of Religion, and think it very much if they should be denied the Sacrament of the Bodie and Blood of Christ, Why, are they not Christians? and their children Christians? and yet must they not be Baptized? And yet they are beneath Heathens, Heathens will rise in Judgment against them. And for conscienciousness in secret, I appeal to everie one of your consciences, are there no sins that you live in that your consciences condemns you for?
