r 6o Of a Confcience void of Ofence. S E R M. is a remarkable example of this in the hif- V II. tory of David, who, after committing the heinous crimes of adultery and murder feems to have been for a long time quite infenfible of his guilt ; a whole year pafs'd without any difcovery of his remorfe or contrition of heart. But, when the prophet Nathan came to him, and in a parable reprefented to him a cafe of inhumanity and injuftice fome way parallel to his own, but far inferior ; immediately, he was fir'd with indignation againft the fuppofed offender. What ftrange partiality was this, to have fo high refent- ment againft the leffer tranfgreffion of ano- ther, whilft he was ftupidly unconcerned about much greater guilt of his own ? The applications of the parable, however, was the means of David's conviction and being brought to repentance. But after all, the remedy againft this evil is in ourfelves, and it is the proper office of confcience to extir- pate it. For what is felf partiality, but dif- honefty of heart ? And therefore it is plain- ly contrary to confcience, not an exception to the rule propofed, but a dire& violation of it, juft as any other vice is, or an unruly paffion indulged. And if we will reloiutely follow
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