WE read that Melchisedeck, who was King of Salem, King of Peace, was also King of Righteousness. And the Psalmist tells us, that Righteous­ness and Peace have kissed each other, Psal. 85. 10. And the Prophet Isaiah 32. 17, 18. tells us, That the work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness: the Apostle joyns Peace and Holiness together, Heb. 12. 14. Thus we see that Peace and Righteousness, and Peace and Ho­liness, are like Hippocrates his Gemelli, and like Re­bekah's Twins, that went together; they are a most lovely pair, which we meet in Scripture hand in hand together, like two Turtle-doves that feed toge­ther and sleep together; and indeed these things, which (in Scripture) God hath so joyned together, men must not put asunder; but are to be looked up­on as the Root and Branch, and the Fountain and Stream which always go together; and as the two Tables of the Law, which ought not to be severed.

Men must not think to sit quietly under their own Vines and Figg-trees, if they disquiet God by their Sins; nor must they think to have inward-peace, so long as they work Abominations. Have you seen the Shadow following the Substance? As naturally doth Anxiety and Trouble follow Sin. The rouling of the Seas and the blowing of the Winds is not more natural, than for Sin to be accompanied with trouble and horrour, Sin being the true mortal-cause thereof. In Heaven there is no fear nor trouble, because in Heaven there is no Sin. Our first Parents conversed with God in Paradise very confidently; they never grew timerous till they grew sinful; so soon as Adam Sinned, he presently became acquain­ted with horrour.

Zophar speaking of a wicked man, Job 20. 20, 22, 24. saith thus: Surely he shall not feel quietness; the bow of steel shall strike him thorough, terrours are upon him: A wicked man being without God, and without Christ, is like Noah's Dove without the Ark, in a restless condition. Tribulation and anguish to every soul that sinneth, Rom. 2. 9. What peace, so long as thy Mother Jesabels Whoredoms and Witch­crafts are many in number? From whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? James 4. 1. What the Comoedian said of a person, may be truely said of Sin, Davus hic perturbat omnia. It is Sin that maketh all our disturbances.

Holiness freeth men from torment, either by pre­venting the cause of it, or directing to the cure: It removes the chief grounds of trouble and disquiet, and it ministers all the true causes of Peace and Tran­quility of mind. [...]: Purity pos­sesseth men with an assurance of the best things, but Sin makes the condition of men to be full of trouble and unquietness: Sin hath been the occasion of Wars between Kingdoms and Nations, so that thousands have been slain, Cities, Towns, and Kingdoms have been made heaps of Rubbish and dissolate Wilder­nesses, full of Briers and Thorns, and habitations for wild Beasts, Dragons, and Owls, and other doleful Creatures. Sin hath been an occasion of much un­quietness in the Spirits of men: there are many in­stances and examples of this in Scripture, and in Hi­story; I will give you as it were an handful out of a full Sack.

Cain when he had slain his Brother Abel, was a Fugitive and a Vagabond, affraid that whosoever should meet him should slay him; crying out, That his punishment was greater than he could bear, Gen. 4. Bel­shazzar's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joynts of his loyns were loosed, and his knees smote one against another, Dan. 5. In the New Testament, we find Herod perplexed after the murdering of John, Luke 9. we find Judas af­ter his betraying Christ, so fill'd with dispair, that [Page 4] he hang'd himself, Matth. 27. 4, 5. We find the unworthy guest speechless; and Felix trembling when Paul reasoned of Righteousness, Temperance, and Judgment to come, Acts 24. 25. We find (in History) Cajaphas the High Priest, who gathered the Councel against Christ, and suborn'd false Witnesses against him, was so perplexed that he killed himself. Pontius Pilate, who condemned our Saviour, soon after fell into disgrace with the Roman Emperour Caligula, and was sent for by him to Rome, to an­swer to some Accusations made against him; but by the way he fell into such terrours of Conscience, as that he hang'd himself. Nero that monster of man­kind, who most unnaturally murdered his Mother Agripina, and his Wives, and his Tutours Seneca and Lucan, and fired the City of Rome; and then charg'd it upon the Christians (that so they might be ex­posed to the fury of the people) had at length such an Hell in his Conscience, as that he could rest nei­ther day nor night. Otho that murdered Galba, Cajus Marius that bloody Tyrant in Rome, Tiberius the Emperour, Pausanias the Lacedoemonian King, And Richard the Third (here in England;) these were all of them troubled with fearful Dreams, and all of them felt the terrours and the lashes of Con­science so violent, that they could take no rest.

And now, Would you know the occasions of this? Why, they are four.

• [Page 5]First, The Law.
• Secondly, Sin.
• Thirdly, Satan.

And Fourthly, Conscience.

First, The Law is an occasion of this: The pro­mulgation of the Law upon Mount Sinai, was in a dreadful manner, with signs of Terrour and the effects of Terrour; the Mount on which it was given burnt with fire, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness, Duet. 4. a tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; so terrible was the sight and voice, that Moses himself (a man eminent in Grace) did exceedingly fear and quake. From the time of Adam unto Moses, the Law of Nature was almost obliterated; and when God set out the lively Image, the draught and abstract of it by Moses; it was in that dreadful manner, that it flashed wrath upon the fallen Creature, and posses­sed those that heard it with a Spirit of fear, terrour, and trembling; the Law given upon Mount Sinai, gendered unto Bondage, Gal. 4. 24. it was a mini­stration of death and condemnation, it was a cuting and a killing letter, 2 Cor. 3. 6, 7, 9. I have slain them by the mouths of my Prophets: they that escaped the sword of Hazel and Jehu, were to be slain by the sword of Elisha, 1 Kin. 19. 17. The word of God is compared to a two edged-Sword; the Gospel hath one Edge to slay Sin in [Page 4] [...] [Page 5] [...] [Page 6] the Believer; and the Law hath another Edge to slay the Impenitent Sinner. I have hewed them by the prophets, Hos. 6. 5. It is like that Sword, Gen. 3. 24. that turned every way to keep Adam out of Paradise, so doth the Law in the Conscience of a Sinner, forbidding him (during his Agony) to enter into the Paradise of comfortable thoughts.

The Law purely considered, without any re­spect had to the Covenant of Grace, was given to discover Sin, to proclaim Wrath and Curses to the Sinner. The Law so considered, perswades a Sinner that all those Armies of Plagues, and Curses, and Sorrows, and Sufferings denounced therein, shall with an unresistable violence take hold on him, and pursue him with that fury as that he shall never be able to abide nor avoid it. The Law (also) being given upon Mount Sinai in Arabia, the Ishmaelites Land (who descended from Hagar) out of the bounds of the Land of Promise (considered purely and abstractively from the Covenant of Grace, and not as given in subordination and subservenice to the Covenant of Grace) is to discover Sin, and the wrath of God against Sin; and this works terrour in the Sinner.

Secondly, Sin is an occasion of this: Guilt is an adjunct of Sin. All the world is guilty before God, Rom. 3. 19. [...], liable to condemnation. Now this guilt works horrour; and upon this horrour [Page 7] sometimes follows desparation. Peracto scelere mag­nitudo ejus conspiritur, as Tacitus said of Nero. When a man hath committed a sin, then he seeth the greatness of it; that thereby the Law of God is violated; that thereby the Justice of God is of­fended; and then he is ready to look upon himself as being excluded from those Gospel-priviledges, Adoption, Acceptation, Pardon, Peace, Spiritual Life, Liberty, Grace, and Glory in Jesus Christ; then he looks upon himself as a Debtor to God, bound over to the penalty of his Law which he hath bro­ken; and then he is ready to accuse and condemn himself, and is over-whelm'd with desperation, rea­dy to destroy himself.

Our Blessed Saviour being a Sinner (onely by imputation) met with conflicts and desertions, and was in an Agony. Sin deprives men of God's favour, which is the spring of comfort: it keeps men from an interest in Christ, who is the Conso­lation of Israel. Sin blinds the minde, it hardens the heart, it deads the affections, it alienates men from God, it works delusions, desperate thoughts, horrour of heart, and confusion of spirit: Sin fol­lows men like an Avenger of Blood; Sin is a bit­ter-sweet, like Esaus Mess, like the Israelites Quails, like Adonjah's Dainties; when the Meal is ended, then comes the Reckoning. When Sin is unmaskt then that which before appeared sweet and beautiful, [Page 8] will appear bitter and ugly; that which before was delightful, will then appear dreadful. Oh, the shame, the pain, the gall, the bitterness, the hor­rour and hell that a true sight of Sin will raise in the Soul! When the Dress is taken off, it will ap­pear more vile, and filthy, and terrible than Hell it self. This made Anselme say, That if he should see the shame of Sin on the one hand, and the pains of Hell on the other, and must of necessity choose one, he would rather be thrust into Hell without Sin, than go into Heaven with Sin.

Thirdly, Satan is an occasion of trouble in wicked men: Those Serpents that stung the Israelites, were called fiery Serpents; possibly in regard of their colour, or rather in regard of their effect. Ser­pents biting the Israelites did occasion a burning in their flesh, which made a fiery heat in those whom they stung; so the old Serpent (the Devil) doth set the Souls of wicked men on fire, so that they think themselves to be burning already, and expect to burn for ever (hereafter) in Hell.

The Devil is called [...], an Adversary; he is (also) called a roaring Lion, Pet. 1. 5, 8. as an Ad­versary he will spight men, and as a roaring Lion he will affright men. The Devil is called [...], an Accuser, Rev. 12. 10. the Devil doth not onely ac­cuse God to man, as Gen. 3. 5. and man to God, Job 1. 9, 10. but man to himself. Satan entred in­to [Page 9] Judas, Luke 22. 3. to accuse and torment him with thoughts of his Blood-guiltiness: he is also called [...], from a compounded Verb that signi­fies to strike through. We read of the Fiery-darts of the Devil; these Darts he shoots through the Spirits of wicked men, and doth infect, poison, and burn: He is called the Envious man, Satan from his craftiness, Belial for his mischievous wickedness, Cor. 2. 6, 15. Abaddon and Appollyon, Rev. 9. 11. as be­ing a destroyer, Belzebub (which signifies a Prince of flies) because he doth vex and fret a Wounded Conscience, (even) as flies do vex and fret a gaul'd Creature.

Fourthly, Conscience is an occasion of this: The word [...], which signifies Conscience is a com­pound, it is derived from [...] which signifies to see or know, and the proposition [...], which signifies with, the Latine word, Conscientia, is, quasi cordis Scientia: So that the Greek, the Latine, and the English word Conscience, (which is derived from the Latine) signifies a Knowledge with, that is, with some other thing, even as of the Heart. What man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man, which is in him? 1 Cor. 2. 11. Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, which thou didst to David my father: Solomon, there ap­peals to the Conscience of Shimei, 1 Kings 2. 44. And indeed Conscience is the private Register of [Page 10] mens Actions, it is a faithful Monitor within their breasts, it is the Eye of the Soul, to over-see the whole Occasions and Actions of the Heart and Life, it is the Tongue of wicked mens Souls, that makes report of the aberrations of their ways: The office of conscience is to bear witness, Rom. 2. 15. and indeed it is a faithful witness that will not lie, Prov. 14. 5.

Now the witness of Conscience is according to the qualities of men; it excuseth good men, Acts 23. 1. and thereupon followeth Peace, Rom. 5. 1. It convinceth and accuseth wicked men, John 8. 9. it condemns them also, Titus 3. 11. 1 St. John 3. 20. aie, and it torments them, by occasioning shame and anxiety of spirit, Levit. 26. 26. Prov. 28. 1. Rom. 6. 21. Grief, Trembling, and Desparation, these are usually the Adjuncts and Concomitants of a perplexed Conscience.

There are three things considerable in Mans Conscience.

• First, The Matter.
• Secondly, The Act.
• Thirdly, The Conscequence.

The Matter of Mans Conscience before the Fall, was a Conformity in the whole Man, to the whole will of God.

The Act of Mans Conscience then, was to give a true testimony thereof.

And the Consequence (upon Mans continuance [Page 11] in that Estate) would have been Peace and Quiet­ness.

Such a good Conscience would have remain'd in man if he had continued in his entire Estate: But by mans Fall, his good Conscience was quite lost, and now is become (altogether) Evil. Every imagina­tion of mans heart, is onely evil continually, Gen. 6. 5. And now mans evil Conscience showeth itself to be so, two ways.

First, In the defect of Trouble.

Secondly, In the excess of Trouble.

First, In the defect of Trouble: When Sinners have upon them a Stoical Apathy, a Spirit of slum­ber upon them, as that they have no remorse at all in their Hearts; they have no trouble for Sins past, but have a setled purpose and resolution to con­tinue in Sin. Such a Conscience is called a seared Conscience, 1 Tim. 4. 2. such a Conscience had they of whom the Apostle speaks, Ephes. 4. 19. that were past feeling, and gave themselves over to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greedi­ness; Such a Conscience had Pharaoh, such a Con­science had Ahab, that sold himself to work wick­edness. Such as these have a Brow of Brass, they know no shame, Zep. 3. 5.

Secondly, An evil Conscience showeth itself to be so, in the excess of Trouble: When wicked men wanting Prayer, and Repentance, and Faith, and [Page 12] Hope, and the Pardon of Sin, and the Inhabitation of the Spirit, and the comfort of the Scriptures (which should be supports to them) are troubled a­bove measure, for that their Life is a burden to them: In the Morning they wish that it were Night; in the Night they wish it were Morning. They are like the rageing Sea, that continually casts up Mire and Foam: this was the condition of Cain, Judas, and Spira.

Object. Why, but you will say, Why should wicked men be thus descriminated and distinguished from others, as being restless and unquiet? Are not the best of men by the voice of Gods Word, Law, and Gospel; and by the voice of Judgments, and by the Acts of Conscience, informing, warning, cor­recting, and judicial in a perplexed Estate also? Heman complains of troubles and terrours, Psal. 88. he was sensible of Gods fierce wrath, of an over­whelming wrath, a cutting, killing, and surrounding wrath, v. 3, 6, 7, 15, 16. Yet Heman was one of the wisest men, next after Solomon, 1 Kings 4. 31. The condition of Job was like that of Heman; he thought that God wrote bitter things against him, Job 13. 24, 26. He was scared with Dreams, and terrified with Visions, so that his Soul chose strang­ling and death, rather than life, Job 7. 14, 15, 20. He thought himself to be set up as a mark to shoot at; he was a burden to himself; he went mourn­ing [Page 13] without the Sun, Job 30. 28. Yet Job was a great and good man: As for his greatness, he was supposed to be the King of the Edomites; and as for his goodness, he was one that feared God and eschewed evil, Job 1. David complains Psal. 38. 6. I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly, I go mourning all the day long. I am feeble and sore bro­ken; I have roared for the (very) disquietness of my heart. Yet David was a man famous in his Gene­ration, for Piety and Holiness; he was a man after Gods own heart, 1 Sam. 13. 14. He is called the man of God, Nehemiah 12. 36. Amiable and De­lectable before God and Man: So his name (David) signifieth.

Now for Answer to this: We must note that the Troubles of Job, Heman, and David, were Troubles not in the Conscience (onely) but also in the Affections; and this occasioned a Godly sor­row, as being an effect of Grace. And they had the Use and Exercise of Prayer, and Faith in the midst of their Distresses, Job 42. 4. Psal. 88. 1, 2. Psal. 19. 12. Psal. 51. 9. 1 Sam. 24. 5. 2 Sam. 24. 10. So that the Issue of all their Troubles was glorious. After an Eseck, and a Sitnah, there was a Rehaboth, Gen. 26. 20, 21, 22. after the Wind, Earthquake, and Fire, there came a still Voice, 1 Kings 10. 11, 12. after an Hectick, Health; after an Eclipse, clear Light,— Sequitur [Page 14] post nubula Phoebus. After Showers, Sun-shine; after a Wandering in the Wilderness, a Canaans Rest. They had secret Supports in their greatest Extremities, and (at the last) had an answer of Peace and Comfort: But the Troubles of Cain and Judas, were no whit the Troubles of Affections, but of Conscience onely; and where there is a trouble of Conscience onely, it is to be looked upon (onely) as a judicial Act of God, upon the Conscience, and it is not to be looked upon as an Effect of Grace, but as a part of the Wages of Sin.

Now where the Conscience onely is awakened and enlightened by a common illumination, (so as to see Sin) it is then in a condition to accuse, and condemn, and vex the Sinner. That trouble in the Conscience, which is onely a judicial Act, (con­sisting in Sense and Accusation) God in Judgment brings upon the Transgressour. When Instruction, Direction, Councels, Cautions, Threatnings, and Checks do not keep men from sinning; then God doth (after Sin) awaken the Conscience, to accuse for Sinning; and then the Soul is filled with bitter­ness; and then the terrours of Hell do shake and confound the Soul. Men so tormented, long after Death, and if it come not, they search after it more than treasures, and rejoyce when they can find the [Page 15] Grave. Conscience works upon Sin, and Sin frets and vexeth the Soul; so that Conscience becomes as a Worm that never dieth, Isai. 66. 24. Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop, Prov. 12. 15. By the sorrow of the heart the Spirit is broken, Prov. 15. 13. Such an one is as one bruised be­tween the Wall and the Door. Nulla gravior poena poenâ conscientiae, said Isiodorus: There is no punish­ment more grievous than the punishment of a guil­ty Conscience. The Rack and Wheel are, and— Ʋri, virgis, ferroque, necari. Burning and Scourging, and all those bloudy cruelties invented by the Heathen Persecutors, are short of this: A wounded spirit who can bear? Prov. 18. 14. Juve­nal describes the sad estate of such men thus:

They that are guilty of foul Facts, are affrighted in their Conscience; they are scourged and beaten with unknown blows. Their Conscience (like an Executioner) whips, bites, and torments them: an evil Conscience sits as a Judge, and it is call'd in as a Witness; nay more, an evil Conscience is, Judex, Testis, Carcer, Tortor, Judicat, Accusat, Dam­nat. An evil Conscience is a Judge, a Witness, a Prison, an Executioner; it keeps Sessions within it [Page 16] self; it accuseth, judgeth, and condemneth. An evil Conscience is a plague which you can neither fugere, nor fugare; it is an Evil which a Sinner can neither flee, nor fly from.

Cain put himself upon the building of a City, to remove the troubles of his mind; but that would not do it, Gen. 4. 17. Belshazzar thought by his Cups, to remove the trouble of his Spirit; but that would not remove it, Dan. 5. 2. Such men in the midst of their greatest delights, Singing, Dancing, and Dalliance, are tortured in their Souls. As Lemnius speaks, Nocte dieque suum gestant in pectore testem: Night and day they carry their Witness and Accuser within their breasts. So that outward pleasures and delights cannot more cure their Wounded Conscience, than a Crown of Gold can cure the Head-ach, or a Velvet Slipper cure the Gout. A perplexed man in the midst of all out­ward pleasures, riches, and honours, is like a Book of Tragedies, fairly bound up without, but black within; the Leaves Gold, and the Lines Blood: no Friends nor Physick, no Gold nor Silver, nor Fa­vour of Princes, no Pleasures of the World can give comfort in such a case; neither Crowns nor King­doms can give deliverance in such a case. There is no Bodily Sickness but Nature (by the means of Physick) hath provided a Remedy; no Sore but Chirurgery hath provided a Salve for it. There is [Page 17] no outward misery but there may be some means to relieve it; Friendship helps Poverty, Hope of Li­berty easeth Imprisonment, Favour revokes Banish­ment, Time wears away Reproach; but none of all these things can relieve or comfort a distressed Soul.

Pierius makes a continually hot baking Oven the Hierogliphick of a gauled Conscience. And the Egyptians made a Mill an Hierogliphick of the same; both for continuance and torture. A man so perplexed is [...], a self-Tormentor: such an ones Conscience (like Titius his Vulture) doth continually knaw him. That which was feigned of Promethaeus (as being bound to a Pillar upon the Mountain Caucasus, and an Eagle eating his Liver every day, and that which was eaten in the day, grew up in the night, (that there might be no de­cay of his torment) is true in this case; it is a Worm that never dieth. Such an ones House may be compared to Trophonius his Den, where were nothing but doleful Ecchoes and sad Complaints. A perplexed wicked man may take to him Pashurs terrible Name mentioned in Jerem. 20. 3. Magor­missabib, that is, fear round about: such an one is a terrour to himself, and to all that are about him. What shall I say more? A troubled Conscience is an Epitomy of Hell, an Extract, a Quintesence, a Compound, a Mixture of all Malladies, Tyrannical [Page 18] Tortures, Plagues, and Perplexities; Fear, Sorrow, Fury, Grief, Pain, Terrour, Anger, all these things come short of it. Were I to write a full Descrip­tion of a Troubled Conscience, (though I had Mel­pomene for my Muse, and had a Pen of Iron drop­ing Cruelty, and had Ink, and writing as Bloud) yet I could not sufficiently delineate it: And there­fore in this case I shall do like Timanthes, who when he was to draw out the Picture of Agamem­nons Grief, (and was not able to perfect it) co­vered it over with a Veil; he Pictur'd Calchas sad, Ʋlysses mourning, and Menelaus more sorrowful than either of them; but as for Agamemnon, (whose Daughter Iphiginia was to be sacrificed) he con­ceived his grief and sorrow to be in summo gradu, not to be deciphered by Art; and therefore he co­vered his Face with a Veil, and left every man to his own conceit about it. So in this case, being not able throughly to describe the misery of an Af­flicted Conscience; I shall break off abruptly, as to the farther Explication of this point, and shall leave every man to his own imagination about it. I have done with the Tragical part.

And now I am apt to think that some drooping Spirits (groaning under the pressure of Sin, and ready to despond and despair, by reason of some present guilt upon them, for some foul facts commit­ted) are ready to say to me, Must we part thus? [Page 19] Are there no crumbs of comfort? Shall we hear no word of peace? Will you let your voice be (still) like the hoarse sound of a Trumpet in a dead march? Shall your Sermon be like Dracoes Laws, that be­gun and ended in death? Is there no balme in Gi­lead? Is there no Physician there? Is there no way to be reconciled to God, and to have a peace with­in our selves, and to have our Wounded Spirits healed? Why, yes I shall (by and by) come to the Consolatory part, and shall put you into a way to be at peace with God, and to have peace within your selves, and to have your Spirits calm'd, and your Consciences quieted. But before I come to lay down any Rules of direction or means to obtain this; I shall lay down Motives to perswade you hereunto.

First, God hath promised it, The Lord will speak peace to his people, Psal. 85. 8. Peace shall be upon Israel, Psal. 125. I create the fruit of the lips: peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is nigh, Isai. 57. 19. that is, ‘I will really accomplish that which I have promised (in giving peace) both to Jews and Gentiles.’

Secondly, Christ hath purchased our Peace; The chastisement of our Peace was upon him; there was a proclamation of Peace at Christ's coming into the World; the great Design of Christ was to recon­cile God to man, and to pacifie mans Conscience, Rom. 5. 25. 2 Cor. 1. 5.

Thirdly, Others have obtained Peace within themselves: David, who for three quarters of a year was in a Spiritual Lethargie, (being at length awakened, was much perplexed) yet was at length restored to the joy of Salvation. Mr. Bilney (for a whole Year) was in such anguish of Spirit, that he thought all the whole Scriptures were against him, and founded out his condemnation; but after­ward he was indued with such Strength and Faith, that he did not onely confess his Faith in the Go­spel, but suffered his Body to be burnt for the Gospels sake. Luther about the year 1514, was in such an Agony of Spirit, that he felt nothing but trembling and fearfulness, especially when (at Rome) upon his bare Knees he was climbing up cer­tain Steps of Pilate's Ladder, (which the Romanist feigned to be brought from Jerusalem) when he was doing this (in a Superstitious way) as a means to purge his Sins, and quiet his restless and troubled Minde, by the illumination of the Spirit he came to a right understanding of that Scripture, The just shall live by his faith; and then he was exceedingly comforted, and his mind was pacified, and he set about the Reformation, and became a wonderful Instrument of God (through whom God hath o­pened the light of his Word) to the World. Such examples as these (who have found peace with God and within themselves) should encourage us.

Fourthly, Consider the Misery of a Troubled Conscience, A wounded spirit who can bear? And a wounded spirit who can declare? As the troubles of the Soul are insupportable, so they are inexpres­sible. A wicked mans Conscience is the greatest Tyrant and Persecutour to himself; he needs no o­ther fury to follow him; this is both Accuser and Witness, Law and Judge, Executioner and Punish­ment to himself. A Soul left to the temptations of the Devil, and to its own darkness and unbelief; like Saul falls upon its own Sword, and becomes its own Executioner: The wicked fleeth when none pur­sueth: The wicked (in this respect) are like Sheep, of which it is said, that when they run, they are a­fraid of the sound of their own Feet: Sin doth beget a dejection of Spirit and fearful Terrours. After Herod had murdered John in the Prison, he was perplext, his mind was much about John; for when he heard of the great Miracles that were wrought by Christ, he cryed out, That it was John Baptist, risen from the dead, Mat. 14. 1. Upon the commission of Sin there follows a Spirit of bon­dage unto Fear; so that sinners are in a condition as if they were fettered and shut up in Prison. They are full of anguish, vexation, and terrour: they are afraid to come near God, and afraid that God will never come near them in Mercy; they are afraid to die, and afraid of Gods wrath, revealed [Page 22] from Heaven against their Sins; they are afraid of what they have done against God, and afraid of what God may do against them. Nicephorus Pho­cas the Greek Emperour, and Pausanius the Lacede­monian King, (having done foul facts) were tired with a continual vexation of Spirit, always afraid of Heavens vengeance. These troubles of perplex­ed Souls are not Fabulous things, and we have the Word of God for it: There is no peace to the wicked, saith my God; in the Text. And these words are several times repeated in this Prophesie: And Verba toties inculcata, vera sunt, viva sunt, plana sunt, sana sunt. Words often repeated are true, and lively, sound, and plain.

Fifthly, Consider the happy estate of those who are at peace with God, and at peace within them­selves.

First, They are related to God, as to a Father; they are related to a Wise, Powerful, and Merciful God; they are assured of Gods care over them, and of his providence and goodness toward them; they have the light of Gods Countenance shining upon them; they are sensible of Gods favour, and of his loving kindness, which is better than Life itself.

Secondly, They have an interest in Christ, who is the Brightness of his Fathers Glory; they are in­grafted into Christ, and incorporated into that My­stical Body, whereof Christ is the Head; they have [Page 23] an interest in the Merits of Christ, and in all the Fruits and Effects of his Death and Bloodshed; and in him they have a Spiritual Title to all the things of the World.

Thirdly, They have a right to all the rich pro­mises in Scripture, both of Grace and Glory.

Fourthly, They see all their Sins charged upon Christ, laid upon his Shoulders, and pardoned as to themselves: they see all their Sins so remitted as that they are not afrighted, neither by the magni­tude nor multitude of their Sins; besides all this, they are not afraid of the Faces of men, though rich, honourable, and powerful; they fear not the Sons of Anak, nor the Gammodims in the Towers; they are not afraid of reproaches nor losses, either of Goods, Friends, or Children; they are not a­fraid of want, either of Food or Raiment, though there should be no Flocks nor Herds in the Fields or Stalls, yet they can rejoyce in the God of their Sal­vation; they are not afraid of Banishment into a Wilderness, or into a strange Land; they are not afraid of Imprisonment; they can look upon a Pri­son as a Pallace, and upon a Chain as an Ornament, and upon Bondage itself as Liberty; they are not a­fraid of Wars, nor of Famine, nor of Sickness, nor Death itself: the excellency of this Peace is such, and the benefits and comforts of it are so many and great, as they cannot be throughly known; The peace of God passeth all understanding.

Now you will say, We are convinced that it is our Duty to seek after a Peace of Conscience within our selves, But how shall we obtain it? The means are there,

• First, Resist the Devil.
• Secondly, Keep at a distance from Sin.
• Thirdly, Set about Repentance.
• Fourthly, Hearken diligently to the Gospel.

I. Resist the Devil, Whose work it is to tempt to Sin, and then to accuse for Sin, and then to tempt to Desparation. When Christ resisted the Devil he departed for a season, Luke 4. 14. And do you resist the devil, and he will flee from you, James 4. 7.

II. Keep at a distance from Sin: Pliny 10. Lib. 67. Epistle, writes thus of the Christians of the Pri­mitive Times: Stato die ante lucem convenire, & se Sacramento obstringere, nè furta, nè latrocinia, ne a­dulteria committerent: By break of the day they met together, and bound themselves by an Oath, a­gainst the Sins of Adultery, Theft, and Rapine. Let your resolution be the same against all Sin, as being that that hath made a variance between God and you, and a disturbance in your Souls. If ini­quity be in thine hand, put it far away; then thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear, Job 11. 14, 15.

III. Set about Repentance: They who sow in tears shall reap in joy. Broken hearts shall be bound up: The spirits of the contrite shall be revived: [Page 25] The weary and heavy laden shall rest: There is a promise of comfort, to penitential mourners, Mat. 5. 4. That woman who was a notorious Sinner (when she stood at Christs feet, weeping and washing his feet with tears) was forgiven and comforted. Com­fort doth not follow Repentance as a Natural ef­fect: Repentance doth not discharge us from the guilt of Sin, as an Act of ours; but as it is a work of Grace, and as a means appointed (by God) for that end.

IV. Hearken diligently to the Gospel: The Gospel is called Glad Tidings; It is a gospel of peace, Rom. 10. 15. A word of Reconciliation, 2 Cor. 5. 19. Ministers of the Gospel are like Noah's Dove, which brought him an Olive branch, a Token of Peace: Ministers are Ambassadours for Christ. It is a term borrowed by the Apostle from Princes Courts, and applyed to Ministers by a decent Ana­logie; Ministers being as Ambassadours, who are Messengers from Princes Courts to offer Peace.

The Scriptures (which are the Subject, and the Substance of Ministers Preaching) are the Word of God, who is a God of all Consolation; and being fitly applyed are likely to revive and refresh faint­ing and fearful Spirits. Here you will finde pro­mises of comfort, and examples of those who have found comfort. Here you will find God merciful and gracious, forgiving Iniquity, Transgression, and [Page 26] Sin. Here you will find that Gods Mercies hold proportion with his Power; and that they are not to be limited by the bounds of your weak under­standings: And know, that as it is Blasphemy to limit Gods Power, so it is Blasphemy to limit his Goodness.

The Scriptures will tell you, that God is a Fa­ther of Mercies, a God that revives the Spirits of the humble, and the Heart of the contrite ones; that he is nigh to them who are of a broken Heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite Spirit. And therefore hearken dilligently to the Ministry of the Gospel, as being a Word of Peace, and a Word of Comfort. And know this, That it is your duty to receive comfort, (when it is offered upon good grounds) as to do a duty commanded It is a great Sin to reject or despair of Mercy: it is thought by some to be a greater Sin in Judas to despair of Mercy, than it was to betray the Person of Christ into the hands of them who crucified him. Oh, therefore let not your stubborn Souls refuse com­fort! But when Gods Mercy appears to you in his Word Preached, yield to the credit of it, and be o­ver power'd with the Authority of it; let your Con­sciences be satisfied with those evidences that God hath made known in his Word, and passed upon your Souls for your everlasting comfort.

Fifthly, Give your selves unto Prayer. Oratio, [Page 27] sanat pestes mentis: Prayer is a means to cure the Malladies of Diseased Souls: Prayer is the Com­pass by which we sail. When all is clouded, no Star of comfort shining upon us, this will hold us in the right Course, till we again discover Mercy. Out of the depth have I called unto thee, and thou heardst me, Psal. 130. 1. Prayer is a means to ob­tain the pardon of Sin, James 5. 14. And upon the pardon of Sin follows peace and comfort, Be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee, Mat. 9. 2. Let the consideration of Gods All-sufficiency, his Faithful­ness, his Grace and Mercy, his Readiness to Pardon and Comfort; his rich Promises move you to pray in Faith, in Humility, and with Fervency, that he would quiet your Spirits and stablish your Hearts. And in your Prayer to the Lord Christ, plead his humanity, that He Himself did once live in your Nature on Earth, as in a Veil of Tears, and Misery, and in the shadow of Death; that He Himself was once cloathed on Earth with the Infirmities of mans common Nature; that He Himself knows what it is to be tempted by Satan, by Men, both Friends and Enemies; that He knows what it is to be in an A­gony, to lie under a Spiritual Desertion, to have a Soul exceeding sorrowful and heavy (even) unto Death. Entreat Him (as being a Merciful High Priest, and as being touched with the feeling of your Infirmities) to have compassion upon you, to re­lieve [Page 28] and succour you: remember Him who cry'd out, Thou Son of David have mercy on me.

Sixthly, Labour after Righteousness in your dealings with men; that is a way to obtain peace: Say unto the righteous it shall go well with him. A due Administration of Justice by Magistrates, and Righteous dealing between man and man, is a means to uphold Legem, Regem, and Gregem: The Law, the King, and Country. And it is a means to procure peace to your selves: Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace.

Seventhly, Set about the exercise of Charity. It was David's enquiry, 2 Sam. 9. 1. Is there any of the house of Saul left, to whom I may shew kindness for Jonathan's sake? And let it be your enquiry, Are there no poor members of Christ, to whom we may shew kindness for Christ's sake? True Religion lieth much in this. And therefore be not weary of well doing: Do good to all men, but especially to the hou­should of faith. This is a means to bring peace to you at the last: The merciful shall enter into peace, and shall rest in their beds, Isai 59. 1. If in your Cha­rity towards the poor members of Christ, you have respect to the glory of God, and the honour of Christ, and shall rest upon his Approbation and Re­muneration; you shall find (at last) that Christ will own it, as being done to himself; and will so ac­cept [Page 29] and reward it, Mat. 25. But chiefly we must make sure of Christ when we have done all, or else we may miss of peace and comfort: We must have comfortable apprehensions of the fulness of Christ's Merits, or else we can have no peace with God, nor within our selves.

It was Luther's Observation: Saith he, I have seen among the Papists, who have painfully travelled, and upon meer Conscience have done much in Praying and Fasting, and other Exercises for this End, that they might get peace of Conscience; and when they had done all, they were smitten down with fear, especially when death approached: They were then, saith he, so fear­ful, that I have seen many Murderers, and other Ma­lefactors condemn'd to death, die more couragiously, and more comfortably than they. This was Luther's Obser­vation in his time, and there is reason for it; for al­though good works are evidences of Faith, and signs of a sanctified Life; yet they can give no as­surance of Gods favour by their own merit or wor­thiness. It is impossible that the Conscience should be pacified (as to God and itself) by any good things found in man: No, not by Faith itself, (for the goodness or merit of it, as being done by us) but as being a grace given us to apprehend the fulness of merit onely in Christ. And therefore when you have done all, make sure of Christ by Faith.

In the Creation we find God above us; In the [Page 30] Law we find God against us: But in Christ we find God Emmanuel, God with us: O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, Cant. 2. 14. This was the Speech of Christ to the Church, by the mouth of So­lomon. The Church was a Dove in the clefts of the Rock: This Rock was Christ, the Rock of Ages, and those foramina Petrae, were vulnera Christi: These clefts of the Rock, are the wounds of Christ. The Church in the wounds of Christ, is as a Dove in the clefts of the Rock, quiet and safe from danger. The Lord Christ was sent to bind up the broken hearted; and to proclaime liberty to the captives; and the opening of the Prison doors to them who were bound; to give them beauty for ashes; the oil of joy for mourning; and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, Isai. 61. 1, 3. He is that good sheperd that gathers his lambs, and carries them in his bosome, Isai. 40. 11. The Lord Christ is that Sun of Righteousness, that ariseth with hea­ling in his Wings: He is that Tree in the Revala­tion, the Leaves whereof, were for the healing of the Nations: He is the great Physician of Souls: He cures us of the guilt of Sin by Justification, of the pollution of Sin, by Sanctification; of the trouble of Conscience, by Consolation: He is full of pre­cious Ointment, his Name (Christ) signifies so much: He hath Oil and Wine to pour into your wounds, Luke 10. 34. He hath the Oil of Gladness, [Page 31] and the Oil of Love; But his Soveraign Medicines are his own Flesh and Blood; By his stripes we are healed, Isai. 53. He hath slain the enmity, and hath reconciled us by the Cross, Ephes. 2. 16. We are recon­ciled to God by the death of his Son, Rom. 5. 9, 10. The blood of Christ speaks better things than the blood of Abel, Heb. 12. 24. The blood of Abel cryeth for vengeance, Gen. 4. 10. Mat. 23. 35. But the Lord Christ cryeth with a loud voice, (as with the voice of a mighty Angel) my Blood for the undeserving; my Blood for the ill-deserving; my Blood for sin­ners, for the worst of sinners, for the chiefest of sinners; my Blood for all blood; my Blood for the Sins of the World; nay, and for a World of Sins. Well might the Apostle call this Blood pre­cious Blood, 1 Pet. 1. 19. It is precious Blood in itself, as being the Blood of the Son of God; it is pre­cious in its Effects. Whereas other blood calls for Revenge, this Blood calls for Grace, for Mercy, for Pardon, for Reconciliation, for Acceptation, and Salvation: We are justified by his blood, Rom. 5. 9. and upon this follows our peace with God, Rom. 5. 1. We are washed also, and made white by this blood, Revel. 7. 14. Now the sence and experience of the purity of heart, and a reformed life, layeth be­fore us a ground of peace and comfort: Being washed and sanctified by this Blood, we have a good, a pure, and a clear Conscience; in the testi­mony [Page 32] whereof we may rejoyce and take comfort, 2 Cor. 1. 12.

We read of Themistocles, that when he went to to make Peace with a Prince, he carried the Princes Son in his Arms. And if you will make Peace with God (who is the King of Kings) you must carry Christ a long with you, who is the Son of God, and the Prince of Peace. If you can with old Simeon get Christ in your arms, you may sing a Re­quiem as he did. When you are thus at Peace with God, and within your selves; I would advise you to two things.

• First, To be thankful.
• Secondly, To beware of Apostasie.

I. Be thankful: It is fit you should be so; Be­neficium and Officium must go together: every one that is servatus, should be servus: Praise is comely for the Upright. The fire was kept burning con­tinually upon the Altar, to shew us our constant Duty in this respect. God requires thankfulness for the least Mercy: Gather up the fragments, that nothing be lost, said Christ, John 6. 12. We must be thankful for the least Blessing; much more should we be thankful for so great a Mercy as this. Hath the Lord Christ spoken comfortably to you in a Wilder­ness? Hath the Lord Christ been to you as the Shadow of a Rock to a Traveller in a weary Land? Are you brought out of a Dungeon into a Pallace, [Page 33] out of Darkness into Light, out of the Shadow of Death into the Land of the Living? O then, set up David's Resolution! Psal. 30. 11, 12. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; thou hast put off my sack-cloath, and girded me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent: O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. And elsewere saith he, I will be glad, and rejoyce in thy mercy, for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversity. Oh, how great is thy goodness! How amiable are thy tabernacles! How great are thy works! I will triumph in the work of thy hands, Psal. 90. 4.

Are you now delivered from the trouble and misery of a Wounded Conscience? Is that confusi­on formerly in your Souls now rectified? Are you now under the assurances of Faith? Is God in your Hearts? Is Heaven in your Eyes? Is joy in your countenances? O then, let the comfort thereof en­large your Soul, like an Angel, let it put wings upon your Soul, like a Cherub; and let it set your Soul on fire, like a Seraphim, with holy zeal of Gods glo­ry, and the good of others. With holy David be telling others, what God hath done for your Soul: spread forth the sweet odours of praise; be daily offering up the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving.

II. Beware of Apostasie and back-Sliding. Psal. 85. 8. The Lord will speak peace to his people, and to [Page 34] his saints; but let them not return again to folly: Af­ter you have received Christ into your Hearts, (to revive and refresh you) let not then your carriage toward Christ be like the carriage of the Jews to­ward Christ, after they had received him into Jeru­salem, Mat. 21. At his entrance they received him as their King, v. 5. They spread their garments in the way, they cut down branches and strewed them in the way: And the multitude that went before, and that fol­lowed after, cried, Hosanna to the Son of David; Ho­sanna in the highest. But the Scene was quickly changed; they received him as their King; after­ward they would have no other King but Caesar. Here they cried, Hosanna, Hosanna; afterward a­way with him, away with him, crucifie him, cru­cifie him; as if they would have had him twice cru­cified: Here they spread garments in his way; af­terward they cast lots for his garment: Here they cut down branches to spread before him; and af­terward they prepared a Cross, and a Crown of Thorns for him. O let not your carriage be such toward Christ, after a reception of Peace and Com­fort from him! When you are got into Wisdoms ways, (which are ways of pleasantness) take heed that you do not (then) start a side lake a broken Bow. Say then concerning Christ, as Jacob did concerning the Angel, I will not let thee go. Let Christ be written in your Hearts with Golden Let­ters, [Page 35] as it was said of Ignatius. Let Christ be writ­ten in your Hearts with indelible Letters, that neither temptations nor tortures may blot it out. Keep close to Christ in all humility and reverence, in all duties, and by all means keep up communion with him; be no longer as a barren Wilderness to him, lest he be again as a Land of Darkness to you. Grieve not the Spirit of Christ, which is the Cause of all Grace and Comfort: Resist not the gracious motions of the Spirit of Christ, by carnal delights, or by sinful practises: Let his Spirit have a full work: Let it be seen that the Spirit of Christ reigns in you, in that you will do nothing contrary to it. Spiritus Christi ita nos tractat, sicut à nobis tractatur: The Spirit of Christ will handle you as you handle it. If you again grieve the Spirit of Christ, (by resisting the Holy motions of it) He may again vex your Spirits, in with-holding the comfortable influences of it. And therefore have an high esteem of Christ, delight in him, and please him, by your obedience in the course of your life. By this means you may be like Saint Anthony the Monk, of whom it is said, that he always appeared of a cheerful countenance. By this means you may be at peace with the crea­tures, at agreement with the stone of the wall, and beasts of the Fields; so that you may safely walk by the Lion, and tread upon the Basilisk: Hereby you may find inward Peace in your Hearts and [Page 36] Consciences; and may be established in your com­bate against the terrours of Sin, and the temptati­ons of Satan; and may be possessed with such qui­etness of mind, as may make you in a time of mourning and suffering for Righteousness, to re­joyce, not onely in the promise, but in the possession of such a Peace internal, as may end in a Peace eter­nal in the Heavens: which is no less than the Feli­city of the Saints in Heaven, and the Glory of the blessed Angels, who having no jarring principles a­mong them, remain for ever in Love and Peace.