The Worm that Dieth Not, Sermon (1 of 4)

The Worm that Dieth Not · Sermon (1 of 4)

p. 1MARK 9.48.

Where their Worm dyeth not, and the Fire is not quenched.

MY purpoſe is to break up thoſe Treaſures of wrath which God hath reſerved for his enemies, Pſal. 90.11. Epheſ. 3.19.Ps 90:11Eph 3:19which not only paſſeth knowledge, but alſo fear; his love to his People paſſeth knowledge, his wrath to his enemies paſſeth fear: a full diſcovery by me you cannot expect, ſeeing it paſſeth knowledge, and anſwerable affections in you I cannot expect; to the utmoſt, ſeeing that it paſſeth fear; but if it may be a means to deter you from ſin, and a motive unto mortification, I ſhall have my end in the diſcourſe, as Chriſt his end in the exhortation.

The words are to be conſidered duplicate page p. 1duplicate page p. 2either reſpective in reference unto what goes before, and ſo we ſee them ſeveral times repeated, to preſs the duty of mortification of a mans deareſt & darling Luſt, his moſt pleaſant and moſt profitable ſin; that ſin is reſembled unto a body in Scripture, is clear, Rom. 7 4.Rom 7:4the body of ſin, and the body of death; and that ſome ſins are in this body …s the right hand, and the right eye, is as clear; alſo called a mans ſweet morſel, his own iniquity, the peccatum in deliciis, the right eye is in the body the deareſt, and the right hand is moſt uſefull, ſerviceable, foreignprofitable, and advantageous to the body; but if it be a ſtumbling block to thee, and cauſe thee to offend God, and forſake the way of his obedience, then cut it off, pluck it out; it is a hyperbolical expreſſion, Sic animo tuo comparatus eſto, though thou do not actually, yet intentionally, and in thy purpoſe and reſolution of heart part with what is deareſt to thee, then that it ſhould be a means or an occaſion of ſin unto thee; and the reaſon it given, better enter into life maimed, that is, p. 3though thou think'ſt if thou part with ſuch a luſt, thou ſhouldeſt live uncomfortably, and be as a maimed and but half a man all thy days, yet in common reaſon the whole is better than any part, therefore better ſuffer the exciſion of a member, than the diſſolution of the body; in your own judgement, and the judgement of the World, be counted imperfect men all your days, rather than ſuffer the deſtruction of the body and ſoul in Hell.

Hence we are to learn; Firſt, that whatever is near and dear unto a man, if it be an occaſion of his ſin, either to hinder from duty in omiſſion, or to provoke unto any luſt by way of commiſſion, a man is to reject it with ind gnation, pluck it out, …ut it off, caſt it from him. The deareſt thing muſt be parted with, either as a ſnare or as a ſacrifice. Secondly, Even Gods own people may have ſome dear, pleaſant, and profitable luſts, right hands to be cut off, and right eyes to be plucked out. Thridly, If they ſhould part with them, they may look upon themſelves, p. 4and the World may count them as maimed men: but Fourthly, though they may ſeem ſo to themſelves, and the World to judge of them, yet it is their beſt courſe that they could take. Fifthly, The good and evill of all things is to be judged by the end and iſſue of it; i'ts better, becauſe thou entereſt into life; and it's worſe, becauſe keeping them thou wilt indanger body and ſoul in hell, Sixthly, Legal motives are of uſe even to the regenerated, and therefore Chriſtians may uſe them, and not be legal Chriſtians: indeed the more ingenious ſervices are, the better; and the more freely and readily the heart comes off from ſin upon the principles of the Goſpel, and performes duty from a ſpirit of love, fearing the Lord and his goodneſs, obeying from a cord of love and thankfulneſs, the love of Chriſt conſtraining. But yet this will work no longer than grace hath the upper hand, and if corruption prevail, to call in theſe helps, is not only. lawfull but neceſſary.

But to come to the words of my p. 5Text, They are a deſcription of that deſtruction that keeping a right hand or a right eye, that offends a man will bring upon him: It is deſtruction in hell, even of the whole man, body, and ſoul, for to keep one member, or to pleaſe one pleaſant gainfull darling Luſt.

In the torments of hell there are two parts, Firſt, ſomething Privative, a privation of all good whatſoever might make them happy, and ſomething Poſitive, an addition of whatever might make them miſerable. The firſt is expreſſed by Chriſt, depart from me ye curſed. Mat. 25.41.Matt 25:41The Poſitive part of the torments of hell are ſet forth in theſe words, where their worm dyeth not: wherein we may obſerve, Firſt, the torment of the Creature from God. 2dly. From himſelf, ſomething principal, and ſomething accidental; that from God which is the principal part of he…l torment is the fire, the leſs principal, the worm. In the words therefore is diſcribed the poſitive part of the torments of hell. Firſt, that which is, Eſſential and principal, the Fire. p. 6Secondly, That which is leſs Principal, the Worm. Thirdly, The eternity of them both, the fire is never quenched, nor the Worm never dies. I will take them as they lye in the Text, and begin firſt with that which is leſs principal the Worm, their worm never dyes.

Here we may note two things, Firſt, the torment it ſelf, a Worm. Secondly, the particularity of the torment, Their Worm. Every man ſhall have his own Worm. The words are taken out of Iſa. 66.24. The Lord had promiſed the glorious deliverance of the Church, and had threatned the utter deſtruction of his enemies, and when they were deſtroyed, the Saints ſhould look upon them and triumph over them, the Saints ſhall have dominion over them in the morning, and they ſhall go forth in their contemplation, and conſider not only their preſent outward condition and miſery, but their eternal condition, Their Worm never dyes, and their fire is not quenched to all p. 7Eternity, and they ſhall be an abhorring unto all fleſh

To begin with the Torment it ſelf, it's a Worm, which is not to be underſtood literally, but metaphorically of ſomething that holds ſome reſemblance and ſome analogy to it. Now a Worm in Scripture is put to reſemble two things; Firſt, ſomething that is deſpicable, and to be contemned, fear not thou worm Jacob. Secondly, ſomething that is tormenting, and continually vexing, and ſo it's in this place; here the Phyloſophers tell us Nihil eſt in intellectu, &c. And therefore the Lord is pleaſed to help our underſtandings to expreſs ſpiritual things by earthly ſimilitudes and reſemblances; as Chriſt ſaith of the Miſteries of the Goſpel, he could not ſpeak them as they were but by earthly things, that is, in reſpect of the manner of delivery, though the things were in themſelves ſpiritual; and if the Lord do it by things that men have experience of in this life, how much more the things that are reſerved for the World to come, as the joys of Heaven p. 8by all good things, & the torments of hell by all evill things. Whatever is moſt terrible to ſence, and moſt tormenting as Fire, Brimſtone, darkneſs and a Worm, which are only to help our underſtanding in thoſe things which both paſs fear and knowledge: as after death it is ſet forth as a thing dreadfull to nature, to have worms breed out of a man, and feed upon him; Job. 24.20.Job 24:20as Job ſpeaks, The Worms ſhall feed ſweetly on him, he ſhall be no more remembred, &c. And the greateſt perſons that have lain upon beds of Ivory, and have had Tapiſtry for their covering, muſt ſay unto the worms ye are my ſiſters; the Moth eats them as a garment, and the Worm devours them as wooll, &c. Now to have theſe bodies that have been cloathed ſumptuouſly, and fed delicately, to be cloathed with worms, and to become their food, is ſad, and even diſmal to nature after a mans diſſolution. But if theſe worms ſhould breed in a man, and feed upon him whilſt he were alive, it would be much more terrible; as it was a torment invented by a Tyrant p. 9to keep a man in a Coffin, and feed him, till by his own filth he breed worms, and theſe worms devoured his fleſh, and he dyed by them. The judgement that came upon Herod by the immediate ſtroak of an Angel; Acts 12.23.Acts 12:23and the ſame judgement is ſaid to be inflicted upon Maximinus the Emperor, that his body putrify'd & bred worms continually. Now this is a fearfull thing, and dreadfull to nature to come upon the body; but what will it be for a worm to be gnawing upon the ſoul for ever? For in reſpect of that fire in Hell, our fire here is but a painted fire; it's true alſo in reference to the Worm therein.

This being a Metaphorical expreſſion, let us come to open it a little what it is, and wherein the reſemblance doth conſiſt? This Worm is generally to be underſtood of the furious reflection of the ſoul upon it ſelf, in conſideration of it's by paſt life, neglected opportunities, and it's preſent hopeleſs and unrecoverable condition, and ſo the tormenting acts of Conſcience upon the man are reſembled p. 10by the Worm, and the reſemblance lies in two things; Firſt, a Worm is bred out of the putrifaction of the ſubject in which it is; now in the conſcience of men there is much corruption the conſcience is as it were the ſink where all the evil in a man is, there is firſt much of the filthineſs and defilement of ſin in the conſcience, Tit. 1.15. Their conſcience is defiled; Mat. 23.27.Matt 23:27like whited Sepulchres, outwardly fair, but inwardly full of rottenneſs and all uncleanneſſe, they may eaſily breed worms. Heb. 9.14Heb 9:14Secondly, All the guilt of ſin in the ſoul ſettles upon the conſcience, and it needs purging, for all the works done by an unregenerate man are dead works becauſe they proceed from a dead nature, and becauſe they all tend unto death; and though theſe things be the work of the whole ſoul, and every faculty, yet the guilt of them, all is laid upon the conſcience; and if there be ſo much filthineſs and putrifaction both of guilt and defilement in the conſcience, it is no wonder if it breed a worm as p. 11all other putrifactions do; and this being the worſt, it is not ſtrange if it breed the worſt and the moſt devouring Worm.

Secondly, It doth alwayes gnaw upon the ſubject in which it is bred, and ſo it is with this Worm, it is alwayes feeding upon the ſoul, and that for ever. For it is with a mans ſpirit as with mill-ſtones, when there is nothing elſe, it grindes it ſelf, &c. Now God will ſtop the current of all the creatures after this life, Luke 16.25. There ſhall be nothing from without for the ſpirit of a man to feed upon, and then it will turn in upon it ſelf for ever. Here, moſt of the acts of a mans ſoul are dire… upon objects without him; there are few reflexe acts, man will not turn in upon himſelf; But then a mans acts ſhall be full of reflection upon himſelf for ever. Now this furious reflection of the ſoul upon it ſelf, it's own filthineſs and wilfull folly. What fair offers and opportunities he has had and neglected, what fair hopes he had conceived, and they are vaniſhed; and how all the pleaſures of ſin and p. 12the promiſes of Satan have deceived him, as a Brook that paſſeth by, and this will gnaw upon the ſoul with remedileſs and unconceivable torment for ever, this is the Worm that never dyes; and truly there is no conſideration in the World will work upon the hearts of men, if this dreadfull one does not. That a man that lives and dyes in ſin, in a ſinfull ſtate, ſhall be tormented for ever with fire that ſhall never be quenched, and this nevever dying Worm ſhall gnaw upon him to all Eternity, with remedileſs and unconceivable torments for ever, This is the Worm that never dyes.

After this life, a wicked mans own Conſcience ſhall be his tormenter; Doctrine. The Worm dyes not, it will be a great inſtrument that God will uſe in a mans deſtruction. There are Four things to be ſpoken to in the Explication; Firſt, to ſhew what Conſcience is, which is here reſembled to a Worm. Secondly, To prove that this Conſcience ſhall be a mans tormenter. Thirdly, To give the grounds and the reaſons of it. Fourthly, To p. 13ſet forth ſome of thoſe acts that Conſcience, as a Worm ſhall put forth; the manner of the working of it in the gnawings of a Worm, and then come to the Application.

Queſt. 1. Firſt, What is Conſcience.

Anſw. It is an ability in the underſtanding to judge of a mans ſelf, his Eſtate, and Actions, according to the rule that God hath preſcribed.

Here obſerve, Firſt, It is an ability in the underſtanding; for I make it not, as ſome do, a diſtinct faculty, & therefore it is in no Creatures but thoſe that are reaſonable, Men and Angels; other Creatures are directed to an end, and they work by a rule thereunto; but they neither know their end, nor their rule, neither are they able to reflect upon their actions, whether they have done good or evil; and therefore no Creature can ſin but a reaſonable Creature: for ſin muſt be a tranſgreſſion of a Rule, which a man doth, or ought to p. 14know, and to walk anſwerable unto; and therefore it is made a proper act of a man, Iſa. 46.8. Remember this and ſhew your ſelves men.

Secondly, Conſcience muſt have a rule; indeed the Scripture doth require that men ſhould walk according to their conſciences, and do as their Conſcience doth dictate unto them. Rom. 13.5. Wherefore ye muſt needs be ſubject, not only for wrath, but for Conſcience ſake: ye muſt be ſubject foreign, and when Conſcience requires one thing, and Luſt another, and the man receives not the rule of Conſcience, but of Luſt; he doth then impriſon the truth in unrighteouſneſs, where the Dictates of Conſcience are called the truth, Rom. 1.18.Rom 1:18though it be but of a natural Conſcience. But yet here men miſtake; for Conſcience is but regula regulata, not the higheſt rule; for it muſt it ſelf have a Rule to judge by; Gal 6.16.Gal 6:16and he that doth not go by rule, and hath no higher rule to regulate his Conſcience, and yet doth by his Conſcience regulate his Actions, Conſcience being defiled, Pit. 1.15. p. 15He doth walk with God at a venture, Lev. 26.21. And this rule of Conſcience is the whole revealed wil of God, whether ex principiis naturae, or ſcripturae; whatever God requires of a man as duty, whether by his word or by his works, and Conſcience knows no other rule but the will of God revealed, becauſe it is ſubjected unto no other: God only can command the Conſcience, and bind the Conſcience, becauſe he only can judge the Conſcience. Now the underſtanding having nothing elſe but a principal of nature for it's rule; we call that a natural Couſcience, and they that have the word of God for their rule, or any ſpecial work of illumination from the Holy Ghoſt, whether it be common or ſaving, we call this an inlightned Conſcience, anſwerable unto the rule that it has to judge by, either of mens ſtates or wayes.

Thirdly, The chief act of Conſcience, and that which is only proper and eſſential to it, is to judge of the man according to this rule, and to pronounce a ſentence upon him, whether good or evil; and hence is the p. 16accuſing and the excuſing power of Conſcience; Rom. 2.14 15.Rom 2:14if Conſcience judge of an action to anſwer the rule, then it excuſeth, and if that be different from the rule, then it accuſeth; and therefore 'tis ſaid, Joh. 8.9. They are conſinced of their own Conſciences; that is, their Conſciences laid their acts to the rule, and did tell them that they did not agree to it, and they could not deny it, and therefore went their way; and therefore Conſcience is alwayes in Scripture called foreign, that is a knowing and judging of one thing with another; a knowing and judging of a mans ſtate or actions with the rule: 2 Cor. 4.2.2 Cor 4:2we approve our ſelves to every mans conſcience, ſays the Apoſtle, in the ſight of God, and that is all our aim: we ſeek not to approve our ſelves to your luſts, your fancies, we may ſometime in our Miniſterie reprove ſin that you are not willing to leave, and preſs to duty that you are not willing to practice; we may croſs your affections, and provoke your luſts, but yet we know that we have ſomething within you that takes our part, and doth approve the p. 17Doctrine that we teach, and the duties that we practice all the while; ſo that the main of Conſcience lyes in judging or applying an action to the rule, and pronouncing a ſentence accordingly. So that in 1 Cor. 11.31. Judge your ſelves, &c. and Iſa. 5.3. Judge I pray between me and my Vineyard. So that Conſcience is an ability in a man, having a rule given him to reflect upon his actions and ſtate, and …udge whether it agree with the rule that is given to it or no.

4thly. That which is ſubjected to the judgement of Conſcience, is a mans ſtate and wayes, the whole man. To judge other men, is not properly our work, either their actions or ſtates, unleſs we are called by ſpecial Office thereunto; for thou judgeſt another mans ſervant, he ſtands and falls to his own Maſter. But a mans whole ſelf is ſubjected to the judgement of Conſcience.

Firſt, Conſcience judges of a mans ſtate, 1 Joh. 3.20. If thy heart condemn thee or do not condemn thee; and Jam. 1.24. The Word doth ſhew a man what manner p. 18of man he is, and in what ſtate he ſtands towards God; whether he be one of the wiſe, or fooliſh Virgins, or builders; whether he build upon a Rock or the Sand. Now conſciſcience takes this rule, and lays a mans ſtate to it, and tels the man this is my condition.

Secondly, Conſcience judges of mens actions, Rom. 9.1. I ſpeak the truth, I lye not, my Conſcience bearing me witneſs; foreign I do not ſpeak this with my mouth, and my conſcience gives me the lye, but Conſcience ſpeaks the ſame thing, and joint with me in the teſtimony. 2 Cor. 12. This is our rejoycing, the teſtimony of our conſcience, that in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity we have had our converſation in the World; but more eſpecially to you-ward, &c. Conſcience brings his carriage towards them to the rule, and judges of it, to agree, and to be conſonant thereunto; and therefore gives teſtimony within him and into this Court the ſpirit of God commonly comes to aſſiſt conſcience, to pronounce the ſentence. For conſcience p. 19is defiled, and ſo over-awed, and bribed, and blinded by luſt, that it cannot many times pronounce a right ſentence; till the Spirit of God comes into the Court and acts Conſcience, and cauſeth it to judge aright of his eſtate and and wayes alſo, and therefore Rom. 9.1. My conſcience bears me witneſs in the Holy Ghoſt, the Holy Ghoſt doth witneſs with Conſcience, and Conſcience in the power of the Spirit does witneſs to the man; ſo in a wicked man it is a Spirit of bondage, that is, does cauſe Conſcience to witneſs bondage, which elſe by reaſon of the ſelf love and ſelf flattery that is in the man, it will never do; and in a godly man it witneſſeth grace and adoption, which of it ſelf it can never do; and therefore the ſpirit is a witneſs in Heaven, and in earth alſo, even in a renewed Conſcience, the ſpirit does foreign. We come now to give the reaſons or the grounds of the point which will be beſt done by anſwering theſe Queſtions.

Firſt, As inordinate love unto a mans ſelf, has been the great cauſe of p. 20all a mans ſins, 2 Tim. 3.2, So it is ſelf loathing that is the cauſe of all a mans Torment, a man ſhall be a burden to himſelf, Job 7.20. A terror to himſelf. Jer. 20, 4. As by ſelf love they have corrupted themſelves; ſo by ſelf loathing, they ſhall torment themſelves for ever; and ſo the Lord will take the ſame way in puniſhing, that they have taken in ſinning. That the ſin that a man hath here taken moſt pleaſure in, ſhal hereafter be to him the matter of his his greateſt torment; as we ſee it here, immediately as ſoon as God does awaken the Conſcience: there is no ſin ſo dreadful to a man as his darling, and he fears nothing like that which he has moſt loved and deſired: ſo it will be hereafter in a mans puniſhment alſo, as nothing was ſo loved, admired, and deifi'd as himſelf; ſo there ſhall be nothing that he ſhall loath and abhor like himſelf for ever; and anſwerable to a mans ſelf love, ſo will his ſelf loathing be, for Revel. 8.8. ſo much pleaſure, ſo much torment. No ſin wil will pierce Herods heart, like to his p. 21rodias. And there is no ſin that a man ſpares more here than his darling, and there is none will be more cruel to them hereafter, and as a worm, feed upon their hearts, and eat up their inward man for ever; and ſo it is in it ſelf alſo, as there is nothing they have loved more, and ſpared more here, they have wholly been cruel unto others, but unto themſelves ſparing: they ſhall not be ſo hereafter, but above all others they ſhall be cruel to themſelves for ever.

Queſt. 2d. Secondly, Seeing God will torment a man by himſelf, why is the main of a mans torment in his Conſcience above all other faculties? It is true, that as every faculty hath been filled with the fruits of all unrighteouſneſs, ſo every faculty ſhall be a Veſſel filled with wrath, but above all others, why the Worm in the Conſcience.

Anſw. Firſt, Becauſe it is the ſpirit of the man, and that wherein his main ſtrengh lyes, Prov. 18.14.

p. 22Secondly, Becauſe it is the tendereſt part of the ſoul, it's reſembled to the eye, Matth. 7.3. And therefore moſt ſenſible, it is capable of more torment than any other of the faculties and powers of the ſoul what ſoever.

Thirdly, There the Lord will inflict the puniſhment, where the ſin mainly is; now of all the faculties of the ſoul, there is none ſo defiled as the Conſcience, Tit. 1.15. For the guilt of all the ſins of the whole ſoul is there. Jer. 17.1Jer 17:1Heb. 9.4. There are the Treaſures of ſin; therefore there wil the Lord power out the Treaſures of wrath, &c.

Queſt. 3. Thirdly, But if the Lord will torment the Conſcience why doth not the torment reſt there? But he will make that the inſtrument to torment the whole man. Why ſhall that do it rather than the wil or affections? &c. But the torment of the whole ſoul muſt come in by the Conſcience: this is the Flood gate, or as I may call it, the Funnel of wrath.

p. 23Anſw. Firſt, Becauſe God has given unto Conſcience he greateſt honour in the ſoul, and has exalted it above all other powers and abilities of the ſoul whatſoever. The main of the Image of God was ſtampt upon it at firſt, if we judge by the renewing of it, for the great effect of redemption is there. Heb. 9.14. And of renovation: alſo Epheſ. 4 23. It is called the Spirit of the mind, 1 Theſ. 5.23. The Spirit. Pro. 18.14. It is to be referred ad illam partem que nobiliſſima eſt. Calv

And therefore the main work of Sanctification lies in the Conſcience, a pure Conſcience. Now the Image of God in Sanctification is renewed, therefore where this Image is moſt renewed, there it was moſt planted: for we are renewed according to the Image of him that created us. And the main thing that God reſpe…s in all Ordinances, Heb. 9 8.Heb 9:8is to make the man perfect according to his Conſcience; and that is Conſcientiam puram & pacatam r…ddere, to pacifie it, and purifie it, this is the perfection of the Conſcience, and the perfection of the p. 24Conſcience, is the perfection of the man. Now that which was the great glory of the ſoul, that ſhall be the ſhame of it. God will turn a mans glory into ſhame, and that which ſhould have been his perfection, that ſhall become his torment for ever.

Secondly, Conſcience has the greateſt Office, and power, and authority in the ſoul, it is Gods Vicegerent; every man is as it were a petty Kingdome; and as God has ſet Princes upon earth in their ſeveral Kingdomes, ſo he has in the man alſo, and he has committed unto Conſcience the whole Law of God, and the whole duty of man and Conſcience is that in joyns it upon all the faculties, and that ſees it executed, Rom. 13 5. You muſt be ſubject, that is not only ratione externae coactionis, but internae obligationis. Conſcience is ſubject unto none but God; but the whole ſoul is put in ſubjection unto the Conſcience… and let men, the greateſt upon earth command, yet if Coſcience gives it non plaeet, it is no law in the man, it ſhall, never be obeyed, Dan. 3.17. p. 25be it known unto thee, O King we will not ſerve thy gods, &c. Acts 1.20. We cannot but ſpeak, a neceſſity is laid upon me, I muſt preach, &c. Jer. 20, 9. The Word was in him as fire, he could not forbear, it is the impulſe of Conſcience; that was the cauſe there is a double neceſſity, Externa & interna, &c. Now according unto this order and ſubordination of the faculties, ſo ſhall the torment be; Conſcience is ſubject to none but God, therefore the ſpirit of bondage ſhall come into the Conſcience and trouble that, and this ſhall torment the whole man, and as God does uſually ſet up Governours, and they become Inſtruments of wrath over the kingdoms where they dwell; if they be good, they are a ſpecial bleſſing, they are the breath of our Noſtrils, the ſtay of our Tribes, the Chariots and Horſemen; but if they be wicked, they ruine the kingdom: Pſal. 75.3. Saul had even deſtroyed the Nation, they are ravening Lyons, and evening Wolves, Zeph. 3.3. So it is in the government of the inward man, p. 26if the Conſcience be good its the greateſt bleſſing, and if evil the greateſt curſe; for as none has the Power, the Authority, and the Opportunity to undo a people, like thoſe that have the Rule over them; ſo it is with the Conſcience, there is nothing hath that Authority and Oppertunity to undo a man like it, becauſe it is alwayes with him, where ſoever he goes, and therefore … Mala domeſtica: Auſtine compare an evil Wife, and an evil Conſcience becauſe they are both intolerabl… burdenſome evils, a continual droping, none have the Opertunity … Torment like theſe.

Thirdly, Conſcience here has … great hand in corrupting the who… man, and therefore it is no wonde… if hereafter it ſhould have the gre… hand in Tormenting him.

Firſt, Here Conſcience is blin… and does not ſhew a man what is … Duty; and ſo many men Sin ig… rantly, for want of an inlightne… Conſcience; when the eye of … man is darkned, Math. 6. Ho… great is that darkneſs?

p. 27Secondly, Conſcience is dead, a ſpirit of ſlumber is upon it, that though it know things to be evil, yet it ſtirs not againſt them; or if it does, it is but faintly; but a good Conſcience exerciſeth Authority over the whole man, and ſmites him when ever he does evil: as 1 Sam. 24.17.

Thirdly, it is erroneous, and carries men unto evil violently, under a pretence of good, a zeal not according to knowledg; Joh. 16.2. For zeal perſecuting the Church; Tantus eram Saulus, …hat he thought him worthy of eternal death, that deſcented from the Authority of his Religion in any thing; it is from a deceived heart, an erroneous Conſcience.

Fourthly, Conſcience will be bribed by Luſt, takes in carnal reaſon and corrupt principles, and will be ſatisfied in them, Rom 1. impriſons truths in unrighteouſneſs, 1 Tim. 4.2. And it is inſenſible of any thing, and it is juſt with God, that that Officer in the man, that had the great hand in corrupting, ſhould alſo p. 28have the great hand in tormenting the whole man.

Queſt. 4. Fourthly, Why is not Conſcience a Worm here, as well as hereafter in Hell?

Firſt, Becauſe Conſcience cannot work of it ſelf, unleſs the Spirit of God awaken it, &c.

Secondly, Here is the working time of Conſcience, its ſuffering time ſhall be hereafter; Here Conſcience has great workes to do, and great talents to imploy; Heb. 13.18. The charge of the whole Life lies upon the Conſcience, and the Lord ha… here a great houſe, 2 Tim. 2.20. Underſtand it of the World, or of the Church, yet he has in it Veſſek of Honour, and ſome to Diſhonour. Now, Why does God ſuſpend the torment of the Devils? It is becauſe Chriſt has much work for them to do, and they would have no pleaſure in Sin, if their Torments were fuller; ſo it is with wicked men alſo, and therefore the Lord has appointed a working time for Conſcience to perform p. 29its viatory office, and he has a pointed a ſuffering time for Conſcience allo, and he will not Torment them before that time.

Thirdly, Hereby the Lord does exalt his own patience and long ſuffering ſo much the more, for Sin being an infinite evil, and a man that is but duſt to provoke God to his Face, and to do it the rather becauſe God forbears them, and ſin the more becauſe God forbears them, and becauſe of his patience; becauſe ſentence is not executed ſpeedily, therefore the hearts of the children of men are fully ſet to do evil, now that God ſhould bear with much patience, and long ſuffering the veſſels of wrath fitted to deſtruction; and that the Lord ſhould not ſtretch forth his own hand againſt them, but that he ſhould alſo ſuſpend the working of their one Conſciences, and ſhould not let looſe the reins upon them, which would bring them down in the midſt of their galantry, as Belſhazer, Felix, Judas, &c. And that God ſhould keep a hand upon their Conſciences, and withhold their own p. 30thoughts from flying upon them, it does wonderfully ſet forth the patience of God; The Lord knows how to reſerve the wicked to the day of wrath.

Fourthly, Many things here which ſtop the mouth of Conſcience, ſhall hereafter be removed, and then Conſcience will ſpeak; The Worm of Conſcience is to the Soul, as they ſay the diſeaſe of the Wolf is to the Body; If it be fed with ſomething from without, will eat the leſs inwardly, but take away all ſupplies from without, and it deſtroys inwardly (as all the good things of this Life will be gone) and then the Soul turns in upon it ſelf and will be its own Tormentor fo… ever: Rev. 20.12. And I ſaw th… dead ſmall and great, ſtand before God; and the Books were opened… and another Book was opened, which is the Book of Life; and the Dea… were judged out of thoſe things whic… were written in the Books, according to their works. It is an alluſion to the day of judgment, That's granted by all, The books opened, are Firſt p. 31the book of the Law and Goſpel; Secondly, of Gods Omniſciency; Thirdly, of his Decre; Fourthly, the book of Conſcience: All thoſe ancient Records that lay hid as Colours in the dark, Rom. 2.15.16.Rom 2:15Rom 2:16or as ſomething that is written with the juice of a Lemon; you may read it when you bring it to the fire, but not till then.

But we will now ſet forth thoſe Tormenting acts of Conſcience hereafter, which ſhall be as the gnawings of this never dying worm, but before we come to ſpeak unto them perticularly, it's neceſſary that theſe four things be premiſed; Firſt, That after this Life the Spirit of God ſhall come into the Conſcience of a wicked man, as a ſpirit of bondage fully, for ever. Conſcience is but a ſubordinate power, and acts allways with reference to a higher Law as a rule, and a higher power as a Judge, it is Regnum ſub graviore Regno; And therefore it never works by it ſelf alone, but it doth foreign, Rom. 2.14.15. & Rom 1.Rom 2:14Rom 2:15Rom 1as well as foreign, and hence it is that the ſame thing hath ſuch different effects p. 32upon the ſpirits of men; There were many in the company of Belſhazar when the hand-wrighting apeared, Dan. 5.5.6.Dan 5:5Dan 5:6and yet none that we read of, was affected with it but the King; and it was not the hand-wrighting that troubled him, but at the ſame time the ſpirit of God did come into his Conſcience; and his own thoughts troubled him, ſtir'd up and acted his Conſcience, and they ſudenly terriſie him as the word doth here ſignify. And …rov. 18.14. We rea… of foreign a ſad an… troubled broaken and tender ſpirit; foreignAnd who has power over the ſpirits of a man? It is ſubject unto none but God, and the ſpirit of God; and therefore none is able to wound the ſpirit of a man, no more then they can command it, without the ſpirit of God come in with it; Therefore one man is moved by a threatning, and another man is not; one man is pricked in his heart, and the other feels it not; It is as t…e ſpirit of God doth come into the Conſcience of men. Now as there is a twofold Covenant, ſo there is a twofold Spirit; That is, p. 33in reſpect of the double effect that the ſpirit of God works upon the ſpirits of men; for every man hath the ſpirit of God working in him, anſwerable to the Covenant under which he ſtands. Chriſt having the adminiſtration of both Covenants, the Covenant of grace, and the Covenant of works; and the ſpirit of Chriſt, being the Prorex of Chriſt in the adminiſtration of all things in his kingdom, the ſpirit that accompanies the firſt Covenant, and works in all that are under it, is foreign Rom. 8.15. 2 Tim. 1.7. But the ſpirit that acompanies the Covenant of grace, and works in all thoſe whoſe Covenant is changed, is foreign. Rom. 8.45. 2 Cor. 3.17. And the liberty or the bondage of a mans ſpirit lies mainly in his Conſcience. The ſpirit of God coming in to a mans Conſcience gives him boldneſs, and a manuduction into the preſence of God; the boldneſs of a man that has a ſpirit of adoption, Job 2Job 2it makes him lift up his face in the preſence of God; and the ſpirit coming into a mans heart as a p. 34ſpirit of Bondage, it caſts upon a man chains of darkneſs. Jude 6. Heb. 2.15.

Now, As here in this life, the ſpirit of God as a ſpirit of Sonſhip and Adoption comes into the ſoul but by degrees, and we do but receive the firſt fruits; Rom. 8.23. The earneſt, Epheſ. 9.4. All is but as a ſpark to the Fire, a drop to the Ocean, and the ſpirit of God works and withdraws it ſelf, and the man is diſerted; ſo now the coming of the ſpirit of God into the Conſcience, is but a pledge, and the firſt fruits of wrath which now a man receives; but in the firſt fruits, in a weak meaſure, and with much intermiſſion, We have our well, and our ill dayes, &c. And men have their deverſions, notwithſtanding the pangs of their Conſciences; Caine can build Cities, to drown the cry of Conſcience; but hereafter as the ſpirit of God in Heaven ſhall be perfectly a ſpirit of Adoption, ſo in Hell it ſhall be perfectly a ſpirit of Bondage and Fear; and that without intermiſſion or interception for ever.

p. 35Secondly, After this Life Conſcience ſhall be perfectly inlightned, and perfectly awakened; There are two great evils that hinder the working of Conſcience in this Life.

Firſt, A blindneſs, and that both ſinful and penal; Luk 19.11. They would not know the things of their peace, in the day of their peace; therefore they were now hid from their eyes; and ſo men go hoodwinckt to Hell, and fall into diſtruction, ere they apprehend their danger. Mal. 3.8. Will a man rob God? &c. And they ſay wherein have we rob'd thee, Iſa. 26.11. The hand of the Lord is lifted up, but they will not ſee: and Iſa. 5.20. They call evil good, and good evil; put darkneſs for light, and light for darkneſs; and they Math. 6.7. Did think they had prayed well, when they babled much, for they did expect to be heard for it; and ſo there is a great deal of blindneſs, that does ſeaſe upon men Judicially. Rom. 11.7.

Secondly, There is alſo a ſpirit of ſtumber, Iſa. 29.10. The word p. 36in the Hebrew, is the ſame that is uſed of Adam, when God took out a rib from him. Gen. 2.21. Let God threaten judgment and terrour out of his word, and the man awakes not, but is in a deep ſleep ſtill; But there are ſome ſpiritual Judgments that are alſo eternal, a man being forſaken of God, and God leaving him to the willful wickedneſs of his own ſpirit; But there are ſome that are but temporal, and only for the time of this Life; God gives men over to Atheiſm, and the Fool ſays there is no God: But though there are Atheiſts here, there are no Atheiſts in Hell; God gives men over to blindneſs here, that they will not ſee that ſin is ſo great an evil, and the wrath of God is ſo dreadful as it is; But they ſhall ſee, and the blindneſs of their minds ſhall be done away, and they ſhall be awakned, and the ſpirit of ſlumber removed, and Conſcience ſhall never ſleep again.

Thirdly, All the faculties of the ſoul ſhall be inlarged; here they are ſtreightned by ſin, and are of a narrow capacity, and it is little either p. 37joy, or ſorrow, that they are capable of; alſo Conſcience renewed is capable of a little Grace, there is an foreign, a meaſure, a pitch to which they come, and that is but little, before they be tranſlated to Glory, it is but a taſte, that the Lord is gracious, it is but the firſt fruits of the ſpirit; but after this life, all the faculties ſhall be inlarged, that they ſhall be made veſſels prepared for Glory; So wicked men, Cain and Judas, they are capable of a little wrath here, as a man cannot ſee God and live, he is not capable of the glory of Heaven; ſo neither is a man capable of the torments of Hell and live a child; is capable of more wrath in Hell, then the wickedeſt man that ever was whileſt he lived here; therefore they ſhall be veſſels fitted for deſtruction. &c. And hence it is that men cannot call to mind the offers of grace and opertunities neglected, rejected motions, the duties omited, the ſins commited, Sermons heard, the truths that were offered to be diſpoſed, the ſeveral checks of a mans own Conſcience, p. 38and the ſeveral admonitions of friends, reproaches of enemies, &c. A man cannot conceive how it ſhould be, but then our faculties ſhall be inlarged, and we ſhall put off our houſes of Clay, by which the ſoul is ſtreightened, and it ſhall be converſant no more about theſe ſtreightned objects, but about the vaſt things of Eternity for ever; The things of Eternity paſs knowledg and paſs fear. 1 Cor. 13.12. This life in grace is but childhood to Heaven, the faculties and abilities of our ſouls are ſtreightned, ſo this life in ſin and miſery, is but childhood unto Hell; for there ſhall the ſoul be inlarged; for God has made the ſoul capable of greater joyes, and greater ſorrows; greater bleſſings, and greater ſufferings then there are in this Life; and he would never have prepared ſuch veſſels either for wrath, or glory, but that he means to fill them, and this inlargement ſhall be by degrees, as he will fill them by degrees; and as grace inlarges and prepares the heart for glory, Col. 1.12.Col 1:12ſo does ſin inlarge and prepare the heart for wrath: p. 39and therefore they are ſaid, Rom. 9.23. To be veſſels fited for diſtruction, as well as prepared for glory. &c.

Fourthly, After this Life all comfortable affections and actings of the ſoul ſhall have an end; There be ſome acts of ſoul that are comforting and cheering, and there are ſome acts that are afflicting and tormenting, the comforting acts are in refference to good things, either preſent or to come; if preſent the ſoul loves them, and rejoyceth in them, and if abſent, the ſoul loves them, deſires them, and hopes for them, and all theſe do cheer the ſoul, and in the exerciſe of theſe, the life of the ſoul comes in; but after this Life, all good things of this Life, in preſent fruition, or future reverſion ſhall have an end From the creatures, all good things at Death ſhall take their leave, they are but this worlds goods; and for all good things from God there ſhall be none, for they ſhall have Judgment without mercy, pure and utter darkneſs, there ſhall not be a beam of light, or the hope of any p. 40good thing for the ſoul to live upon unto Eternity; for if a man were to lye in Hell a million of years, and were to expect then a releaſe, his ſoul would live; but being ſwallowed up in eternity of miſery without hope, the ſoul dyes. Theſe affections ſhall ſtill remain in the ſoul, but becauſe they have no object, therefore ſhall never be exerciſed as fear and ſorrow are in the Saints in Heaven; but never are exerciſed becauſe there is no object upon which it ſhould be exerciſed: Therefore in Hell there never ſhall be an act of love, or joy, or hope more to eternity; the hope of the wicked, is as the giving up of the Ghoſt, he breaths it out with his laſt breath, and he ſhall never hope more for ever; and there are in the ſoul ſome tormenting and afflicting acts, in reference unto evil things, preſent or to come; if it be preſent there is ſorrow, and if to come fear, and if it be looked upon as an inſuportable and inſeparable, no way to eſcape it, there is diſpair for ever. Now ſeeing there ſhall be the abſence of all good at preſent and p. 41in hope, and the preſence of all evil, and a mans condition under it helpleſs and hopeleſs, therefore after this life to ungodly men, all comforting acts of ſoul ſhall ceaſe, and all the tormenting acts ſhall take place, and act in their full power and vigour for ever.

Now let us come to the particulars wherein Conſcience doth apear to be a worm after this life; manely, There is a four fold act of Conſcience, and in every one of them, it does hereafter become a worm. Firſt, There is an act of Accuſation, Secondly of Conviction, Thirdly of Condemnation, Fourthly of Execution; The torments that follow the ſoul after all theſe, and in theſe does this furious reflection of the ſoul upon it ſelf conſiſt.

Firſt, An act of accuſation, Rom. 2.15. Conſcience accuſing and excuſing, and this conſiſts in two things; Firſt, A reviewing and reflecting upon the rule that a man did, and ſhould have walked in. Secondly, Upon the unanſwerableneſs of a mans wayes unto this rule, and ſo Conſcience p. 42ſhall charge upon a man all the errours of his way, for an accuſation does ſuppoſe and lay down a Law, and then charges a man with the breach thereof; there is a double book of Conſcience, the firſt is a book of precepts and rules, ſecondly a book of practiſes.

Firſt, For the book of rules and precepts, there ſhall be manifeſted three things after this life; Firſt, There are many rules of duty that we are ignorant of, and ſo there are many ſins of ignorance committed that men know not to be a ſin, becauſe they are unacquainted with the rule of duty, for we know in part, and prophecy in part, 1 Cor. 13. There is a vail upon the hearts of men in many things, that they know not what they do. Now to this end, the book of Law and Goſpel ſhall be opened, and thereby a mans Duty diſcovered, and Conſcience inlightned in thoſe things which here it never knew, Rom. 2.16.Rom 2:16for he will judge the ſecrets of all men according unto my Goſpel. &c.

p. 43Secondly, There are ſeveral ſins commited out of errour and miſtake, and upon falſe rules; The Lord will bring forth and diſcover unto a man, all theſe falſe and erroneous principles, by which he has been led in his whole courſe, John 16.2. 1 Cor. 2.8.John 16:21 Cor 2:8had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory; Rom. 10.2.Rom 10:2they have a zeal but not according to knowledg, many things they did from an erroneous Conſcience, now all theſe falſe principles that miſlead a man in his wayes ſhall be brought forth alſo, and the falſhood of them diſcovered.

Thirdly, There are many true principles which Conſcience does receive here from the word, and the miniſtery thereof which are called truth; Rom. 1.18. Who withhold the truth in unrighteouſneſs: All theſe rules in their authority, holineſs and equity ſhall be ſet before a man, and how all of them were required of man for his good.

Thus the book of precepts being opened, and the foreign of Conſcience inlarged, now follow; the opening of the ſecond book, and that is that of practiſes.

p. 44Firſt, Conſcience does charge upon a man ſins of ignorance, this thou haſt done through ignorance of ſuch a rule, as Paul knew not Luſt to be a ſin, before that the Commandment ſaid thou ſhalt not Luſt; and then thy ignorance ſhall be diſcovered unto thee before men and angels, and that with all thy means, and opertunities of knowledg, you to whom the Lord wrote the great things of his Law, that had the Scriptures in your own Language, and freedom and liberty to uſe them, you that had all manner of helps, publickly, and privately, preaching and writing, wherein men do tranſcribere aias; you that dwelt in the valley of Viſion, and yet of theſe things you are wilfully ignorant, and in the things you know not, in them you have corrupted your ſelves; now they that counted it matter of ſhame to be inſtructed by a miniſter, and matter of ſcorn to be examined by him, fearing leaſt they ſhould bewray their ignorance; God will charge it upon thy Conſcience, and make thee bear the ſhame of it before men and angels; p. 45thoſe ſins thou haſt commited, and thoſe things thou haſt omited out of ignorance, that ſuch rules thou oughteſt to have known.

Secondly, The Lord will charge upon a man the ſins that he commited upon falſe and eroneous principles; Thou haſt called the proud happy, and becauſe they that hate the Lord are exalted, therefore thou haſt fallen upon thoſe wayes, and thought their way to be the onelyonly way to peace and proſperity; thou haſt thought Uſury, Sabbath breaking, petty oathes, officious lyes, were little or nothing, and that if a man performed the outward duties of Religion, went to Church, and heard a Sermon, and kept himſelf unſpotted before men, and walked lovingly amongſt his neighbours, this was enough to bring him to Heaven, and that what was more, was but either needleſs ſcrupuloſity, or affected ſingularity, which is but hypocriſie; and therefore thou haſt counted religious men the preciſe fools of the time, when thou haſt ſeen them, with Dives as a Lazarus, at thy door and regarded p. 46them not; but men ſhall recant their corrupt opinions, and publiſh their retractations, and be aſhamed of them before Men and Angels, Pſal. 50.21. thou thoughteſt wickedly that I was ſuch a one as thy felf, but I will reprove thee and ſet them in order before thine eyes.

Thirdly, Conſcience ſhall charge a man with the Truths he knew and impriſon'd, Rom. 1. laſt and 2.1. who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit ſuch things, are worthy of death, not only do the ſame, but have pleaſure in them that do them: therefore thou art inexcuſible; thou kneweſt this to be a ſin, and yet commitedſt it, and ſuch as thing to be a duty, and yet neglectedſt it, and then all a mans omiſſions and comiſſions, ſins of ignorance, and wilfulneſs or errour ſhal be charged upon him.

And here are three things in a ſpecial manner that ſhall be charged. Firſt, in this life our memories are frail, Heb. 12.5.Heb 12:5and we let things ſlip out of them. Heb. 2.1. and ye have forgotten the exaltation which, &c. p. 47We forget that we hear; but there ſhall be no forgetfulneſs hereafter; Conſcience ſhall record all the rules of duty in their order. Secondly, Iſ. 50 17.Isa 50:17Here there are manifold diverſions of our thoughts, and men do caſt theſe rules of duty and their ſins againſt them behind their backs; but it ſhall then be ſo ſet before a man, that it ſhall be his ſtudy for ever, and he ſhall never be able to turn from it; Conſcience ſhall always ſet his ſins before him, as David ſaid, my ſin is ever before me. Thirdly, There is this difference between this life and the life to come, here theſe rules are ſet before a man that he might learn and obey them; but hereafter they are ſet before him to throw the neglect of them upon him, that he might be upbraided with the guilt of them for ever, Job 27.22.Job 27:22and Job 27.6. that our hearts might reproach us for ever; there is a great deal of difference between the admonition of a father, telling the ſon his duty, or of a miniſter inſtructing a man, and between a judg, telling a malefactor his ſin and his duty; p. 48the one doth it in order to his direction and reformation, and the other doth it in order to his execution and conviction, that he may ſee and be ſilenced, that the judgment and ſentence paſt upon him is juſt, and to lay the guilt of his own deſtruction upon his own head for ever.

Secondly, an act of conviction; here if ſin be charged upon men, every man hath a Counſellor within his own breaſt to plead for him, which is his own carnal reaſon, and that does many times ſeek to excuſe à toto, and the man pleads not guilty, as David for the death of Ʋriah, 2 Sam, 11.25. and Pilate gives ſentence againſt Chriſt, and yet excuſes himſelf that he had nothing to do with the blood of this juſt man, and the Phariſies and Prieſts, Acts 5.28. they had no hand in the death of Chriſt: and therefore they are diſpleaſ'd that the Apoſtles had filled Jeruſalem with their doctrine, and intend to bring this mans blood upon us, (reatum & invidiam mortis Chriſti,) or elſe it minceth the matter and excuſeth à tanto, if it be evil, p. 49yet not ſo great an evil; for it is the common cuſtom, Act. 28.22. it is a ſect ſpoken againſt every where, &c. and by after inconveniencies, Joh. 11.48 elſe the Romans will come and deſtroy place and Nation; and ſo many plead for Ale-houſes, Game-houſes, Play-houſes, a trade of beging; and uſury for Widows and Orphans, how ſhall they live elſe? and a ſubtile diſtinction for ſwearing, Mat 23.16. ſwear by the Temple, for men to ſwear it is nothing; but who ever ſhall ſwear by the Gold of the Temple, he is a debtor; ſo we hear men ſay, to ſwear by God it's a ſin, we will allow to be ſomething, but to ſwear by Faith and Troth, by light, &c. by Creatures, is no evil, as Judg. 21.22. they elude their vow, by ſaying we did not give them, but they did take them, with our knowledge and conſent, &c. and with ſuch kind of pleas, as an ignorant judge is blinded by the ſubtleties of his Counſel; caſting a varniſh over an evil cauſe, and drawing a Cobweb …awn over it; ſo is Conſcience alſo: But after this life p. 50all theſe pleas ſhall vaniſh, and men ſhall be convicted of their own Conſciences, that they ſhall have nothing to ſay for themſelves; a man ſhall be ſpeechleſs, Mat 22.12Matt 22:12he ſhall have no cloak for his ſin, John 15.22. he was without an excuſe or apologie, Rom. 2.19. a Deus foras in crepabit, & conſcientia intus accuſabit, Greg.there ſhall be on means either to deny it or extenuate it; for 2 Cor. 5.11. we are made manifeſt unto God, and I truſt unto your Conſciences, and this Conſcience ſhall do by ſetting before a man. Firſt, The unreaſonableneſs of ſin, Jer 2.13. that I did forſake the Fountain of living water, and digged to my ſelf broken …iſterns, ſo fooliſh was I, and as a beaſt before thee. Secondly, The cauſeleſneſs of it, Jer. 2.5. what iniquity have your fathen found in me, Mic. 6 3. oh my people, what have I done to you? teſtify againſt me, have I been a Wilderneſs? Thirdly, God did forbear me with much patience, 2 Pet. 3.5. did not cut me down, but ſpared me this year alſo, and I had horae pluſquam amenae nunquam rediturae, &c. 4ly p. 51from ſeveral inducements to obedience, the compaſſionate calls of God, Act. 20.31Acts 20:31oh Ephraim what ſhall I do unto thee; my repentings are kindled within me, Chriſt weeps over Jeruſalem, and his miniſters ſhed tears, the promiſes of God, and the ſociety of the faithful, & the incouragements you might have from them, you lived amongſt the wiſe Virgins, & yet in a land of uprightneſs, they will do wickedly. Fifthly, from the unprofitableneſs of ſin, Rom. 6.22. what fruit have you of that whereof you are now aſhamed, and the ſeveral inconveniencies that thou haſt met with, in a way of ſinning, Hoſ. 2.6. ſometimes the Angel meets thee, as it did Balam, as it were with a ſword in his hand, to ſtop thee, and yet thouwaſt as a wild Aſſe that knew no bounds, had no bridle: and therefore now ye eat the fruit of your own ways, and are filld with your own devices; for you are one of them that have loved death, Pro 8. laſt.

Thirdly, an act of condemnation, 1 Joh. 3.21. Tit. 3.11.Titus 3:11if our hearts condemn us, God is greater then our hearts, &c. he is condemned of himſelf; p. 52Conſcience paſſeth the ſentence of eternal death upon a mans ſelf, Mat. 27.4. I have ſin'd, and having been his own judge, he doth quickly become his own executioner, and ſo Spira hence Apoſtate, &c. Heb. 10.27. There is a receiving of judgment in a mans ſelf, and upon this act the ſoul looks upon it ſelf even in Hell already, he caſts down the 30. pieces foreign ſpurnes at Gold, and his ſoul abhors dainty meats, his life draws near the grave, and his ſoul to the deſtroyers, he looks every day when the Devil ſhall be ſent as the executioner to ſetch away his ſoul, oh ſays he, that I had been made a Dog, a Toad, and that I could creep into my firſt nothing, rather then have lain under the weight of eternal wrath for ever. I envy the caſe of Cain and Judas, &c. But there is a great deal of difference between the condemnation of Conſcience here, and hereafter.

Firſt, Here it does condemn for particular ſins, as we ſee in Judas for his treaſon, in Spyra for his apoſtacy, &c. but hereafter it ſhall condemn a man for all his ſins at once; for they ſhall p. 53be all ſet in order before him, and ſhall be always before his eyes, Rev. 20.12. the book of conſcience ſhall be opened, and all the former condemnations of conſcience ſhall be opened, and all the former condemnations of Conſcience ſhall be ſet before a man, and the judgment of God confirming all theſe, and if the condemnation for one ſin be ſo terrible, what will it be for all ſins when they ſhall be all charged on a man.

Secondly, Here conſcience condemns but now and then, &c. and when it does ſo then Felix trembles, this ſtrikes a terrour into the center of the ſoul, but hereafter it ſhall always condemn thee, and ſhall give thee no reſpite, thou ſhalt turn in upon thy ſelf, and hear nothing but the ſentence of thy own Conſcience for ever; for as it never dyes, ſo it never ſleeps, but ever wakes to torment thee.

Thirdly, Here though Conſcience condemns a man to death; yet there may be an appeal and a hope of pardon; for here mercy rejoyceth p. 54over judgment; but hereafter the judgment of Conſcience ſhall follow the final judgment of God, and the judgment of the Lord and of Conſcience ſhall ſtand.

Fourthly, Here though Conſcience condemns a man, yet there is a reprival a while, Gen. 4.7. ſin lyer at the door, but the door is ſhut and does not break in upon men, but then the condemnation ſhall be immediately follow'd with the execution, go ye curs'd, and immediately tho… muſt go, & there's no reprival, but tho… ſhalt lye under this ſentence for ever.

Fifthly, from hence there doe… ariſe in the ſoul perfect ſorrow, this life is a ſtate of imperfection, but i… the world to come, all imperfection ſhall be done away; here there i… unto godly men an imperfection o… grace and comforts, but hereafter that which is perfect ſhall come, and and that which is in part ſhall be done away: ſo here is alſo an imperfection in reſpect of miſery unto wicked men, but the earneſt of that juſt recompence of reward, that divine juſtice, ſhall render unto men here p. 55is but the firſt fruits of that harveſt of wrath which men ſhall reap according as they have ſowen, here afflictions are only the beginning of ſorrow, perfectum eſt cui nihil deeſt, ſo there ſhall be nothing wanting unto a mans ſorrow for ever, there ſhall be perfect ſorrow, &c. this perfection of ſorrow is ſet forth to us in Scripture in theſe particulars.

Firſt, Mat. 8.12.Matt 8:12By the ſeveral dreadfull expreſſions of it. There ſhall be utter darkneſs; As the happineſs of the people of God in Scripture, is compared unto light, Col. 1.12. the inheritance of the Saints in light, as light in Scripture is put for all comforts, happineſs, and ſweetneſs: ſo is darkneſs for all miſery and affliction, and it ſhall be utter darkneſs, purae tenebrae, the fulneſs of all miſery; there ſhall not be ſo much as a beam of light, and comfort to eternity, and there ſhall be weeping and wailing and gnaſhing of teeth, that expreſſion is uſed three ways in Scripture. Firſt, as an expereſſion of the greateſt rage and madneſs, the higheſt anger and indignation, Pſal. 37.12. the wicked plotteth againſt the juſt, and p. 56gnaſheth againſt him with his teeth. Secondly, of the higheſt ſcorn and contempt, as Lam. 2.16. they hiſs and gnaſh their teeth. Thirdly, of extremity or vexation, when a man cannot tell whither to turn him, Pſal. 112.10 they ſhall gnaſh their teeth and conſume away, as for thoſe thoughts of popiſh interpreters, that there ſhall be extremity of heat, by reaſon of fire, and yet they ſhall gnaſh their teeth by reaſon of extremity of cold, they are but vain inventions and conceits of men ignorant of the Scripture, ſo Luke 16.23, 24. foreign, being in torment, the word foreign does ſignifie to put a man upon the rack, and examine a man by torments, and is taken from thoſe torments, that men do uſe to invent to put malefactors unto, which does note the greateſt extremity of torment, and foreign does ſignifie the pangs of a woman in travel, which are commonly put for the greateſt extremity of pain, as Acts 2.24. it is uſed of the extremity of Chriſts ſuffering, he calls them the traveling pangs of death. Now p. 57though a woman undergo extremity of pain, yet it is but bodily, and it is but ſhort, and ſhe has hope of a joyfull iſſue, becauſe a man child is born into the world, ſhe forgets her pain; but when theſe ſhall be the Travelling pains of the ſoul, which ſhall never be delivered but dye in travel, and travel for ever, and never ſee the fruit of it, this muſt needs be perfect ſorrow.

Secondly, It will appear from the cauſes of this ſorrow, and they are ſuch as that they muſt needs bring with them perfect ſorrow; Firſt, The wrath of God lets into the ſoul to the utmoſt, the curſe in the extremity and perfection thereof, Matth 25. Depart from me ye curſed; and the Lord does it to manifeſt an attribute, to ſhew the power of his wrath. Pſal. 90.11. Rom 9 22Rom 9:22Now if God manifeſts his diſpleaſure here by the creature, how miſerable can he make a man? But much more when he does it immediately; for that is the fire that is here ſpoken of, the immediate wrath of God upon the ſoul; and if but a few drops of it let in p. 58upon the hearts of ſome of his own people, make their ſtrength to conſume away, and turn their moiſture into the drought in Summer; If when it ſeaſed upon Chriſt, the Green-tree it did come ſo fiercely, becauſe the Father was pleaſed to bruiſe him; how much more will the Lord delight to bruiſe thee? If Chriſt did ſweat drops of blood, and was in an agony under the ſence of this wrath, Oh! where muſt thy poor ſoul be, whom the Lord will hate and deal with as an enemy for ever, a veſſel of wrath.

Thirdly, When a man ſhall in judgment be given over to ſin perfectly, and all the reſtraints of the ſpirit of God upon a man ſhall be taken away; there is a twofold reſtraining grace upon mens acts, and upon their luſts, and men are in many things under both here, for their acts, Gen. 20.6. I withheld thee that thou ſhouldeſt not touch her; and their luſts, when thou goeſt up to worſhip, no man ſhall deſire thy Land; but now God will let out mens luſts to their full length, and a p. 59mans thoughts ſhall be taken up with them for ever; a man ſhall feed upon his darling, eat the fruit of his own wayes, and be filled with his own devices. Now to be given over to be proud for ever, drunk for ever, from the cup of Gods right hand, unclean for ever, ſcoffers for ever, and that which was before a mans pleaſure, ſhall now be his torment; It is but for God to change a mans apprehenſions and it will be ſo here; Amnon deſired Tamar, but after his Luſt was ſatisfied it vaniſhed, and the hatred wherewith he hated her, was more then the love with which he loved her before: 1 John 2.17.1 John 2:17The world paſſeth away, and the Luſt thereof, as we ſee in Judas while the Luſt of covetuouſneſs was up, there was nothing ſo deſirable as money, though it was but Thirty pieces of ſilver, but the Luſt paſſeth away, and now there is nothing in the world that troubles Judas like to this, ſo that he hangs himſelf to be rid of it; and ſo it will be hereafter, the Luſt ſhall be gone, and then for a ſoul to be given over unto it in judgment, ſhall be a mans continual p. 60torment; for as the Saints in Heaven ſhall be confirmati in bono, ſo the damned in Hell ſhall be obfirmati in malo, and that in judgment; therefore Aquinas has well obſerved, as in Heaven the Saints ſhall be doing good for ever, but all their good actions pertinent ad beatitudinis praemium, ſo in Hell the wicked ſhall be doing evil for ever, and they can do no otherwiſe but theſe, mala pertinent ad damnationis poenam, &c.

Fourthly, The ſociety that a man ſhall be judged unto for ever, for it is part of the happineſs of the ſaints in Heaven, that they ſhall be gathered to their fathers, to Abraham and Iſaac, to have their ſouls bound up in the bundle of the living, 1 Sam. 25.1 Sam 25gathered to the ſouls of juſt men made perfect; ſo for a man to be gathered to the devils, have their portion with the devil and his angels, a creature that we have looked upon with the greateſt hatred here; yet then muſt be thy companions, to run out an eternity with; this is the god of this world, to him thou haſt lived here, and with him thou ſhalt live for ever. p. 61Pſal. 125.5. Lead them forth with the workers of iniquity, for here men are mixed, but then he will rank them with thoſe of their own kind, and they ſhall remain in Tophet, which was a place in the valley of Ainon; a place famous for three things, there were memorable acts of mourning, there the children of Iſrael did cauſe their children to paſs through the fire to Molech (that is) ſacrifice their children to the Devil, there Eighteen hundred thouſand of the Aſſyrian camp were deſtroyed by an Angel in one night; Iſa. 30.31. Iſa. 31.33.Isa 30:31Isa 31:33Through the voice of the Lord, ſhall the Aſſyrian be beaten down, for Tophet is prepared of old, &c. And there did the Babilonians murther the people of Jeruſale…n at the taking of the City, Jer. 7, 31. Becauſe they had burnt their ſons in Tophet to the Devil, therefore they ſhould fall and be deſtroyed themſelves in Tophet, and they ſhould bury there till there was no place; this place is put for the place of the damned, and Hell is called Tophet, the valley of ſlaughter, or the inviſible valey of Hinnon: p. 62Prov. 21.16. It is called Coetus Gigantum, thoſe in Gen. 6. that did provoke God to bring the floud upon the world of the ungodly, they being the firſt noted inhabitants of Hell, therefore from them the place has its name, and all that go down ſince, are ſaid to go down into the Congregation of the Giants, whom in their diſobedience and rebellion they have followed.

Fifthly, The very conſideration of the happineſs of the ſaints, Luk. 13.28. To ſee Abraham and Iſaac in the kingdom of God, and themſelves thruſt out; Time was that I had as fair offers, as precious oppertunities as they had, and it may be means and outward mercies far beyond them; but I have deſpiſed knowledg, and I would none of the fear of the Lord, I had my portion in this Life, and therefore now they are comforted, but I am tormented; I was ſo fooliſh, as to account their life madneſs, and their end to be without honour, but now they are numbred amongſt the Saints of the moſt high, and I am ſhut out. Oh p. 63that you could call time again! This is the language of ſouls in Hell.

Sixthly, Here there is ſomething that may mitigate ſorrow, but all ſuch things ſhall be taken away after this life.

Firſt, It's an eaſe to a mans heart here to ſpeak of his miſery, and to vent it, that he may have ſome to pity him and condole him; but there ſhall be none to pity a man then, for the law of nature ſhall ceaſe after this Life, and the devils ſhall not pity men, nor men pity one another; but rather inbitter their condition unto a man for ever.

Secondly, Here a man in ſorrow can turn himſelf unto ſome creatures, and comfort himſelf with them, as Cain fell to building of Cities, &c. But all the creatures are but for the time of this Life, and in this Life they are thy good things, but after this Life there is no ſweetneſs or uſe of any creature to eternity, for God ſhall be all in all.

Thirdly, But it may be ſaid ſurely God is a God of mercy, he will pity us how ever; No, thou ſhalt have judgment p. 64without mercy, in vengeance and recompence for ever, he will laugh at your deſtruction, and mock when your fear comes, &c. And therefore conſider it: Wo to you that laugh now, for you ſhall weep, the time of your ſorrow haſtens, and when God ſhall wipe away all tears from the eyes of his people, then ſhall your ſorrow and tears begin and indure for ever.

Secondly, In Hell there ſhall be perfect ſhame, Dan. 12. And many of them that ſleep in the duſt of the earth ſhall awake, ſome to everlaſting life, and ſome to ſhame and everlaſting contempt; I conceive it is ſpoaken of the calling of the Jews, but in alluſion to the day of judgment, ſome ſhall ariſe to ſhame and everlaſting contempt, 1 Joh. 2.28. That we may have confidence, and not be aſhamed before him at his comeing, the ſhame of men in that day ſhall be great. For,

Firſt, All a mans fooliſhneſs ſhall be laid open to himſelf, and to the view of all the world; for Cor. 2.5.11. We ſhall all be made manifeſt before the p. 65judgment ſeat of Chriſt, for it will be a day of revelation, before men and angels, friends and enemies, here men are not aſhamed becauſe their wayes are hid. Jer. 2.26. The thief is not aſhamed, till he is found; but then all thoſe foreign ſhall be all brought to light in that day; now if men did but commonly know all that you know one by another, or much more all that a man knows by himſelf; then a man looking upon himſelf what an ugly creature he is, and how the image of God is defaced, and the image of the Devil is upon him, how he has been taught as a beaſt, and whipt as a ſlave, when God does at firſt diſcover a man to himſelf in a mercy, by a work of conviction, Tanquam monſtrum inter filios Dei ſlo calente me ſalem inſipiiſdum.How does he loath himſelf in his own ſight, ſaying that he is hell it ſelf, a beaſt and no man? And yet this is but a glimpſe of himſelf he can ſee here; how much ſelf abhorrancy will it be hereafter upon a perfect diſcovery of a mans ſelf.

Secondly, For a man to be ſeparated from God with deteſtation, what a ſhame muſt this needs be? p. 66Here every man bears up himſelf out of his ſelf-love, and the ſelf flaterie of his ſpirit, that he is as high in Gods eſteem as other men, and as much in Gods favour; but if God ſhould ſay to any man in this Congregation before you all, this man I never knew, I have ſeparated him to deſtruction, as a veſſel of wrath, whither could ſuch a man cauſe his ſhame to go? how hateful is Cain and Judas that are gone down to their own place? and how hath the Lord made their very name a reproach? ſo it will be with all ungodly men after this life, at the laſt and great day, 1 Co…. 16.22.the utmoſt curſe is Anathama, Maran, Atha, curſed at the coming of the Lord, and when the Lord ſhall ſay to a man at that day, depart from me you curſed, who are Tares and no Wheat, Goats and no Sheep, fo…liſh and not wiſe Virgins, thoſe that I will never ſhew mercy to, how muſt ſuch men need; lye down in their own ſhame and confuſion for ever.

Thirdly, A man ſhall be aſhamed becauſe he ſhall be derided, and there is nothing in the world that goes againſt p. 67the nature of men more then ſhame. Firſt, by God, Pro. 1.26. I will mock when your fear cometh. Secondly, the Saints. Thirdly, The Devils, Iſa. 14.9.12. Luk. 16.25 Son, remember that in thy life time r…c…ivedſt thy good things.Luke 16:25Hell from beneath is moved for thee, to meet thee at thy coming, &c. Fourthly, above all, from a mans ſpirit, Job 27.6. his heart will reproach him for his days; there is neither men nor Devils can lay ſuch bad reproaches on a man, as his own heart, and men have in ſome meaſure experience of it from day to day; And hence ſhall follow an indignation, foreign.and a revenge upon a mans ſelf for ever; becauſe a man ſhall be covered with his own confuſions as with a Mantle.

Thirdly, There ſhall be perfect deſpair, Job 11. laſt, the hope of the wicked is breathed out, his laſt hope is gone with his laſt breath, and it muſt needs be perfect both in reſpect of good to be obtained, and evil to be avoided.

Firſt, there is no hope of good to be obtained, or to have any part in the happineſs of the Saints for ever; 1. The book of Gods decrees ſhall be p. 68opened, and thoſe deeps broken up, and then a man ſhall ſee himſelf fore-ordained unto this condemnation, Jude 4. Mat. 7.23.Matt 7:23and God is not as man, that he ſhould repent: it's eaſier to weigh the fire, or meaſure the wind, and to call back yeſterday, then to call back the decree; for with God is no variableneſs nor ſhadow of change.Jans. 117.

Secondly, after this life a mans eternal ſtate is caſt, and his condition unchangeable for ever, death is but eternitatis prodromus, Luke 16. it is a gulf, Mat. 25.9. the time of buying is paſt: therefore the Saints ſend them to beg; for they have no oyl to ſpare, and of working, there is no work in the grave, &c.

Thirdly, They ſhall try all means and avail nothing as they Mat. 7.22. plead with the judge, Lord we have Propheſied in thy name, and in thy name caſt out Devils: therefore open to us &c. Secondly, they ſhall mince and extenuate their ſins, and plead for themſelves, Mat. 25.44. Lord when ſaw we thee an hungred or a thirſt, &c. Thirdly, They ſhall fall p. 69to their prayers, Mat. 25.11. Lord, Lord, open unto us; but the Lord ſhall ſay, depart you workers of iniquity. Fourthly, They ſhall turn to the Saints, Luk. 16.24Luke 16:24father Abraham ſend Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue. and give us of your oyl; for our Lamps are out; but there is neither oyl from the one, nor water from the other: and having tryed all means and nothing prevails, the ſoul ſinks into perfect deſpair for ever.

Secondly, There is no hope of avoyding the miſerie they lye under.

Firſt, There ſhall be no hope of pardon, for their ſin ſhall be ſeen in its greatneſs, and thou wilt ſay with Cain, my iniquity is greater then I can bear, then can be forgiven, thou haſt fin'd all thy life time, and to eternity thou haſt the ſame diſpoſitions; for the fire of Hell can never purge ſin, and thy obligation to the Law is eternal: and therefore the Angels that fell are reſerved in everlaſting chains, Jude 6. and no mercy, but p. 70judgment without mercy, Jam. 2.13.Jas 2:13fury without compaſſion; for the time of mercy is paſt, and the day of vengeance is begun, and as here mercy hath rejoyced over judgment, ſo there will be a time when judgment ſhall rejoyce over mercy for ever, and it is much eaſier to change the ſeaſons of the year, that it ſhall not be ſummer and winter in its ſeaſon, rather then the ſeaſons of the attributes of God; for the curſe is dying, thou ſhalt dye.

Secondly, No hope of mitigation or eaſe, thy honours ſhall do thee no good, it ſhall not deſcend after thee, nor thy Riches ſhall not profit in the day of wrath, Pro. 11.4.Prov 11:4there is nothing but Righteouſneſs can then avail, thou ſhalt carry nothing with thee to bribe the flames, or corrupt thy tormenters, and not a drop of water, Luke 16. not the ſmalleſt mitigation to eternity, and this is properly the death of the ſoul, looſing the ſoul Mat. 16.26. for ſo long the ſoul will live, as long as there is hope, but hope defer'd makes the heart ſick, and hope periſhed makes the p. 71heart dye; the conſideration of eternity ſwallows up a created underſtanding to be puniſhed with eternal deſtruction, depart into everlaſting fire, this is aſtoniſhment and dreadful amazement, there ſhall be perfect fear; for a man ſhall receive the ſpirit of bondage perfectly, which is, 2 Kin. 1.7. a ſpirit of fear, we ſee it in the Devils, Mat. 8.29, though they are in torment for the preſent, yet there is a time of greater torment which they expect, and that which they know they are reſerved for, and this they continually fear, Luke 8.28. Here is the Dev. is prayer.I beſeech thee torment me not before the time, &c. ſo Dives though in torment, yet he deſires that his brethren may not come into the ſame place, not that there is any charity in Hell; for the Devil would have all men damn'd with himſelf, and our natural affections ſhall ceaſe in Hell, but only fear of worſe to come, ſtill remains.

Here in this life, ungodly men are fearleſs, and they ſeem to mock at fear, as Job ſpeaks, &c. but there is a time when their fear ſhall come, p. 72Pro. 1.26. I will mock when their fear comes, for it will come upon them as an armed man, and the Lord will pour out upon them a trembling heart, Deu…. 28.65.and fear ſhall be on very ſide, they ſhall be full of terrible apprehenſions, and ſo become Magor Miſſabib, Jer. 20.3, 4 Iſa. 13.8. their faces ſhall be as flames, which denotes the variety of ſad impreſſions upon them, they ſhall change, and be as tremulous as a flame.

Secondly, The terrours of God ſhall ſet themſelves in array againſt a man, Job 6.4. and we know the terrour of the Lord how dreadful it is, when he ſhall ſtir up all his wrath, and thou ſhalt pay the uttermoſt farthing, and he will recover all that glory upon thee by thy ſuffering, that he has loſt by thy ſinning. Thirdly, Men may ſay, but though I know not what God can inflict, becauſe it ſhall be his wrath put forth in the power of it, though I know not what God can do, yet I know what I can ſuffer; but the Lord will ſurely inlarge the faculties, and thou ſhalt be p. 63in a continual terrour, that thou knoweſt not what the Lord will inlarge thee to ſuffer; for thou art a veſſel of wrath: and therefore 'tis ſaid, Pſal. 90.11. even according to thy fear, ſo is thy wrath, &c.

Fourthly, Hence ſhall follow a diſtraction and madneſs, Pſal. 88.15. while I ſuffer thy terrors, I am diſtracted, and alſo blaſphemy: I wiſh I were above God ſayes Spira, and a deſire of annihilation, wiſhing that he had never been, Job 7.14. his ſoul choſe ſtrangling rather, & Judas does diſpatch himſelf to be rid of his fears, the wicked ſhall riſe to judgment, but they ſhall not be able to ſtand in judgment, ſaith Spira, this I know, and it torments me with pangs unutterable, and yet there is nothing that I deſire more than that I might come unto that place where I might know the worſt of my torment, and ſo be freed from the fear of worſe to come: Nay fear doth anticipate our evils beforehand, and thereby a man may even bring upon himſelf an eternity of torments at once, in the fear of it, the creature knows not the terror of p. 64the Lord, unleſs it be diſcover'd to him, my ſufferings are great, but my fears are endleſs, and makes a man to ſuffer even an eternity of torments at once.

Firſt, Ʋſe. Seeing that Conſcience ſhal be a mans tormentor at the laſt, and that the Worm is bred from the putrefaction and corruption that is it the Conſcience, it ſhould be a ſeaſonable exhortation to get your Conſcience purged, that there may be nothing within you to breed this Worm. 2 Tim. 1.3. We read of a pure or a purged Conſcience, and … this be done thou needeſt not to fear, for there will be nothing in thee fo… this Worm to feed upon. And here it will be good to conſider,

Firſt, By nature thy Conſcience i… defiled, for as upon the whole So… defilement came by ſin, ſo Conſcience having a ſpecial hand in the ſin, its defilement came ſpecially upon the Conſcience.

Secondly, Tit. 1.15Titus 1:15Every ſin committe… adds unto this defilement, as Mark 7.20.21. And this defiles the man, there is not a vain thought in thy heart, a vain word in thy mouth, a p. 65ſinful glance of thine eye, Heb. 9.19.Heb 9:19but it adds unto thy defilement; for Jer. 17.1. It is Conſcience that receives all, and regiſters all, all dead works lye there, this is the Tophet, or the Golgotha in the man; all the filthineſs of his life is there laid up, as in a treaſure, for wrath and vengeance, againſt the day of the revelation of the juſt judgment of God.Jer. 2.22.Jer 2:22

Thirdly, There is no power in nature to purge the Conſcience, for thou art dead in treſpaſſes and ſins; Eph. 2.1. And what can be more ſutable to dead works, ſhould a man faſt, and pray, could he fill the air with ſighs, and weep even to the brim, it would add to his defilement, becauſe all the works of nature are dead works, and their very prayers are turned into ſin, and their ſacrifices are an abomination, and that which adds unto his defilement can never cleanſe it.

Fourthly, If Conſcience be not purged here, it will never be purged hereafter; Here indeed there is a plaiſter that will kill this Worm, but if it out live the time of this life it is immortal it will never dye; peccatum p. 66viatorum deleri poteſt, Aquin.damnatorum non poteſt, &c. The Lord will ſay I would have purged you, but you would not be purged; therefore you ſhall never be purged from your iniquity for ever.

Fifthly, There is but one medicine in the world will do it, and if you miſs of that you will dye in your ſins, and lye down with your Conſciences full of the ſins of your youth; you may fly to prayer and preaching, and think to have it done by theſe, but it will never be, there is but one potion, and therefore it will be good for you to take that in time alſo: Now what is this medicine that will purge the Conſcience? it is the blood of Chriſt onelyonly. Heb. 9.14. It ſhall purge your Conſcience from dead works; and Heb. 10.22. Having our hearts ſprinkled from an evil Conſcience; Here is firſt the diſeaſe, and that is dead works, with the ſubject of it, or the part of the evil affected, that is, the Conſcience. Secondly, There is the medicine, it's the bloud of Chriſt who offered himſelf by the eternal ſpirit without ſpot to God. p. 67Thirdly, The manner how this blood doth it, it is by ſprinkling, and therein the power of this medicine is put forth.

Firſt, The diſeaſe, dead works in the Conſcience are of two ſorts, Guilt and Luſt, &c. But to awaken every mans Conſcience to get it purged, take theſe conſiderations. Firſt, By nature every mans Conſcience is defiled, Tit. 1.15. Heb. 9.14.Titus 1:15Heb 9:14the blood of Chriſt comes upon no mans Conſcience, but it finds it polluted with dead works; for whether we conſider either the guilt, or the defilement of ſin, it's the Conſcience that is the main receptacle of it the guilt is laid up there: Jer. 17.1. The ſin of Judah is written with a pen of Iron, and with the point of a Diamond; it is ſpoken de ſummo & indelibili reatu, it was written upon their Conſciences, and upon the horns of their Altars, nec deleri poteſt nec latere, for it did appear upon every Altar, and every new act of ſin adds unto the defilement of Conſcience, that's the Tophet, the Golgotha of the ſoul; men of corrupt Conſciences are graves, though they appear p. 68not ſo. Now when a man ſhall conſider how our iniquities are gone over our heads, and are more in number then the hairs of our head, and even anſwerable to the ſand upon the Sea ſhore, innumerable; What filthy polluted Conſciences muſt ſuch men needs have.