Thus you ſee what a ſore Judgment ſtupidity of Conſcience is. Such are naked, and not aſhamed: they drink deadly Poiſon, and cannot perceive it: their Wounds are ſo deep, that they had rather they ſhould feſter, than be ſearched. They will not War againſt ſin, but are at peace with Hell.

Conſcience is privy to all our good and evil actions; and doth either vindicate, or condemn us. It is a practical Syllogiſm in our underſtanding; the Major whereof is Gods Law, the Minor is our application of that Law to our ſelves, approving in our Actions what is good, and diſliking what is evil. As Gods Secretary, it Records all our Actions, and Thoughts, and Words in a Book of remembrance; and if it be not called to give Teſtimony here, it will be called at the general Audit to make anſwer for whatſoever has been done in the body, 2. Cor. 5.10. whether it be good, or bad.

Men are now ſo carried away with the Delights of this Life, that they have no leaſure to take notice of the checks of Conſcience: but in the day of Judgment they ſhall be brought to light, and every Mans Conſcience will acknowledge the Juſtice of the Sentence of the Righteous Judge. Conſcience is now a ſecret Witneſs, only known to the Perſon whoſe it is; but then all ſhall be made manifeſt, and apparent to all.

But this Conſcience will appear a greater Enemy, if we conſider the next degree, which is a too diſquiet Conſcience. This is fain'd by the Poet to be one of the three Furies of Hell. For tho' a Man uſe all means imaginable; Wine, Muſick, Society to quiet it, when it is once awaked out of that paſt feeling, and deluding Dream, he endures a Hell upon Earth. This moved Solomon to ask the Queſtion. Prov. 18.14. A Wounded Spirit who can bear? Then no Wiſdom can counſel him, no Eloquence perſwade him; then no Phyſick can cure, nor Riches ranſom him from this tormenting Fiend. And it is ſuch a Tormentor, as the Wretch always carries about him; he continually feels thoſe inward Flaſhes, and Flames: he can find no comfort abroad, nor pleaſe himſelf at home; but in all places, and at all times helliſh Haggs, and infernal Furies afright him. A Man may fly from, and eſcape an outward Enemie, but he cannot fly from himſelf. The Murderer of Symmacus, [being at Supper] thought he ſaw his Viſage in the head of a Fiſh, ſerved up to the Table. And it is reported of Richard the third, that [as a Judgment for his bloody Act upon his two Nephews] he dreamed the Devil did haul and pull him in moſt hideous and ugly ſhapes. Prince Edward and Richard D. of York in the Tower. Cain and Judas were dogg'd at their heels by their tormenting Conſciences: the death of the former is not ſo notorious; but you know how the other was brought to his diſmal end. His Conſcience was a Bayliff to arreſt, a Juſtice to commit him, a Jaylor to impriſon, and a Witneſs to accuſe him, a Jury to find him guilty, and a Judge to condemn him, a Sheriff to convey him to the Place of Execution, and a Hangman to end one Miſery, and begin a greater.

'Tis true a Tender Conſcience, is a bleſſing, 2. Cor. 7.19. it worketh Repentance never to be repented of; it prevents ſin, and makes a Man circumſpect in his Ways. It was happy for King David, that his Conſcience check'd him for his Adultery, and Murther, and numbring the People; this wrought in him a Godly Sorrow, expreſſed by his poenitential and hearty Prayers. It was happy for the Apoſtle Peter, that his Conſcience check'd him for denying his good Lord and Maſter; he wept bitterly, diſcovered his own weakneſs, and became a ſtronger Pillar in the Church of God. But there may be a tender Conſcience in Maſquerade, I do not need to take up much time to diſtinguiſh. 'Tis very apparent, ſome preſume upon a tender Conſcience when really they have none. By their Fruits you may know them. When you ſee a Man ſcrupulous at an innocent Ceremony, bowing at the name of Jeſus, kneeling at the Sacrament, &c. and yet make no Conſcience to lye, to deceive, to ſpeak evil of Dignities, to be drunk, to commit uncleanneſs: you may well conclude that Mans ſcrupulocity proceeds not from Conſcience [properly ſo called] but from erronious Fancy; and this is that our pretended conſciencious Schiſmaticks, [who diſturb the Peace of our Church] are poſſeſſed off. Indeed he is not a good Chriſtian who is not conſcious of his Failings, and Aberrations, and doth not earneſtly beſeech a Pardon for Chriſts ſake, with ſtrong cryes, prayers, and Tears, wherewith God is well pleaſed to be importun'd. But a Man may as eaſily ſee the difference between theſe two, as between a real Monarch and a perſonated King, on a Stage: The one cryes out againſt Sin; the other againſt Superſtition and Idolatry, nicknaming Decency and Order. The counterfeit Conſcience is hateful to the true God, the unfeigned is his Delight; and the gracious Redeemer of mankind will wipe away all Tears from ſuch: they ſhall ſee their Obligation cancell'd, their Debt paid; for the Blood of Jeſus Chriſt cleanſeth them from all Sin. But the Wicked are condemned by their Conſcience. Their ſecret Faults, [whereof they would take no Cognizance, when it might be advantagious to them,] their lying in wait for Blood, their private lurking in thieviſh Corners, their ſecret ſlanders, their Covetouſneſs, their Rebellion, covered over with a ſuperficial Holineſs; all theſe, and whatſoever elſe they are guilty of, are well known to Conſcience; and it will accuſe, and condemn them.

Thus I have briefly ſhew'd, that the wicked have no Peace with God nor with Men, nor among themſelves, nor in their own Conſciences. For tho' for a time, they may ſeem quiet, they are not peaceable, 'tis only from carnal ſecurity. I ſhall now deſcend to ſome practical Concluſions.

Firſt we may conclude, that Sin in the Habit without Remorſe; [which amounts to Wickedneſs] inevitably brings Miſery. no Peace! conſequently War, ruine to the Wicked. Yet becauſe Sentence against an Evil Work is not executed ſpeedily; Eccleſ. 8.11. therefore the Hearts of the Sons of Men are fully ſet in them to do evil. But it ſhall not be well with the Wicked, neither ſhall he prolong his days. v. 13. The wicked Man [becauſe he is not preſently ſtruck with a Thunderbolt] Fancies that God takes no notice of his actions, and will not puniſh him for them; theſe things hast thou done and I kept ſilence: thou thoughteſt that I was altogether ſuch a one as thy ſelf, but I will reprove thee, Pſalm. 50.21. and ſet them in Order before thine Eyes. Now conſider this yee that forget God, yee that approve, and careſs your ſelves in any known ſin, whether concupiſcence, drunkenneſs, raſh ſwearing, diſobedience to Governours, or deceit and fraud. Conſider this yee that ſpeak of good evil and of evil good, that give baſe Schiſm, and ungodly Rebellion, the glorious Title of Religion; and the true Worſhip, and Service of God, the ignominious name of Superſtition: yee put Light for Darkneſs, and Darkneſs for Light. Yee can have no Peace; God will War againſt you, he will break you in pieces while there is none to help. Man will War againſt you; like Iſhmael your hand will be againſt every Man, and every Mans Hand againſt you. Your own Conſcience will War againſt you, proſecute and condemn you. You ſhall have no Peace. Conſider how fearful a thing it is, to be at variance with all theſe, and therefore labour to be at Peace with God, and then what Man? what Angel? what Devil can be againſt you? If as yet you apprehend him your adverſary, agree with him quickly; ſeek him early whilſt he may be found, call upon him, while he is near; 'tis not yet too late: beſeech him to forgive you your unrighteouſneſs, and to cocover all your Sin, and to be at peace with you through the interceſſion of your bleſſed Mediator; ſo ſhall you not only enjoy the unſpeakable Bleſſing, The Peace of God which paſſeth all understanding. But Peace with Men. Not only with good Men, who are not apt to be at variance; but even with your Enemies, and Peace in your own Conſciences, which is a continual Feaſt. But if you fight againſt God, by an unchaſt Converſation, and wicked Life, then the Lord will fight againſt you even with the Rod of the ungodly; thoſe that are as wicked, or more wicked than your ſelves, ſhall be your Scourges. For we may be well aſſured that if the Wiſe Diſpoſer of all Things, ſhould give the Rebel Enemies the Victory, [which God in mercy forbid, I hope there is no danger of them] it is not for any love to them, but partly for the Chaſtiſement, and ſo for the amendment of Gods erring and ſtraying Servants; and partly, that the Wicked being promoted, may have the greater Downfal.

Secondly, We may conclude that, The only way to obtain Peace, is to vo Righteouſneſs. Men generally regard their own advantage, what more forceable inducement to perſwade Men to be juſt, good, meek, religious than this? This great bleſſing Peace, is the portion, the inheritance of the Righteous; wherefore the wicked intermeddle not in it. Peace is Gods Creature. I create the fruits of the Lips, Peace, Peace. As in this Chap. he can convert curſing Traytors and Rebells: and make cruel Eſau diſſolve into Tears in his Brothers Boſom, whom he had vowed to kill. In a word, the only way to wound our Enemies is to mortifie our ſelves; ſo ſhall Sinners be converted unto us: ſo ſhall God even our God, give us his Bleſſing: the Bleſſing of all poſſible Peace; the Bleſſing of Plenty all good things ſhall be ministred unto us in this Life, and after this Warfair is ended, he who is the Prince of Peace will Crown us with Victory.