that as much tranfcend all those Serm. I. which Humane Art or Malice ever could invent, as they do the moft common and moft eafy and gentle pains of Nature. Others in Agonies and unintermitting Torments, even in their fleep (if it may deserve that name) as well as when awake, roaring out Death, Hell, Damnation and Eternity, and curfing both themselves and their false Friends, who cheated them into this fad and deplorable Condition. Others again ready to burft with inward Grief, and uncapable of any the leaft Eafe, till they have accused themselves of fuch Crimes, as, they know certainly, a moft ignominious and painful Death will follow. And Lastly, Others, still more defperate than the reft, not able in any measure to fuftain their weighty load of Guilt and Woe, laying Violent Hands upon themselves and choofing rather to run the hazard, even of Hell it felf, in another World, than to bear the lashes of a Guilty Confcience, in this.

All this I could yet farther illuftrate and confirm to you, from various ex

amples

Genef. 4.

13, 14.

amples of People of all forts; (not even Princes and the greatest of Men Serm. 1. themselves excepted) As from thofe, in Scripture, of Cain, whofe confcioufnefs of his guilt, in fhedding his Brother's blood, and of the Provocation which he had thereby given to Divine Vengeance, made him even weary of his life, and afraid that every body, that fhould find him, would kill him; 1 Sam. ch. of Saul, who, being admonish'd by 15.16, the Prophet Samuel of his difabedience towards God, and of God's rejection of him thereupon, never after could enjoy any true eafe and peace of Mind, but liv'd in continual grief and anguish of Soul, like the troubled fea, when it cannot reft, whofe waters caft up mire and dirt, as Ifaiah Elegantly defcribeth the Condition of wicked Men; of Belshazzar, who, when the hand-writing upon the wall put him in mind of his impious and abominable Life, had his countenance Dan. 5. 6. chang'd, and his thoughts troubled him fo, that the joynts of his loyns were toofed, and his knees fmote one against another; of Herod, whofe fense of his Matt.14.1. bafeness and injuftice, in putting John Mark 6. the Baptift to death, had fill'd him

B 5

with

Il. 59. 20.

14.

Luke 9. 7.

with fuch fears, jealoufies and fufpiciSerm. I. ons,that,as foon as ever he heard of the Miracles done by our Saviour, he prefently concluded that John the Baptift was rifen from the dead, and was greatly perplex'd with the apprehenfions of what was like to befall him for his wickedness; and lastly of Judas, whofe trouble and remorfe, upon account of his having betray'd his Mafter, were fo great, that not being able to bear them, he became his own Executioner, and foon put an end to a miferable and infupportable Life. From those of Tiberius, Caligula, Nero, Oreftes, Oedipus and Alemaon taken out of Prophane Hiftory, who were all tortur'd by the Furies, as the Heathens lov'd to speak (that is, as *Lib. 1. de * Tully very honeftly explains it, by their own evil Confciences) to that Tib. cap. degree, that they were like Men didvit. Ca ftracted, not knowing what to do, or lig.cap.51. whither to turn themselves for ease

Matt. 27.

5.

leg.

Suet. vit.

67.

Id. vit.

Ber. cap.

34. Sophocl. Elec. Id.

fearful of Thunder and Lightning, as if they had been the bellowings and flashes of hell it felf; feeming to themselves to be haunted perpetually by Ovid. Met. the Ghofts, of those whom they had injur'd; nay fometimes tormented e

Oedip.

lib. 9.

1

Fol. 21.

ven into real distraction; committing
the most horrid outrages upon them- Serm. 1.
felves, tearing out their own eyes, and
making frequent attempts upon them-
felves, always weary of life, and yet
when they were capable of any reflecti-
on, fearful to the utmost of death. As
alfo from the more modern and very
remarkable instance of Francis Spira Sleidan.
in Germany; and, above all, from the Hift. Refor.
dying Confeffion of a Noble and Il-
luftrious penitent of our own Nation,
who declar'd (and oh that his words
may fink deep into our hearts!) that
his forrow for his fins was a most pe- Bp. Bur-
netrating aud cutting forrow: fo that, net's Life
though in his body he suffered extreme Rochester,
Pain for fome weeks, yet the Agonies p.128,129,
of his Mind fometimes fwallow'd up the
Senfe of what he felt in his Body; and
that, tho' there were nothing to come af-
ter this life, yet all the Pleasures he had
ever known in Sin (and he had known
as many, as moft Men that ever liv'd)
were not worth that Torture he had
felt in his Mind. But I hope that what
has been already faid, upon this Head,
has been fufficient; and, I fear, the
time and your patience call earnestly
upon me to haften in the

Laft

of Lord

Serm. I. Laft place, to conclude with fome practical Reflections, upon what has been already faid: And this, with all poffible brevity.

Hence then we learn that the greateft evils of this Life are brought by Men upon themselves, and ought not therefore to be charg'd upon God. What Affliction have we comparable for the fting and fmart of it, to that of a wounded Confcience? And, next to that, to that of a mind ruffled and difordered with lufts and passions; and whence come thefe, but from our own fin and folly ?

Hence alfo it plainly appears, that there is fuch a thing, as an effential difference between what we call moral good and evil: Our own Reafon and Confcience, and the Divine Providence it felf, inwardly commanding, applauding and rewarding that; while, on the other hand, they do fecretly for bid, condemn and punish this.

Hence likewife we have an evident proof, both that there will certainly