II. A fecond propofition included in the Text is this-that a wounded spirit or violated confcience is of itself an evil of fo oppreffive a nature, as exceeds the ability of man to fupport; the reality of which too will appear, upon a flight furvey, no lefs inconteftable than that of the former.

For though the doctrine of invisible and fpiritual wounds, may perhaps seem whimsical and impertinent to fome, who have their confciences lulled asleep by the infatuation of wickedness, and the wounds thereof feared over as it were with a hot iron: yet let fuch perfons be affured that, however the immediate pleasures or emoluments of vice may render them infenfible for the prefent to any inward ail, there is fomewhat in the breast of every wicked man that will one time or other bite like a ferpent, and fting like an adder; that will accuse, beaf witness against, and condemn

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condemn him at the laft.-For the truth of this we have the testimony both of experience and reafon. The wicked flee (faith the wife-man) when no one pursueth :" they are afraid where no cause of fear is, and become even a terror to themselves. The sharp reflections of Jofeph's brethren, when distress came upon them; the miferable end of the traytor Judas; the penitent complainings of David; the bitter tears of Peter-to add no more-are fo many notorious inftances of the mifery of a wounded fpirit. Even the devils themselves from this inward conviction believe and tremble and the fame it was which extorted from them that timorous confeffion, under an awful dread of the divine prefence of Chrift-" What have we to do with Thee, Jefus, thou Son of God; art thou come hither to torment us be→ fore the time?" And true it is," Fear hath torment."

Neither

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Neither is there any room to question the extremity of such spiritual agonies, if we either reflect on the cause of them that it is fin which ftings the man, and makes God his adversary, who reproves him, and sets before him the things that he hath done: or if we confider the fubject affected; the fpirit is the life of all; as the eye is the light of every part, so the spirit is the life of all: if the eye be evil," the whole body fhall be full of darkness ;" and if the spirit be wounded, the whole man fhall be full of mifery. -Under fo deplorable a circumstance the most exquifite pleasures of life lofe their flavour; and though perhaps the more pursued and folicited to suppress the melancholy of reflection, yet is the event only as when " a hungry man dreameth, and behold he eateth; but he awaketh, and his foul is empty." They give a momentary reprieve, but no fecurity; an imaginary relief, but cannot fatisfy. The fears of death, now doubly

doubly horrible, continually haunt the imagination; and the defperate apprehenfions of just punishment will admit of no peace.

But if fuch be the unhappy, and yet undeniable effects of an injured conscience; we cannot furely be too cautious in putting on the whole armour of godliness against any the least violation of it. A wounded name, a wounded fortune, a wounded body, are with the greatest care and fear avoided; how much more fhould we dread a wounded fpirit? which notwithstanding is too often exposed for the fake of the other. Men fteal to prevent poverty, lye to fave credit, and do any thing to escape pain and punishment: whilst the confcience is scarce ever regarded till it fmarts with vengeance.

In order therefore to fecure our fouls from that fatal worm, an evil confcience ;

fcience; which will infallibly torment them in this life, and if not timely suppreffed, will gnaw upon them for ever and ever; give me leave to offer a few confiderations, which, if duly attended to, may be of use and importance.

And, first, I obferve-it is of the utmoft confequence toward preferving that harmony of mind, which is a well-fpring of life, that we be thoroughly grounded in the principles of true religion equally fatisfied with the articles of Gospel-faith, and with the precepts of Gofpel-morality. For he that wavereth (faith St. James) is like a wave of the fea, driven with the wind and toffed. And it is indeed very obfervable, that the ftings of confcience arc feldom more venomous than in thofe unstable fouls, who contending against "the Faith which was once delivered unto the Saints," are for hewing out to themselves new schemes of doctrine, and

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