6. they may seem to be) are by no Means SER M. equivalent to the inward Remorfe and III. Trouble, and the tormenting Reflections which attend it; which always keep Pace with our Guilt, and are proportioned to the Greatness and Daringness of our Crimes: For mighty Sinner's Wild. vi. (here as well as hereafter) ball be mightily tormented. Sins of Omiffion, Infirmity, and Surprize there will be; even the just Man falls feven Times a Day by them, and rifes again from them with Strength and Chearfulness to his Duty. But let us be fure carefully to guard against all fuch flagrant Enormities as do Violence to the first and plaineft Dictates of our Reason, and overbear the ftrongeft Impulfes of our Confcience; for thefe will certainly leave. a Wound behind them, which we fhall find it hard to bear, and harder, much harder to cure. Let no Temptation, no Intereft, no Influence whatfoever fway us to do any Thing contrary to the Suggeftions of Confcience in plain Cases, and Points of Moment; let us no SERM. no more dare to do in private what IV. that tells us ought not to be done, than if we were upon an open Theatre, and the Eyes of the whole Creation were upon us. What fignifies it that we escape the View and Obfervation of Men, when the watchful Witness within fees and records all our Faults, and will certainly one Day reprove us, and fet our Misdeeds in Order before us. It hath been reckoned a good Rule for an happy Conduct of Life, to be fure of keeping our domeftick Concerns right, and of being eafy under our own Roof, where we may find an agreeable Retreat and Shelter from any Disappointments we meet with in the great Scene of Vexation, the World. And the fame Rule will, with greater Reafon hold, in Relation to the Peace of our Confciences. Let our firft Care be to keep all quiet and ferene there: When this Point is once gained at Home, external Accidents will not be able deeply to affect us; and unless it be gained, all the Pleasures, the Abundance and Pomp Pomp of Life will be infipid and taft- SER M. lefs to us. Wherefore let us refolve all of us to ftick to that Principle, which will keep us eafy when we are alone, and will ftick to us in an Hour when all outward Comforts fail us. Let those of us particularly cherish it, who are in any Degree placed above the rest of our Neighbours by a Superiority of Parts, Power, Riches, or any other outward Distinctions. Let those chiefly listen to this Reprover, who are otherwise fet in great Measure above Reproof. The more deftitute they are of Advice and Correption from others, the more careful should they be to attend to the Suggestions and Whifpers of this inward Monitor and Friend. Though they value not the Cenfures paffed by the Vulgar on their Actions, yet furely they cannot flight their own: Nor do they stoop beneath themselves, when they stoop to themselves only, and to the inward Dictates and Perfuafions of their own Minds. The Marks of DiVOL. II. ftinction K IV. SERM.ftinction they bear, though they may IV. enable them sometimes to fin with Impunity as to Men, yet will they not fe cure them against the Lashes of an avenging Confcience; which will find them out in their most secret Retirements, cannot be forbid Access, nor dismissed without being heard; will make their Way to them, as they did to Herod and Tiberius, through Business or Pleasure, nay even through Guards and Crowds, and all the vain Forms and Ceremonies, with which they may be furrounded. In a Word; Let us keep Innocency, and do the Thing which is right; for, whatever other Expedients towards Happiness Men may take up with, yet that, Pf. xxxvii. and that only, will bring us Peace at the 37. laft. Several |