SER M. terrify themselves with such Thoughts, III. but take Occafion from thence to gain ground upon themselves, and to advance faster in the Ways of Religion; and so excite in their Hearts such a fervent and exalted Love of God, as shall leave no Room for any Doubts and Mifgivings. It is true, that perfect Love cafteth out Fear; but fuch a Degree of Divine Love is scarce attainable here: However we may afpire and approach ftill nearer and nearer towards this Perfection. How much foever we have conquered our Dread of God, and improved our Love of him, we may go on ftill to dread him less, and to love him more, till we come at laft to be Ephef. iii.rooted and grounded in Love, and be able 17,18,19. to comprehend, with all Saints, what is the Breadth, and Length, and Depth, and Height, and to know the Love of Chrift which passeth Knowledge.

To him, together with the Father, and the Holy Ghoft, &c.

A

A

SERMON

Preached at

St. PAUL's

before the

LORD MAYOR.

May 30, 1703.

The Terrors of Confcience.

A

SERMON

Preached at

St. PAUL'S

before the

LORD MAYOR.

St. Matth. xiv. 1,2,3.

At that Time Herod the Tetrarch heard
of the Fame of Jefus, and faid unto his
Servants, This is John the Baptift, He
is rifen from the Dead; and therefore
mighty Works do fhew forth themselves
in him. For Herod had laid hold on
John, and bound him, and put him in
Prifon, &c.
THE Wicked (fays the Prophet) are
like the troubled Sea, when it cannot
reft, whofe Waters caft up Mire and Dirt.
That

95

Ift. lvii. 20

ん

SERM. That is, Men of flagitious Lives are IV. fubject to great Uneafiness: Whatever

Calm and Repose of Mind they may seem for a Season to enjoy, yet, anon a quick and pungent Sense of Guilt (awakened by some accident) rises like a Whirlwind, ruffles and difquiets them throughout, and turns up to open View from the very Bottom of their Consciences, all the Filth and Impurity which had fettled it felf there. A Truth of which there is not, perhaps, in the whole Book of God, a more apt and lively Inftance, than that which the Paffage I have read from the Evangelist fets before us. The crying Guilt of John the Baptift's Blood fat but ill, no doubt, on the Confcience of Herod, from the Moment of his fpilling it. However his inward Anguish and Remorse was stifled and kept under for a Time, by the Splendour and Luxury in which he lived, till he heard of the Fame of Jefus; and then his Heart smote him, at the Remembrance of the inhuman Treatment he had given to fuch

another