88 d treati f e of Confcience. De('peratao eft b3raici- da anima. Aug. the confciences of Gods people are very much troubled when the Lord is thus angry with them. a. The fécond degree of trouble of confcience is fuch as is in the wicked, and yet not altogether without hope. The con- fcience is troubled, but yet fo as it conceiveth hope : God is nsercifull ; and, Chrifl died for Poore fit :leers, &c. Thus many a wicked man is troubled and affrighted in confcience, nor for f nne,but for the wrath of God againfi it; yet he conceiveth for the prefént that the finne is pardonable and may be for- given : Chrifi may forgive; God may pardon. It is indeed but a poore ground of hope and comfort upon poffibilities : but yet this lightneth the trouble in the mean time, and it may be within a while flaaketh it quite of : Like the wicked Jews, Ifi.57.io. who were worried and wearied mof} grievously ; yet they fold not, There it no hope. There may be much horrour and diíquiet in thelé confeiences for a time : but there is a higher degree yet, a worse troubled confcience then this. 3. The third degree ofa troubled confcience is, when it is for the prefent altogether hopeleffe ; filch a confcience as is (wal- lowed up in defpair : when amen thinking of their manifold fumes, of the direful! wrath of God, of the dreadful( torments of hell for ever, their confeiences make them defpair of all hope or poffibilitie of avoiding this ; bringing filch thoughts as there, What a deal of time have I fpent in (lane, wherein might have made my peace with Gad; and bave prevented all this? What a great and omnipotent God have I offended ? What an infinite Judge have 3 provoked, who is able to revenge himfelf on me, and who will be my foe to eternity? Confcience allo bringing in thoughts of the torments and unlùfferable pains to be endured in -hell, and fuch fwallow up in defpair without all hope for the prefent or the future. Like the wicked man which Eliphaz fpeaketh of He believeth not that he shall return out of darn neffe, Job i 5.22. So these have no hope of elcaping,expeéi to perifh as Spira ; O, faith be, In envy Cain arid Judas : 1 would were in their cafes : They are damned ; but ,3 fhall be wer fe for evermore. Now though to these all hopes be gone for the prefent, w
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