Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A11604
|
The sick souls salue. By William Sclater. Batchelar of Diuinity and minister of the word of God at Pitmister in Somerset
|
Sclater, William, 1575-1626.
|
1612
(1612)
|
STC 21845; ESTC S116861
|
21,761
|
40
|
THE SICK SOVLS SALVE BY WILLIAM SCLATER BATCHELAR OF DIVINITY and Minister of the word of God at PITMISTER in Somerset AC OX AT OXFORD Printed by Ioseph Barnes 1612. TO THE WORSHIPFVLL Mr IOHN HORNER ESQVIRE and to the devout ANNA his wife at MELLES in Somerset mercy and peace be multiplied WOrshipfull If to any thing a Isa 50.4 the tongue of the Learned be necessary in a minister it is to the ministring of comfort to the weary soule To most other parts of our function knowledge speculatiue in a sort sufficeth To this and the appertinences only sensible experience And he shall in vaine temper with a wounded spirit that cannot subscribe himselfe a b Apoc. 1.9 Brother and copartner in the same tribulation The wiles of Satan in this kind none knowes but by experience nor prevents or defeats except by c 2. Cor. 1.4 the same comforts wherewith himselfe hath beene comforted of God If I said also experience only makes fit hâ—arers I should not erre How God hath dealt with my poore soule either in the wound or cure I had rather thankfully acknowledge to my gratious God then foolishly publish to inexpert men This only I say God is wroth when he hardens iust when he breakes gracious and rich in mercy when he binds vp the sinners heart The d Rom. 8.15 spirit of adoption is ioyfull the spirit of feare dreadfull but the e Rom. 10.8 spirit of slumber most wofull They are dead that feele nothing in the way to life that feele wrath they liue indeed that feele Gods loue in their hearts infused or instilled by the holy Ghost I had rather feele wrath then feele nothing But Lord how should they loue thee whom thou hast brought from securitie to feare from feare to feeling experience of thy favour But I forget the measure of an Epistle You haue here what you haue felt the intolerable misery of a wounded spirit Balme also from Gilead if not to cure yet to asswage the griefe I pray God the Father of mercies and God of all consolation make it soveraigne to your souls that as you haue felt the wound which who can beare so you may tast f Phil. 4.7 the peace that passeth all vnderstanding Lord Iesus say Amen Yours Worships in the neerest bond VVILLIAM SCLATER PRO. 18.14 A wounded spirit who tan beare IN this verse Salomon setteth out vnto vs the summum malum as I may terme it the miserie of miseries that can in this life fall into the sense of man A misery which who so feeles in extremity hee would I dare say exchaÌ„ge it with the extreamest of tortures that mans cruelty can devise to inflict A wounded spirit And he amplifies it in a comparison of vnlikes Protasis the spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmity that is all other miseries conscience pacified can solace and sustaine Apodosis But a wounded spirit is an evill intollerable who can beare it The spirit of a man that is CoÌ„science setled in peace thorough feeling of Gods loue will sustained affords solace and support to all other afflictions It s saide of Gods people they endured a Heb. 10.34 with ioy the spoyling of their goods viz. having conscience assuring them of Gods favour and promised recompence of the Macchabees b Heb. 11.37 they were stoned hewen a sunder slaine with the sword banished famished and yet endured Our home Martyrs with what chearefulnes bare they the violence of fire So mighty a supporter of mans weaknesse is a pacified conscience But a wounded spirit that is Conscience it selfe distressed when that that should solace all other afflictions is it selfe discomforted that hell who can beare that is to say none without speciall and even extraordinary grace sustaining Of it consider we two things 1. The nature of it what a wounded spirit is 2. The attribute here given it Intolerablenes Who can beare it A wounded spirit is a coÌ„science distressed thorough feare or feeling of Gods wrath due for sin The wound is distresse the sword Gods wrath piercing sometimes by feare more then feeling sometimes by feeling and theÌ„ the wound is bleeding The degrees of it are three 1. That which is called c Act. 2.37 Compunction or the pricking of the heart in comparison but as the pricke of a pin to the gash of a sword a lighter distresse if any of this nature may be light according as the Lord is pleased to respect our infirmity And with this it may be some enter into Gods kingdome A secoÌ„d degree is that which is here called the wounded spirit when conscience is plunged into a deeper distresse thorough more fearful apprehension of the terrors of the Almighty The last degree is that which the Psalmist cals the d Psal 51.17 Contrite or broken heart A heart as it were ground to powder with the weight of Gods wrath pressing it And these different measures might be all exemplified in Gods children if daily experience did not evidence them the same man feeles sometimes lesse sometimes more remorse being not alwaies in like measure in any From which different degrees of this wound something may be inferred by way of reproofe of sundry of Gods children As some yee shall finde of Gods childreÌ„ that thinke this their misery that they can in no greater measure feele the burthen of Gods wrath due for sin in their Conscience Now if this were their griefe that they can in no greater measure grieue for their sinnes such griefe I should cherish But whiles they wish for a greater wound then the Phisition thinks expedient for their strength I say as our Saviour to the sonnes of Zebedee e Mat. 20.22 they know not what they aske For can yee drink of the cup c. Canst thou beare the burthen of thy sins This wound intolerable as Salomon thinketh it art thou able to endure We are not ignorant of f 2. Cor. 2.11 Satans Wiles we haue great cause to feare if the Lorde should farther presse vs least we should be swallowed vp of sorrow Luther speakes excellently to this purpose God many times keepes from his servants the horrible and gastly aspect of their sins in wonderfull mercy least the horror of them and Gods wrath due for them should overwhelme vs. And this remember if you endure the least pricke of this sword it is meerely from grace not from any strength that is in Nature An other sort there are they as heavily complaine of the depth of their wound as the Church in Ieremie g Lam. 1.12 See if there be any griefe like mine wherewith the Lorde hath afflicted me in the day of his wrath was ever any so far plunged in distresse And here often begin almost to quarrell with God himselfe and murmur at his hand vpon them that when he leaues other miscreants in vtter senslesnes of their spirituall estate he thus heavilie presseth and only not oppresseth them To