filth of it get the washing of Justification and of Sanctification into thy soule and doubt not but thou shalt be cured 3. Apply the playster 3. Unto the laying on of the all-healing plaister upon the wound it is the plaister in application that is healing Christs blood was shed to heale broken spirits Esay 61. 1 2 3. 53. 6. He is that Sun of righteousnesse that hath healing under his wings Mal. 4. 2. that blood alone can asswage all our ragings and heale all our woundings Now then make a seasonable application of that blood to your wounded soules sprinkle with his blood your wounded spirits God alone is pacified if the blood of Christ be sprinkled and conscience doth heale when God is reconciled O that we would set our selves by faith into the dying and bleedings of Christ a man must earnestly labour to beleeve that Christ doth and will satisfie for those sinnes which breed the terror within and this will proove the curing and the comforting of his heart as we may see Act. 16. 31. 4. Unto the daily openings 4. Dresse it daily and dressings of the wound it is a necessary thing for the soule to be venting it selfe into full and frequent confessions of sin there is a need of letting out the filthy matter that the wound in healing gathereth this wee hold keepe in sin and Note you keepe on your trouble but let out the filthy matter and ease will follow it is an easing thing to bee much in acknowledgement of sin to God and to accuse a mans selfe of sin before God we see David found it specially curing unto him Psal 32. 3 5. and besides this there must be the renewing of our repentance and godly sorrow for sins committed sinfull wounds are deepe wounds and great sins call for great sorrowes David was wholy in teares and Peter weepes bitterly and wee must be constant in repenting if wee expect a compleate and comfortable cure and lastly we must lay open all our sores before the Lord in prayer Davids sore ran and ceased not and yet in the day of his trouble he sought the Lord and he prayed when his spirit was full of anguish Psal 77. 2 3. and thus must we doe wee must come unto God with all our sinnes and soares craving healing from him who will heale us in his owne time and by his owne meanes Hosea 6. 1. 14. 4. 5. Unto the upholdments of 5. Provision our spirits under all the dressings of its wounds wee are very apt to faint in the thought of distresses but when wee are felt and drest and dealt withall in a most healing way wee are ready to qualme and sinke so that it doth very much concerne us to have our cordials and restoratives neare us such as are the sweet and precious promises of the Note Covenant of grace wee must set our selves under grace and beleeve that God hath a good opinion of us and that his love is towards us wee must set up the saving vertue of Christs blood against the damming power of sinne wee must eye Gods acceptance of weake endeavours and passing by of many failings wee must conclude that a state of love may bee under the sense of much wrath and that though the paine for the present be much and great yet it is sanctified and God will put an end unto it for good unto such as are his in Covenant This if we could wisely doe wee should keepe downe the risings of uncomfortable thoughts and cease so much talking of our paine and making complaint thereof and happily attaine to the curing of the wounds of our spirits the greatest of mercies and the ground of singular rejoycing because the wounds of the spirit are so intollerable and unsufferable as I have opened unto you Eight Cases of conscience opened for the relievement of wounded spirits IT now remaineth that I open unto you some of the things which are greatly wounding unto mans spirit and yeeld unto you such relievements against them as Cases of conscience doe require a work requiring both experimentall knowledge and the tongue of the Learned unto which I acknowledge my selfe insufficient yet having found the good proofe of these following directions in the comforting of many soules already I am the more encouraged to communicate them unto you in a more publique way and the blessing of the Almighty goe along with them CASE I. Of the suspension of divine favour THe first thing which I Case 1. shall speake of as The absence of Gods lovâ— in sense is a great trouble greatly wounding and troubling the spirits of Gods children is the absence of God in the sense and feeling of his loving kindnesse all absences of God suppose them to be longer or shorter inward or outward troubles Christians exceedingly if Caine could make it distraction unto him when he was cast out of Gods visible presence Gen. 4. 15 16. If Mary weepe because that they had taken away her Lord and she knew not where that they had laid him Iohn 20. 13. how much more wounding unto Christians is the suspension of divine favour the soule cannot lie under the sense of Gods displeasure and withdrawments of his love without much alteratioâ— and affliction The life of a Christian is much after the life of some great Favourite in the Court whose Simile comforts or discomforts depends upon the countenance or discountenance of his Prince or as it is with the Marigold which opens and shuts with the Sun just thus all the while the love of God shines upon a Christian so as he is able to apprehend it he lives and is very chearefull in spirit the sense of divine love is a spring of joy a well of consolation and the admirable refreshment of the soule a Psal 30 5. thy favour is life b Psal 63 3. thy loving kindnesse is better then life saith David this was it that gave unto him exceeding joy of heart Psal 4. 6 7. The Church sate under the shadow of Christ with great delight and his fruit waâ—â—weet unto her taste Cant. 2. 3. The enjoyment of this love is the day and joy of a Christian But now if that there bee a withdrawment or clouding or restraining of the love of God unto sense let God I say but hide his face and seeme to forget and forsake his let him but cover himselfe with a cloud and absent himselfe for a time covering his with his wrath and just displeasure now 't is all night and darkenesse yea and death it selfe unto Christians as you may see in these Scriptures of experience Psal 30. 7. 88. 14. 44. 24. 77. 3 7 8 9. 13. 1. 31. 22. Lam. 3. 18. 42 43 44. Esa 45. 15. 49. 14. Ionah 2. 4. Reason And all this is by reason of that conjunction and relation that is betweene God and them and the wonderfull sweetnesse and joy wherewithall they were filled and refreshed in tâ—â— daies of their
make shipwrack of it 1 Tim. 1. 19. a sinfull course will wound and wast conscience but take me sinnes committed against the light of nature of Scripture and of grace and those doe exceedingly gore conscience 4. By disquieting and vexing conscience to bring trouble and torment into the soule is no small abuse of the soule it is the greatest injurie that can bee done unto it and this men doe 1. In forcing sinne upon it Conscience vexed and how 2. In linking sin with it 3. In hindering the operations of it 5. By tempting conscience some men proove divels unto their owne consciences partly Two wâ—ies of tempting conscience in laying baites before it setting conscience in the presence of vilenesse and using it to sinfull companies or sinfull occasions certaine I am that it is a hard matter to keepe all faire with conscience when and where there is nothing but vilenesse and partly in trying conclusions upon it men play the Empericks with their consciences putting them upon the practise of things the lawfullnesse whereof they know not or are not yet resolved of 6. By deading and searing conscience conscience is and would be living and sensible now when men brawne it by the daily and customary practises of horrible and grosse sins and by disusance they doe abuse it and so disable it for all spirituall service 7. By smoothering the scruples of iâ— conscience is many times full of reall and personall cases and sometimes it is not able to resolve it selfe now if a man thorough pride or bashfullnesse shall keep all close and not seeke the satisfaction and resolution thereof this maketh the inward ranckling and festering and languishing thereof 8. By blinding and darkening conscience knowledge is the eye and light of conscience for it seeth no more then it knoweth now ignorance is the thing that blindes conscience and without knowledge it is not good it is a madnesse in men to take away or to put out the light which should guide and direct their owne consciences in things to be beleeved and done 9. By abasing conscience conscience was made for goodnesse to uphold and maintaine that and for high and holy imployment to doe that now when it shall be used for a colour and cloake for sinne and wickednesse and men shall either make their sins to carry the name of conscience as unwarranted opinions and practises now adaies doe or make conscience the cause of sinne as too many do who cannot come to Church and receive the holy Sacraments under a pretence that conscience will not let them a great belying and abusing Conscience abased and how of conscience or to make conscience a false witnesse fastning untruths on it as doe such men that will take it upon their consciences that it is not so nor so as they are accused when indeed it is so conscience is put to sweare against conscience and to speake against conscience and to accuse and condemne and to execute conscience this is the putting of conscience unto the basest offices that can be and this way men do notably abuse conscience 10. By silencing conscience conscience within us can and would speake unto us when as others cannot or dare not to speake unto us Now when men command it unto silence and stop the mouth thereof and cannot endure that it should be a voice either of direction or correction unto them but bribe or choake conscience it is a great abuse unto it 11. By neglecting it conscience is worthy our best respect and attendance and wee cannot do too much to cherish and refresh it Now when men shall runne from it as many a Whore doth from her childe leaving it upon the Parish and let who will looke after it when men shall never enquire after its health but suffer it to take grievous falls and hurts when men shall passe over its wounds not minding its cure when men shall suffer it to want the best meanes of information consolation and corroboration and let it cry it selfe to death they shew most horrible cruelty unto conscience and doe as grossely abuse it as a Nurse doth her sucking babe to whom she denieth her care and breasts 12. By overloading and entangling conscience conscience can and will beare much but yet as the overlading of a ship is her sinking so the over-lading of conscience by sinnes and sorrowes and feares and impertinent scruples is the abusing and wronging of conscience 2. Lay out for the true good and strengthening of the spirit within you wee must endeavour to maintaine it in a state of goodnesse cherishing and keeping up its goodnesse that it die not it will quit cost for us so to do the good and strength of conscience is our good and strength at all times let this then be your worke 1. Remoove daily the evillnesse of sinne from within it and before it nothing is the undoing of conscience but sinne and wee must endeavour after the daily bathing of it in the blood of the Lord Jesus the increasing of its renovation by the Spirit we must be much in the practise of repentance and washing away those sins which lie upon conscience by the teares of godly sorrow 2. Feed and nourish it with its appointed food the strength of our naturall spirits stands in their nourishment it is as true of our spirituall spirits conscience must not be overfasted nor overphysick'd but we must give it the Word in promise Christ in merit and the sense of pardoning mercy and wee flesh and refresh it 3. Make use of the strength of conscience for your supportance conscience was made for use the excellencie of it stands in its use and if wee doe put conscience unto it it will bee our confidence in times of common feares and dangers it will steele our hearts and beare up our mindes as stoutly and as safely as the waters did the Arke of Noah nay it will proove an Arke or Garrisonunto us for our safety learne therefore upon the accesse of all calamity to retire into conscience and commune with thine owne spirit and call upon conscience to doe its office and worke keepe not conscience idle within you the lesse you imploy it the unfitter will it bee for your strength and service call upon it to act its owne proper operations and you shall find the comfort of it unto you in your afflictions 4. Secure the sound spirit within you it is our upholdment and security and therfore by an holy care and watchfullnesse keepe it above all keepings Prov. 4. 23. Some men have made shipwracke of conscience and lost it 1 Tim. 1. 19. and our condition in this life is full of danger conscience within us is in the midst of many and malicious adversaries and in as much danger by evill men and divels as ever and it stands us much upon to bee watchfull and to bee alwaies fearefull and jealous least both we and it become a prey unto Satan to this end 1.
spirituall miseries doe conceive a desperatenesse of condition such do now begin to damme up all the springs of mercy and drie up the bloud of Christ and close up the doore of grace against themselves and that I may not bee mistaken in this point note with mee two things Note 1. That in strictnesse of divinity wee are to make a difference betweene a wounded and a desperate conscience the one runs beyond the other in many things 2. That in every wounded conscience Desperation in every vvounded conscience compleatly or incompleatly there is a degree of desperation sometimes and in some men it runneth in more compleatnesse when men take their sinnes in such an high manner and with such an over-reaching power as that neither mercy can or will ease them they set an eternall night within their soules without hopes of a morning framing to themselves an utter impossibility of pardoning mercy as Caine Gen. 4. 13. and Iudas Mat. 27. 5. and this is a distresse Note of distresses and a greater evill then the disease it selfe Sometimes againe some men under the wound of the soule are more incompleately desperate they onely thinke and feare that God will cast them away and shut up his mercies and loving kindnesse from them heare they lie languishing and bleeding and are only holpen with this that though they cannot apply yet they dare not deny unto themselves Gods mercy and Christ in merit and this was the case of David under his wound Psal 77. 7 8 9 10. 4. The time of mans feeling this misery and calamity I know well that the wound of the spirit is graduall in some it is more then in other and it hath not alike continuance in The degrees and the continuance of this woūd in men different all in some it is but for a little space they quickly recover of their disease and attaine refreshment and comfort as we may see in Peter he went out and wept bitterly there was his wound in spirit but hee could speake comfortably and confidently to Christ after his Resurrection this shewed that he was not long in the agony Paul lay three daies in the affliction and distresse of spirit and then least hee should bee swallowed up of too much sorrow Anani as was sent unto him to refresh and comfort him But as God gives speedie ease to some so hee is pleased to let others lie a longer time under the perplexities of a wounded spirit David cries out shall I never bee remembred Psal 19. 1. My soule is sore troubled but Lord how long wilt thou delay Psal 6. 3. Now let the time be shorter or longer All the daies of the afflicted are evill Prov. 15. 15. and all the while a man doth feele this evill so long the wound doth remaine 2. Wee must know that though the wound of conscience is incident unto good and bad yet it is with a great and wide difference the wounds of spirit in wicked men are 1. Legall they spring up in the soule from the terrible operation The difference that is betwee◠the wound of the wicked the wound of the godly in 5. things of the law within their soules the Law of God hath an extreame curse written in it and this it writes in the conscience of every wicked man I say by its spirituall vigour it gets within the conscience of a wicked man and so the wound is made there is no worke of the Gospell as well as of the Law but all is done and made by the Law alone in all unregenerate men 2. Paenall and judiciall such men lie under the justice and wrath of God and for feare of hell and punishment are most of all cast downe so that were there no punishment to bee endured it were not the displeasure or offence of God by sin that should amaze them My punishment is greater then I am able to beare saith Caine Gen. 4. 13. whereas the wound in the godly is paternall and penitentiall a fatherly chastisement of God for tryall wherein the childe of God is wounded most at heart by the deepe apprehension of his sinnes and the displeasure of his Father against sin or 3. Violent the wound in them worketh with more and greater violence having more of the fire of hell in it such men are wholly under the terrors of the wound having no assistance from God no hope of ease no glimpse of light and no allayment by the saving power of the Gospell which the godly doe finde first or last more or lesse in degree 4. Mortall the wound in the issue prooveth desperate and incurable and though for a time their spirits may be benummed by the application of false meanes that so there may seeme to bee a cessation of the raging thereof yet the wound remaineth still they carry it with them to the grave to the judgement seate of God yea and to hell it selfe whereas God doth in due time and by good meanes make a compleat cure of all the wounds in the spirits of his there being no disease in their soule but as it is possible of cure so it is actually cured 5. Hurtfull the wounds of wicked men do them no good but hurt they are hereby driven from God and fall away more and more whereas the The benefit of spirituall vvounds in the godly serve in 6. things 1. Sense of sin Three vvaies of feeling sin wound in the godly is an occasion of much good unto them by the wounding of their spirits they are wrought unto these six things 1. Sensiblenesse of the bitter and sad effects of sinne God hath waies enough to make his feele their sinnes as his Word which strikes hard on the eare threatning sinne and wickednesse then if men hate reproofe and harden their hearts God hath his rod he sheweth man his judgement and in that mans sinne and his anger by which if man will not learne righteousnesse and feele the bitternesse of his sinne then troubles arise in conscience that shall be awakened and dis-eased that shall come upon man with feares and horrors for the sins that hee hath committed so that hereby he shall bee made to possesse the sinnes of his Job 23.26 Psal 51.3 youth and to know his own wickednesse as Iob and David did 2. Humility and emptinesse 2. Humility of soule of soule the wounds of the spirit doth weaken the proud and perverse conceits of mans owne strength and righteousnesse God by these doth make men vile in their owne eyes and opinions it is strange to see what rising humours are found in the godly before the wound befalleth them their blood is exceedingly over-heated but now by an humbled spirit God doth worke them to an humble spirit carrying them as to sin deniall so to selfe deniall 3. Enquiry after sinne these 3. Search after sin wounds of the spirit doe make us reflect on the evill of sinne and to search more seriously and narrowly into what wee