THE CAUSE AND CURE OF A VVOVNDED CONSCIENCE By THO: FULLER B. D. PROV. 18. 14. But a wounded conscience who can beare LONDON Printed for John Williams at the Crowne in S. Pauls Churchyard M D C XLVII TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE And Vertuous Lady Frances Mannours Countesse of Rutland Madam BY the Judicial Law of the Jewes if a servant had children by a wife which was given him by his Master though he himselfe went forth free in the seventh yeere yet his children did remain with his Master as the proper goods of his possession I ever have been and shall be a servant to that noble Family whence your Honour is extracted And of late in that house I have been wedded to the pleasant embraces of a private life the fittest wife and meetest Helper that can be provided for a Student in troublesome times And the same hath been bestowed upon me by the bounty of your Noble Brother EDW Lord MONTAGUE Wherefore what issue soever shall result from my mind by his meanes most happily marryed to a retired life must of due redound to his Honour as the sole Proprietarie of my paines during my present condition Now this Booke is my eldest Off-spring which had it beene a Sonne I mean had it been a Worke of Masculine beauty and bignesse it should have waited as a Page in Dedication to his Honour But finding it to be of the weaker sexe little in strength and low in stature may it be admitted Madam to attend on your Ladiship his Honours Sister I need not mind your Ladiship how God hath measured outward happinesse unto you by the Cubit of the Sanctuarie of the largest size so that one would be posed to wish more then what your Ladiship doth enjoy My prayer to God shall be that shining as a Pearle of Grace here you may shine as a Starre in Glory hereafter So resteth Your Honours in all Christian offices Tho Fuller Boughton Ian. 25. 1646. To the Christian Reader AS one was not anciently to want a wedding garment at a Marriage feast So now adayes wilfully to weare gaudy cloathes at a Funerall is justly censurable as unsuiting with the occasion Wherefore in this sad subject I have endeavoured to decline all light and luxurious expressions And if I be found faulty therein I cry and crave God and the Reader pardon Thus desiring that my pains may prove to the glory of God thine and my owne edification I rest Thine in Christ Jesus Thomas Fuller THE CONTENTS of the severall Dialogues 1. Dialogue What a wounded conscience is wherewith the godly and reprobate may be tortured page 1. 2. Dial. What use they are to make thereof who neither hitherto were nor haply hereafter shall be visited with a wounded conscience p. 7. 3. Dial. Three solemne seasons when men are surprised with wounded consciences p. 14. 4. Dial. The great torment of a wounded conscience proved by Reasons and Examples p. 20 5 Dial. Soveraign uses to be made of the torment of a wounded conscience page 30. 6. Dial. That in some cases more repentance must be preached to a wounded conscience p. 36. 7. Dial. Onely Christ is to be applyed to soules truly contrite p. 43. 8. Dial. Answers to the objections of a wounded conscience drawne from the grievousnesse of his sins p. 50. 9. Dial. Answers to the objections of a wounded conscience drawn from the slightnesse of his Repentance p. 59 10. Dial. Answers to the objections of a wounded conscience drawn from the feeblenesse of his faith p. 72. 11. Dial. God alone can satisfie all objections of a wounded conscience p. 76. 12. Dial. Means to be used by wounded consciences for the recovering of comfort p. 81. 13. Dial. Foure wholsome counsels for a wounded conscience to practice p. 95. 14. Dial. Comfortable meditations for wounded consciences to muse upon p. 102 15. Dial. That is not alwayes the greatest sin whereof a man is guilty wherewith his conscience is most pained for the present p. 111. 16. Dial. Obstructions hindring the speedy flowing of comfort into a troubled soule p. 118. 17. Dial. What is to be conceived of their finall estate who die in a wounded conscience without any visible comfâ—…rt p. 124. 18 Dial. Of the different time and manner of the comming of comfort to such who are healed of a wounded conscience p. 134. 19. Dial. How such who are compleatly cured of a wounded conscience are to demeane themselves p. 140 20. Dial. Whether one cured of a wounded conâ—…cience be subject to a relapse p. 147. 21. Dial. Whether it be lawfull to pray for or to pray against or to praise God for a wounded conscience p. 152. THE CAUSE CURE OF A wounded Conscience I. Dialogue What a wounded Conscience is wherewith the Godly and Reprobate may be tortured Timotheus SEeing the best way never to know a wounded Conscience by wofull experience is speedily to know it by a sanctified consideration thereof Give me I pray you the description of a wounded Conscience in the highest degree thereof Philologus It is a Conscience frighted at the sight of * sin and weight of Gods wrath even unto the despaire of all pardon during the present Agony Tim. Is there any difference betwixt a broken * spirit and a wounded Conscience in this your acception Phil. Exceeding much for a broken spirit is to be prayed and laboured for as the most healthfull and happy temper of the soule letting in as much comfort as it leakes out sorrow for sinne Whereas a wounded conscience is a miserable maladie of the mind filling it for the present with despaire Tim. In this your sense is not the conscience wounded every time that the soule is smitten with guiltinesse for any sinne committed Phil. God forbid otherwise his servants would be in a sad condition as in the case of David * smitten by his owne heart for being as he thought over-bold with Gods Anointed in cutting off the skirt of Sauls garment such hurts are presently heal'd by a Plaister of Christs blood applyed by faith and never come to that height to be counted and called wounded câ—…nsciences Tim. Are the godly aâ—… well as the wicked subject to this malady Phil. Yes verily Vessels of honour as well as vessels of wrath in this world are subject to the knocks and brâ—…ises of a wounded conscience A patient Job pâ—…ous David faithfull Paul may be vexed therewith no lesse then a cursed Cain perfidious Achitâ—…phil or treacherous Judas Tim. What is the difference betwixt a wounded conscience in the godly and in the reprobate Phil. None at all oft times in the parties apprenensions both for the time being conceiving their estates equally desperate little if any in the widenesse and anguish of the wound it selfe which for the time may be as tedious and torturing in the godly as in the wicked Tim. How then doe they differ Phil. Exceeding much in Gods intention gashing the wicked as Malefactors out of Justice
talked vainly wanton wickedly his voice is a terrour to himselfe Seeth he his own eyes in a glasse he presently apprehends these are those which shot forth so many envious covetous amorous Glances his eyes are a terrour to himselfe Sheep are observed to flye without cause scared as some say with the sound of their own feet Their feet knack because they flye and they fly because their feet knack an emblem of Gods Children in a wounded Conscience selfe-fearing selfe frighted Tim. What is the fift Reason which makes the paine so great Phil. Because Sathan rakâ—…s his clawes in the reeking blood of a wounded Conscience Belzebub the devils name fignifieth in Hebrew the Lord of flyes which excellently intimates his nature and employment flyes take their selicity about sores and galled Backs to infest and inflame them So Sathan no sooner discovereth and that Bird of Prey hath quick sight a Soule terrour-struck but thither he hasts and is busie to keepe the wound raw there he is in his throne to doe mischiefe Tim. What is the sixt and last Reason why a wounded Conscience is so great a torment Phil. Because of the impotency and invaliditie of all earthly receipts to give ease thereunto For there is such a gulfe of disproportion betwixt a Mind-malady and Bodymedicines that no carnall corporall comforts can effectually work thereupon Tim. Yet wine in this case is prescribed in Scripture * Give wine to the heavy hearted that they may remember their misery no more Phil. Indeed if the wound be in the spirits those cursiters betwixt soule and body to recover their decay or consumption wine may usefully be applyed but if the wound be in the spirit in Scripture phrase all carnall corporall comforts are utterly in vaine Tim. Me thinks merry company should doe much to refresh him Phil. Alas a man shall no longer be welcome in merry company then he is able to sing his Part in their Joviall Consort When a hunted Deere runs for safeguard amongst the rest of the Herd they will not admit him into their company but beat him off with their hornes out of principles of selfe-preservation for feare the Hounds in pursuit of him fall on them also So hard it is for Man or Beast in misery to find a faithfull friend In like manner when a knot of Bad-good-fellowes perceive one of their society dogg'd with Gods terrours at his heeles they will be shut of him as soone as they can preferring his roome and declining his company lest his sadnesse prove infectious to others And now if all six reasons be put together so heavy a hand smiting with so sharp a sword on so tender a part of so foolish a patient whilst Sathan seeks to widen and no worldly plaister can cure the wound it sufficiently proves a wounded conscience to be an exquisite torture Tim. Give me I pray an example hereof Phil. When Adam had eaten the forbidden fruit he tarryed a time in Paradise but tooke no contentment therein The Sunne did shine as bright the Rivers ran as cleare as ever before Birds sang as sweetly Beasts played as pleasantly Flowers smelt as fragrant Herbs grew as fresh Fruits flourisht as faire no Puntilio of Pleasure was either altered or abated The objects were the same but Adams eyes were otherwise his nakednesse stood in his light a thorne of guiltinesse grew in his heart before any thistles sprang out of the ground which made him not to seeke for the fairest fruits to fill his hunger but the biggest leaves to cover his nakednesse Thus a wounded conscience is able to unparadise Paradise it selfe Tim. Give me another instance Phil. CHRIST JESVS our Saviour he was blinded buffeted scourged scoffed at had his hands and feet nailed on the Crosse and all this while said nothing But no sooner apprehended he his Father deserting him groaning under the burthen of the sins of mankind imputed unto him but presently the Lambe who hitherto dumb before his shearer opened not his mouth for paine began to bleat My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Tim. Why is a wounded conscience by David resembled to Arrowes * Thine Arrowes stick fast in me Phil. Because an Arrow especially if barbed rakes rends the flesh the more the more mettall the wounded partie hath to strive and struggle with it and a guilty conscience pierceth the deeper whilst a stout stomach with might and main seeketh to out-wrastle it Tim. May not a wounded conscience also work on the body to hasten and heighten the sicknesse thereof Phil. Yes verily so that there may be employment for * Luke the beloved physitian if the same person with the Evangelist to exercise both his professions But we meddle onely with the malady of the mind abstracted from any bodily indisposition V. Dialogue Soveraign uses to be made of the torment of a wounded conscience Tim. SEeing the torture of a wounded conscience is so great what use is to be made thereof Phil. Very much And first it may make men sensible of the intollerable paine in Hell fire If the mouth of the fiery Fornace into which the children were cast was so hot that it burnt those which approached it how hot was the Fornace it selfe If a wounded conscience the suburbs of Hell be so painfull oh how extreame is that place where the worme never dyeth and the fire is never quenched Tim. Did our roaring Boyes as they call them but seriously consider this they would not wish GOD DAMNE THEM and GOD CONFOUND THEM so frequently as they doe Phil. No verily I read in Theodoret of the ancient Donatists that they were so ambitious of Martyrdome as they accounted it that many of them meeting with a young Gentleman requested of him that he would be pleased to kill them He to confute their folly condescended to their desire on condition that first they would be contented to be all fast bound which being done accordingly he took order that they were all soundly whipt but saved their lives In application When I heare such Riotous youths wish that God would Damne or Confound them I hope God will be more mercifull then to take them at their words and to grant them their wish only I heartily desire that he would be pleased sharply to scourge them and soundly to lash them with the frights terrours of a wounded conscience And I doubt not but that they would so ill like the paine thereof that they would revoke their wishes as having little list and lesse delight to taste of hell hereafter Tim. What other use is to be made of the paine of a wounded Conscience Phil. To teach us seasonably to prevent what we cannot possibly endure Let us shunne the smallest sinne lest if we slight and neglect it it by degrees fester and gangrene into a wounded conscience One of the bravest * spirits that ever England bred or Ireland buried lost his life by a light hurt neglected as if it had
beene beneath his high minde to stoop to the dressing thereof till it was too late Let us take heed the stoutest of us be not so served in our Soules If we repent not presently of our sinnes committed but carelesly contemne them a scratch may quickly prove an Ulcer the rather because the flesh of our minde if I may so use the Metaphor is hard to heale full of cholerick corrupt humors and very ready to rancle Tim. What else may we gather for our instruction from the torture of a troubled mind Phil. To confute their cruelty who out of sport or spight willingly and wittingly wound weak consciences like those uncharitable * Corinthians who so far improve their liberty in things indifferent as thereby to wound the consciences of their weake brethren Tim. Are not those Ministers too blame who mistaking their message instead of bringing the Gospell of Peace fright people with Legall terrours into despaire Phil. I cannot commend their discretion yet will not condemn their intention herein No doubt their dâ—…sire and designe is pious though they erre in the pursuite and prosecution thereof casting down them whom they cannot raise and conjuring up the Spirit of Bondage which they cannot allay againe Wherefore it is our wisest way to interweave promises with threatnings and not to leave open a pit of despaire but to cover it again with comfort Tim. Remaineth there not as yet another use of this poiâ—…t Phil. Yâ—…s to teach us to pitty and pray for those that have afflicted Consciences not like the wicked * who persecute those whom God hath smitten and talke to the griefe of such whom he hath wounded Tim. Yet Eli was a good man who notwithstanding censured * Hannah a woman of a sorrowfull spirit to be drunke with Wine Phil. Imitate not Eli in committing but amending his fault Indeed his dimme eyes could see drunkennes in Hannah where it was not could not see Sacriledge Adultery in his own Sonnes where they were Thus those who are most indulgent to their owne are most censorious of others But Eli afterwards perceiving his Errour turned tho condemning of Haâ—…nah into praying for her In like manner if in our passion we have prejudiced or injur'd any wounded Consciences in cold blood let us make them the best amends and reparation VI Dialogue That in some cases more Repentance must be preached to a wounded Conscience Tim. SO much for the Maladie now for the Remedy Supposâ—… you come to a wounded Conscience what counsell will you prescribe him Phil. If after hearty prayer to God for his direction he appeareth unto me as yet not truely penitent in the first place I will presse a deeper degree of Repentance upon him Tim O miserable Comforter more sorrow still Take heed your eyes be not put out with that smoking Flax you seeke to quench and your fingers wounded with the splinters of that bruised Reed you goe about to breake Phil. Understand me Sir Better were my tongue spit out of my mouth then to utter a word of griefe to drive them to despaire who are truly contrite But on the other side I shall betray my trust and be found an unfaithfull dispencer of Divine mysteries to apply comfort to him who is not ripe and ready for it Tim. What harme wolâ—…d it doe Phil. Raise him for the present and ruine him without Gods greater mercy for the future For comfort dawbed on on a foule soule will not stick long upon it And instead of pouring in I shall spill the precious oyle of Gods mercy Yea I may justly bring a Wounded Conscience upon my selfe for dealing deceitfully in my stewardship Tim. Is it possible one may not be â—…oundly humbled and yet have a woundeâ—… Conscience Phil. Most possible For a wounded Conscience is often inflicted as a punishment for lacke of true Repentance great is the difference betwixt a mans being frighted at and humbled for his sinnes One may passively be cast downe by Gods terrours and yet not willingly throw himselfe downe as he ought at Gods foot-stoole Tim. Seeing his pain is so pittifull as you have formerly proved why would you adde more griefe unto him Phil. I would not adde griefe to him but alter griefe in him making his â—…orrow not greater but better I would endeavour to change his dismall dolefull dejection his hidâ—…s and horrible heavines his bitter exclamations which seeme to me much mixed in him with Pride impatience and impenâ—…tence into a willing submission to Gods pleasure and into a kindly gentle tender Gospell-repentance for his sinnes Tim. But there are some now adayes who maintaine that a Child of God after his first conversion needeth not any new repentance for sinne all the dayes of his life Phil. They derend a grievous and dangerous errour Consider what two petitions Christ coupleth together in his Prayer When my Body which every day is hungry can live without Gods giving it daily Bread then and no sooner shall I believe that my Soule which daily sinneth can spiritually live without Gods forgiving it its Trespasses Tim. But such alledge in proof of their opinion that a man hath his person justified before God not by pieces and parcels but at once and for ever in his conversion Phil. This being granted doth not favour their errour We confesse God finished the Creation of the world and all therein in six dayes and then rested from that worke yet so that his daily preserving of all things by his providence may â—…till be accounted a constant and continued Creation We acknowlege in like manner a Child of God justified at once in his conversion when he is fully and freely estated in Gods favour And yet seeing every daily sinne by him committed is an aversion from God and his daily Repentance a conversion to God his justification in this respect may be conceived intrirely continued all the dayes of his life Tim. What is the difference betwixt the first Repentance and this renewed Repentance Phil. The former is as it were the putting of life into a dead man the latter the recovering of a sicke man from a dangerous swound by the former sight to the blind is simply restored and eyes given him in the latter only a filme is removed drawn over their eyes and hindering their actuall sight By the first we have a right title to the Kingdome of Heaven by our second repentance we have a new claime to Heaven by vertue of our old title Thus these two kinds of repentance may be differenced and distinguished though otherwise they meet and agree in generall qualities both having sinne for their Cause sorrow for their Companion and pardon for their consequent and effect Tim. But are not Gods Children after committing of grievous sinnes and before their renewing their repentance remaine still heires of Heavâ—… married to Christ and citizens of the new Hierusalem Phil. Heires of Heaven they are but disinheritable for their mâ—…demeanour Married still to Christ
is strained to the height and a man becomes more then himselfe to object against himselfe in a fit of despaire Tim. What is the other Reason Phil. Sathan himselfe that subtile sophister assisteth them He formes their Arguments frames their objections fits their distinctions shapes their evasions and this discomforter Aping Gods spirit the Comforter John 14. 26. bringeth all things to their remembrance which they have heard or read to dishearten them Need therefore have Ministers when they meddle with afflicted men to call to Heaven afore-hand to assist them being sure they shall have Hell it selfe to oppose them Tim. To come now to the objections which afflicted Consciences commonly make they may be reduced to three principall Heads Either drawne from the greatnesse and grievousnesse of their sinnes or from the slightnesse and lightnesse of their repentance or from thâ—… faintnesse feeblenesse of their faith I begin with the objections of the first forme Phil. I approve your method I pâ—…ay proceed Tim. First Sir even since my conversion I have beene guilty of many grievous sinnes and which is worse of the same sinne many times committed Happy * Judah who though once committing incest with Thamar yet the text saith that afterward he knew her again no more But I vile wretch have often re-fallen into the same offence Phil. All this is answered in Gods Promise in the * Prophet Though your sins be as scarlet I will make them as snow Consider how the Tyrian scarlet was dyed not overly dipt but throughly drencht in the liquor that coloured it as thy soul in custome of sinning Then was it taken out for a time and dryed put in againe soakt and sodden the second time in the Fatt called therefore {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} twice dyed as thou complainest thou hast been by relapsing into the same sin Yea the colour so incorporated into the cloath not drawne over but diving into the very heart of the wool that rub a scarlet rag on what is white and it will bestow a redish tincture upon it As perchance thy sinfull practice and president have also infected those which were formerly good by thy badnesse Yet such scarlet sins so solemnly and substantially coloured are easily washt white in the blood of our Saviour Tim. But Sir I have sinned against most serious resolutions yea against most solemne vowes which I have made to the contrary Phil. Vow-breaking though a grievous sinne is pardonable on unfaigned repentance If thou hast broken a Vow tâ—…e a knot on it to make it hold together againe It is spirituall thrift and no mis-becomming basenesse to piece and joynt thy neglected promises with fresh ones So shall thy vow in effect be not broken when new mended and remain the same though not by one intire continuation yet by a constant successive renovation thereof Thus * Jacob renewed his neglected vow of going to Bethel And this must thou doe re-inforce thy broken vowes if of moment and materiall Tim. What mean you by the addition of that clause if of moment and materiall Phil. To deale plainly I dislike many vowes men make as of reading just so much and praying so often every day of confining themselves to such a strict proportion of meate drinke sleepe recreation c. Many things may be well done which are ill vowed Such particular vowes men must be very sparing how they make First because they savour somewhat of will-worship Secondly small glory accrews to God thereby Thirdly The dignitie of vowes are disgraced by descending to too triviall particulars Fourthly Sathan hath ground given him to throw at us with a more steady aime Lastly such vowes instead of being cords to tie us faster to God prove knots to intangle our Consciences Hard to be kept but oh how heavy when broken Wherefore setting such vowes aside let us be carefull with David to keep that grand and generall vow * I have sworne and I will performe it that I will keep thy righteous judgements Tim. But Sir I have committed the sinne against the holy Ghost which the Saviour of mankind pronounceth unpardonable and therefore all your counsells and comforts unto me are in vaine Phil. The devill the father of lyes hath added this lye to those which he hath told before in perswading thee thou hast comitted the sinne against the holy Ghost For that sinne is ever attended with these two symptomes First the party guilty thereof never grieves for it nor conceives the least sorrow in his heart for the sinne he hath committed The second which followeth on the former he never wisheth or desireth any pardon but is delighted and pleased with his present condition Now if thou canst truely say that thy sinnes are a burden unto thee that thou dost desire forgivenesse and wouldest give any thing to compasse and obtaine it be of good comfort thou hast not as yet and by Gods Grace never shalt commit that unpardonable offence I will not define how neere thou hast beene unto it As David said to Jonathan there is not a haires breadth betwixt death and me So it may be thou hast mâ—…st it very narrowly but assure thy selfe thou art not as yet guilty thereof IX Dialogue Answers to the objections of a wounded Conscience drawne from the slightnesse of his Repentance Tim. I Beleeve my sinnes are pardonable in themselves but alas my stony Heart is such that it cannot relent and repent and therefore no hope of my Salvation Phil. Wouldest thou sincerely repent thou dost repent The women that came to embalme * Christ did carefully forecast with themselves Who shall role away the stone from the doore of the Sepulcher Alas their fraile faint feeble Arms were unable to remove such a weight But what followeth And when they looked they saw that the stone was rolled away for it was very great In like manner when a soule is truly troubled about the massie mighty burden of his stony heart interposed hindring him from comming to Christ I say when he is seriously and sincerely solicitous about that impediment such desiring is a doing such wishing is a working Doe thou but take care it may be removed and God will take order it shall be removed Tim. But Sir I cannot weep for my sinnes My eyes are like the pit wherein Joseph was put there is no water in them I cannot squeeze one teare out of them Phil. Before I come to answer your objection I must premise a profitable observation I have taken notice of a strange opposition betwixt the tongues and eyes of such as have troubled Consciences Their tongues some have known and I have heard complaine that they cannot weepe for their sinnes when at that instant their eyes have plentifully shed store of teares not that they speake out of dissimulation but distraction So somtimes have I smiled at the simplicity of a Child who being amased and demanded whether or no he could speake hath answered No If in
not yet pleased to give it or the Patient not yet prepared to receive it or the Minister not well fitted to deliver it Tim. How from God not yet pleased to give it Phil. His time to bestow consolation is not yet come now no plummets of the heaviest humane importunity can so weigh downe Gods Clock of Time as to make it strike one minute before his houre be come Till then his Mother her selfe could not prevaile with * Christ to worke a Miracle and turn water into wine and till that minute appointed approach God will not in a wounded conscience convert the water of affliction into that wine of comfort which maketh glad the heart of the soule Tim. How may the hindrance be in the Patient himselfe Phil. He may as yet not be sufficiently humbled or else God perchance in his providence fore-seeth that as the prodigall child when he had received his portion riotously mis-spent it so this sick soule if comfort were imparted unto him would prove an unthrift and ill husband upon it would lose and lavish it God therefore conceiveth it most for his glory and the others good to keep the comfort still in his owne hand till the wounded conscience get more wisdome to manage and employ it Tim. May not the sick mans too meane opinion of the Minister be a cause why he reaps no more comfort by his counsell Phil. It may Perchance the sicke man hath formerly slightand neglected that Minister and God will not now make him the instrument for his comfort who before had beene the object of his contempt But on the other side we must also know that perchance the parties over-high opinion of the Ministers parts piety and corporall presence as if he cured where he came and carryed ease with him may hinder the operation of his advice For God growes jealous of so suspicious an instrument who probably may be mistaken for the principall Whereas a meaner man of whose spiritualnesse the patient hath not so high carnall conceipts may prove more effectuall in comforting because not within the compasse of suspition to eclipse God of his glory Tim. How may the obstructions be in the Minister himselfe Phil. If he comes unprepared by prayer or possessed with pride or unsâ—…ilfull in what he undertakes wherefore in such cases a Minister may doe well to reflect on himselfe as the * Disciples did when they could not cast out the Devill and to call his heart to account what may be the cause thereof particularly whether some unrepented-for sinne in himselfe hath not hindred the effects of his councells in others Tim. However you would not have him wholly disheartned with his ill successe Phil. O no but let him comfort himselfe with these considerations First that though the Patient gets no benefit by him he may gain experience by the patient thereby being enabled more effectually to proceede with some other in the same disease 2. Though the sickman refuseth comfort for the present yet what doth not sink on a sudden may soake in by degrees and may prove profitable afterwards Thirdly his unsucceeding paines may notwithstanding facilitate comfort for another to worke in the same body as Solomon built a Temple with most materialls formerly provided and brought thither by David Lastly grant his paines altogether lost on the wounded Conscience yet his * Labour is not in vaine in the Lord who without respect to the event will reward his endeavours Tim. But what if this Minister hath beene the means to cast this sick man downe and now cannot comfort him againe Phil. In such a case he must make this sad accident the more matter for his humiliation but not for his dejection Besides he is bound both in honour and honesty Civility and Christianity to procure what he cannot performe calling in the advice of oâ—…hers more able to assist him not conceiving out of pride or envie that the discreet craving of the helpe of others is a disgracefull confessing of his owne weaknesse like those malitious Midwives who had rather that the woman in travaile should miscarry then be safely delivered by the hand of another more skilfull then themselves XVII Dialogue What is to be conceived of their finall estate who die in a wounded Conscience without any visible comfort Tim. WHat thinke you of such who yeeld up their ghost in the agony of an afflicted spirit without receiving the least sensible degree of comfort Phil. Let me be your remembrancer to call or keep in your mind what I said before that our discourse onely concerneth the Children of God This notion renued I answer It is possible that the sick soule may receive secret solace though the standers by doe not perceive it We know how insensibly Satan may spirt and inject Despaire into a heart and shall we not allow the Lord of heaven to be more dextrous and active with his Antidotes then the devil is with his Poysons Tim. Surely if he had any such comfort he would shew it by words signes or some way were it onely but to comfort his sad kindred and content such sorrowfull friends which survive him Were there any hidden fire of consolation kindled in his heart it would sparkle in his looks and gestures especially seeing no obligation of secrecie is imposed on him as on the * blind man when healed to tell none thereof Phil. It may be he cannot discover the comfort he hath received and that for two reasons First because it comes so late when he lyeth in the Merches of life and death being so weak that he can neither speak nor make signes with Zechariah being at that very instant when the silver cord is ready to be loosed and the golden bowle to be broken and the pitcher to be broken at the fountaine and the wheele to be broken at the cisterne Tim. What may be the other reason Phil. Because the Comfort it selfe may be incommunicable in its owne nature which the party can take and not tell enjoy and not expresse receive and not impart As by the assistance of Gods Spirit he sent up * groanes which cannot be uttered so the same may from God be returned with comfort which cannot be uttered and as hee had many invisible and privy pangs concealed from the cognizance of others so may God give him secret comfort known unto himself alone without any other mens sharing in the notice thereof * The heart knoweth his owne bitternesse and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy So that his comfort may be compared to the new name given to Gods servants * which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it Tim. All this proceeds on what is possible or probable but amounts to no certainty Phil. Well then suppose the worst this is most sure though he die without tasting of any comfort here he may instantly partake of everlasting joyes hereafter Surely many a despairing soule groaning out his last breath with feare and
sanctifie the endeavours of Franciscus Junius that learned godly Divine that upon true information of her judgement she was presently and perfectly comforted Tim. Doth God give ease to all in such manner on a sudden Phil. O no Some receive comfort all in a lump and in an instant they passe from Midnight to bright day without any dawning betwixt Others receive consolation by degrees which is not poured but dropt into them by little and little Tim. Strange that Gods dealing herein should be so different with his servants Phil. It is to shew that as in his proceedings there is no * variablenesse such as may import him mutable or impotent so in the same there is very much variety to prove the fulnesse of his power and freedome of his pleasure Tim. Why doth not God give them consolation all at once Phil. The more to employ their prayers and exercise their patience One may admire why * Boaz did not give to Ruth a quantity of Corn more or lesse so sending her home to her mother but that rather he kept her still to gleane but this was the reason because that is the best charity which so relieves anothers poverty as still continues their industry God in like manner will not give some consolation all at once he will not spoil their painful but pious profession of gleaning still they must pray and gather and pray and gleane here an eare there a handfull of comfort which God scatters in favour unto them Tim. What must the party doe when he perceives God and his comfort beginning to draw nigh unto him Phil. As * Martha when she heard that Christ was a comming staid not a minute at home but went out of her house to meet him So must a sick soule when consolation is a comming haste out of himselfe and hie to entertain God with his thankefullnes The best way to make a Homer of comfort encrease to an Ephah which is * ten times as much is to be heartily gratefull for what one hath already that his store may be multiplyed He shall never want more who is thankefull for and thrifty with a little Whereas ingratitude doth not only stop the flowing of more mercy but even spils what was formerly received XIX Dialogue How such who are compleatly cured of a wounded conscience are to demeane themselves Tim. GIve me leave now to take upon me the person of one recovered out of a wounded conscience Phil. In the first place I must heartily congratulate thy happy condition and must rejoyce at thy upsitting whom God hath raised from the bed of despaire welcome David out of the deepe Daniel out of the Lions Den Jonah from the Whales belly Welcome Job from the Dunghill restored to health and wealth againe Tim. Yea but when Jobs bretheren came to visit him after his recovery every one gave him a piece of * money and an eare-ring of gold But the Present I expect from you let it be I pray some of your good counsell for my future deportment Phil. I have need to come to thee and commest thou to me Faine would I be a Paul sitting at the feet of such a Gamaliel who hath been cured of a wounded conscience in the height thereof I would turn my tongue into eares and listen attentively to what tidings he bringeth from Hell it selfe Yea I should be worse then the brethren of Dives if I should not believe one risen from the dead for such in effect I conceive to be his condition Tim. But waving these digressions I pray proceed to give me good advice Phil. First thankfully owne God thy principall restorer Comforter Paramount Remember that of * ten Lepers one onely returned to give thanks which sheweth that by nature without grace over-swaying us it is ten to one if we be thankful Omit not also thy thankfulnesse to good men not onely to such who have been the Architects of thy comfort but even to those who though they have built nothing have borne burthens towards thy recovery Tim. Goe on I pray in your good counsell Phil. Associate thy self with men of afflicted minds with whom thou mayst expend thy time to thine and their best advantage O how excellently did Paul comply with Aquila and Priscilla As their hearts agreed in the generall profession of Piety so their hands met in the trade of * Tent-makers they abode and wrought together being of the same occupation Thus I count all wounded consciences of the same company and may mutually reap comfort one by another Onely here is the difference they poore soules are still bound to their hard task and trade whilst thou happy man hast thy Indentures cancelled and being free of that Profession art able to instruct others therein Tim. What instructions must I commend unto them Phil. Even the same comfort wherewith thou thy selfe was * comforted of God with David tell them what God hath done for thy soule and with Peter being strong * strengthen thy brethren conceive thy 〈◊〉 like Joseph therefore sent before and sold into the Egypt of a wounded conscience where thy feet were hurt in the stocks the irons entered into thy soule that thou mightest provide food for the famine of others and especially be a purveyor of comfort for those thy bretheren which afterwards shall follow thee down into the same dolefull condition Tim. What else must I doe for my afflicted bretheren Phil. Pray heartily to God in their behalfe When David had prayed Psal. 25. 2. O my God I trust in thee let me not be ashamed In the next verse as if conscious to himself that his prayers were too restrictive narrow and nigardly he enlargeth the bounds thereof and builds them on a broader bottome yea let none that wait on thee be ashamed Let charity in thy devotions have Rechoboth roome enough beware of pent Petitions confined to thy private good but extend them to all Gods servants but especially all wounded consciences Tim. Must I not also pray for those servants of God which hitherto have not been wounded in conence Phil. Yes verily that God would keepe them from or cure them in the exquisite torment thereof Beggars when they crave an almes constantly use one main motive that the person of whom they beg may be preserved from that misery whereof they themselves have had wofull experience If they be blind they cry Master God blesse your eye sight if lame God blesse your limbs if undone by casuall burning God blesse you and yours from fire Christ though his person be now glorifyed in heaven yet he is still subject by sympathy of his Saints on earth to hunger nakednes imprisonment and a wounded conscience and so may stand in need of feeding cloathing visiting comforting and curing Now when thou prayest to Christ for any favour it is a good plea to urge edge and enforce thy request withall Lord grant me such or such a grace and never mayst thou