or likely to afford them comfort and resolue what ever the prescription be to giue way to it in their practise a Luk. 3.12 14. what shall we doe say souldiers people all affrighted with Iohn Baptists thundring sermon b Act. 2.37 what must we do to be saved say the distressed Iewes c as if they had said prescribe what thou wilt be it never so harsh to flesh and blood never so crossing to profit pleasure reputatiō any thing we are resolved to do it that we may obtaine comfort that a castaway ever comes to so peremptory or steddy resolution thou shalt hardly finde 2 To a child of God c Iob 33.23.24 the Interpreter that one of a thousand that declares to a man thus perplexed Gods righteousnesse wil be for ever welcome d Rom. 10.15 his feet beautifull that brings the tidings of peace recōcilement with God Is it thus with an alien longer then he hath vse of a minister 3 The wound once felt makes for ever feareful to offend Gods childrē once scortcht with the flame of Gods wrath for ever e Heb. 12. vlt. dread that consuming fire from others whiles they are vpō the rack we may hear sōe good speeches seldome see performāce whē Gods hād is removed 4 Such yee shall see wonderfull f Mat 5.3.7 compassionate towards others in like miserie what they haue felt themselues they cānot but commiserate pitie in others by experience of sorrowes they learne compassion 5 Such yee shall see of all others men of strictest practise and those little sinnes as some tearme them which others swallow without scruple they carefully fly from as odious in the sight of God More might bee annexed but this shall suffice for explaning the nature of this evil A wounded spirit The attribute followes which is intolerablenes Who can beare it that is to say none without speciall and extraordinary grace sustaining The intolerablenes of this evil I meane not at large to amplifie hearts that feele it easily acknowledge it and I am loath to multiply their feares those that never felt it till they feele will not beleeue Only take taske 1 by the fearefull extremities it hath driven many into g Mat. 27.5 Iudas was not alone in his discomfortable end but hath had alas for pitty and hath daily many followers h Iob. 2.4 skin for skin all that a mā hath he wil giue for life but life yea if it were tē thousand liues mē that feel this woūd in extremity with out hope of release wil prodigally cast away to be rid of this torture 2 The feares it affrights withall are strange i Prov. 28.1 They flie saith Salomon when none pursueth even k Levit. 26.37 at the noise of a leafe shaken tremble at their owne shadow yea are l Ier 20 4. a terror to themselues Affraid saith David and affrighted m Psal 53.5 where no feare is 3 Yea what extremities hath it brought Gods deare Saints vnto Iob the mirrour of patience yet vnder this cross so impatiēt so vnlike himself that n Iob 6.8.9 he wisheth for death o Ps 77.8 9. David the mā after Gods own hart it draue if not to blasphemy yet to some thing neer of kin to blasphemy The like or greater might be instāced of others Heathens to expresse the horrour of it set it out in that fiction of hellish furies following the flagitious with burning firebrands and torturing with all extremities It may perhaps seeme strange this evill shoulde be so intollerable paines of the body many by fortitude haue outborne yea paines of fire some not only Martyrs but miscreants haue endured other griefes of the minde time or counsell or necessity or something digests What should be in this point of conscience to make the woūd so intolerable Respon There are in this evill two things eminent more then in other First whereas in all other afflictions man hath to doe with man or at worst with Devils in this man cōflicteth immediatly with God himselfe fraile man with the Almighty God sinfull man with the holy God p Hab. 1.13 whose eies are pure and can endure no vncleane thing to stand before him that is in his wrath q Heb. 12.29 a consuming fire 2 Whereas in all other evils a man is still a friend to himselfe in this he is at warre with himselfe a scourge to himselfe r Ier. 20 4. a terrour to himselfe And whatsoever he is or hath all conspire to work his torture vnderstanding memory senses members whatsoever is within him with out him what he thinks of remembers sees hears all turnes to his torment and therefore no marvell if it be so intolerable To draw now to conclusion of these generals thus applying making vse of this attribute of intolerablenes given to this evill We haue a company of gallants in the world men for the present as Paule speakes ſ Eph. 4 19. past feeling and given over to worke wickednes even with greedinesse that laugh at the sheepishnes of Gods children who of scruple abstaine from idle yea from profane speech yea from lewdest and most vngracious actions oathes periury whoredome so do my bloud any thing alike to them heaven and hell God and Devill peace and trouble of conscience all are with them but fables They talke of Hell say they and torments thereof as preachers will haue them intolerable the t Mar. 9.43 44 worme never dies and the fire never goes out Now if this be al their hel the gnawing of a worme c. who would be so foolish as for it to barre himselfe of the pleasures of this life Now Lord that thou wert pleased to grāt such Atheists but one houres sense of that worme which they so much scoffe at I am perswaded it s neither poverty nor prison nor sword nor fire nor any other torture but they would choose to make exchāge for it al the world said one once for a good conscience wonder we at the wish The wound of conscience saith Salomon who can beare Let vs all therefore be admonished to take heed how we wound conscience and bring on our selues this vnsufferable evill Of all blessings of God incident to this life pray for this the peace of a good cōscience u Phil. 4 7. it passeth saith Paule all vnderstanding of all mischiefes keepe thy selfe from this a torturing and accusing conscience saith Salomon who can beare it Wouldest thou knowe what makes it It is sinne any sinne be it but a scruple or dram never so little it frets like poison in the bowels It may be indeed custome of sinning as a callum or brawny skin makes conscience senslesse for the time but that callum once removed no flesh so tender But especially beware of sinnes against Conscience that is sins against knowledge a and recoyled against by conscience these are the torturing sins indeed that racke conscience whē God
of his own sonnes blood is not so prodigally bestowed Now this first distresse is vsually strengthned by three other particulars 1. Greatnesse of transgressions 2. Long continuance in a course of sinning 3. Our own indisposition to partake forgiuenesse For greatnesse of sinne we haue n Gen. 4.13 Cains instance And though the issue be better in Gods children then in the brood of Cain yet the distresse it selfe is incident to Gods dearest servants And herein alas how wittie and even Rhetoricall are Gods children to aggravate theire infirmities still they will be finding out somewhat wherein their sinnes haue exceeded the sinnes of others to which the Lord hath granted pardon It is true they confesse o 1. Tim. 1.13 Paule a blaspheamer a persecutour was receaued to mercy but what he did be did ignorantly through vnbeleefe I against my knowledge and conscience Peter sinned grievously p Mat. 26.75 but wept bitterly my heart is so hardned that not one teare can be wrung out for my many sinnes Manasses shed much blood but in his tribulation q Par. 33.12.13 he prayed earnestly and humbled himselfe greatly before the Lord God of his Fathers I besides a few cold wishes and a little hanging downe the head after the guise of those Hypocrites Isa 58. find no such thing in my selfe The sinne which the Lord would hereby chasten and prevent is our former extenuations and sleight esteeme of the offence of God we were wont to say of our sins as Lot of Zoar r Gen. 19.20 are they not little ones and our soule may liue Oathes say profane men perhaps we haue said too what are they but words and words but winde Scoffing and fabling wanton speech but merry talke Profane sports honest recreations grosser enormities humane frailties The Lord would now teach thee otherwise to esteeme sins to weigh them in the ballance of the sanctuary not of thine owne fancy and perhaps the sins thou formerlie thoughtest little are nowe felt as a burthen too heavy for thee to beare The remedies are these First humble thy selfe before the great God whose offence thou hast so lightly esteemed pray God to forgiue this thought of thy hart that ever thou hast thought any sin little and resolue hereafter to make conscience as well of smaller as of greater sins knowing that thou art ſ Mat. 12.36 countable for the least even to an idle word When thou hast this done consider then the endlesnes of Gods mercy in Christ Iesus view the t Eph 3.18 height and depth and length and breadth those immense dimensions of Gods grace and loue in Christ Heare the Lord himselfe describing himselfe to Moses u Ex. 34 6 7. The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slow to anger abundant in goodnesse and truth reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquitie and sin c. So many attributes of mercy and grace so few of power and iustice what argue they but almost a greater propension to shew mercy then to execute iudgement Heare the Apostle * 2. Cor 1.3 God the father of mercies againe God which is rich in mercy Heare Isay x Isai 55.7 He is very readie to forgiue heare S. Iames y Iac. 5.11 of much bowels and tender commiseratiō And reiect that saying of Cain z Gen. 4 13. my sin is greater then can be forgiven Mentiris Cain saith S. Augustin thou lyest Caine for greater is Gods mercy then al mās iniquitie When thou hast thus dwelt a while vpon meditation of the endlesse mercy of God see then the a 1. Pet. 1.18 19. price paide to expiate not only little but even greatest sins Is there any thinkest thou so great which the b Heb. 9.14 1. Ioh. 1.7 blood of the sonne of God a person so excellent cannot expiate Nimirum Deus meus saith Augustine si aequa lance delicta peccantis hominis redimentis gratiâ librentur Authoris non tantum oriens ab occidente sed inferior separatur infernus à summo Coeli cardine Now surely my God saith S. Augustine if the offences of man sinning and the grace of God redeeming be piezed in even ballance the East hath not so far difference frō the West nor the lowest hell from the highest heaven c. Ad vnto these those sweete promises propounded in the word of God c Isai 1.17 89 Cease to doe evill learne to do well c. Though thy sins were red as scarlet they shal be white as wooll And out of them frame this comfortable sound conclusion There is no sinne capable of repentance but the same is also capable of pardon Lastly consider examples of great sinners received to mercy d 2. Par. 33.12 13. Manasseh Peter e 1. Tim. 1.13 16. Paul c. and know Gods dealings are exemplary in them the Lord sheweth what al might expect that by their example shoulde in after times beleeue and repent A seconde particular strengthening this distresse is long continued practise of sin with contempt of grace offered This is that that more exasperates the wound and makes it bleed a fresh I know saith the distressed soule Gods mercies are infinite Christs merit endlesse but I haue long dwelt in practise of sin neglected many a gracious invitation foreslowed repentance that now I am perswaded the iudgement threatned by the Prophet hath seized on me f Ezec. 24.13 because the Lord would haue purged me and I was not purged therefore I shall never bee purged The sin the Lord would hereby chasten and prevent is procrastination those prophane resolutions time enough yet repent when we are old and those hellish speeches young Saints old Devils youth must haue his swinge and let vs be merry we can neuer do it younger The Lord would by this distresse teach thee that it is g Lam. 3.27 good to beare the yoake in youth that repentance the sooner it is performed the more comfortable and that grace must be accepted when the Lord offers it not when we shal be at leasure And now I dare say thou wishest thou hadst bin sooner wise for thy soule and even in youth laid the foundation of thine endles comfort For remedy this doe first bewaile delaies now so discomfortable in sense pray God to pardon that presumptuous neglect of his gracious invitations And now purpose to h Ephe. 5.16 redeeme the time and i 1. Pet. 4.2.3 as much time as remaines in the flesh consecrate wholly to the service of God This done build thy selfe vpon perswasion of this truth that promise of pardon is made without limitation to any time person or nūber of offences repentance being once performed Ierusalem had long weltered in the blood of the saints yet heare our Saviour k Luk. 19.42 oh if thou hadst known but in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace that is to say notwithstāding all the blood of the Prophets and
is pleased to awake it when men * Iac. 4.17 know they do evil and perhaps heare the voice of conscience as another Lot admonishing x Gen. 19.7 oh deale not so wickedly or as Ioseph to his Mistris y Gen. 39.9 how canst thou do this great wickednes and sin against God and yet breake out to enormities these feare they turne in their issue into gall and wormewood And herein alas how desperat are many running to practise of the grossest enormities which nature it selfe condēns as whoredome drunkennes c and never considering conscience being thorough custome of sinning stupified how deadly they wound it and what horror they lay vp for themselues against when God shal be pleased to enter iudgement with them Oh that they would but cōsider the lamētable ends of such sinners that this z Gen. 4.7 Lyon of an evill conscience once rowsed thorough horrour driues many vnto How many alas how many every day heare we of running with Iudas to the halter to be their owne hangmen or cut throats and posting as it were out of the hell of an evill conscience to the hel of fire brimstone burning for ever before the throne of God And why should any living in the same sins secure himselfe from like iudgement But of the wound this farre 3 Let vs see now what that balme is so soveraign that hath vertue to cure it or in plainer tearmes what course is to be holden of such as are distressed that they may finde comfort Two principall Ingredients wee haue in S. Peters prescript to his patients at Ierusalem a Act 2.38 Amende your liues 2 be baptized for remission of sinnes salues soveraigne indeed for a wounded soule we can finde none better then repentance 2 and faith and whatsoever is a meanes to assure vs that our sinnes for Christs sake are forgiven vs. This do therefore whē the Lords hand shall in this kind be vpon thee search thy heart diligently for whatsoever is amisse in thee leaue neither sinnes of age no nor of youth sinnes of life nor of nature vnsifted for all these humble thy selfe vnder Godes mightie hande b Is 1.16 17 18. cease to doe evill learne to doe well thē though thy sins be red as scarlet the Lord shall make them white as wooll But this be assured never to haue this wound soundly cured till thy sinnes those especially thou feelest most galling be repēted 2 This done goe on in thy prescript vsing all holy meanes to obtaine faith in the blood of Christ c Heb 9.14 Rom. 5.1 that blood and it only infused hath vertue to cure the bleeding wounds of conscience The meaning is thou must labour to see and beleeue thine owne share in Christs death and satisfaction that thou maist be able to say as Paul from sound experience d Gal. 2.20 Christ loved me and gaue himselfe for me This perswasion once vpon sound evidence obtained whatsoever Devill or conscience can suggest for discomfort is easily removed and till that assurance in some measure be gotten never looke for solid peace in thy conscience And therefore by the way heare not them that teach you can never be assured of your salvation or pardon of sinnes in this life what e Iob. 16.2 Iob speakes of his friends in his affliction is true of such teachers miserable comforters are they to distressed consciences No racke is so torturing to the body as is their doubtfull suspense to a wounded conscience 3 And as a meanes to obtaine it carefully f Heb. 10 25 frequent the assemblies and gatherings together of the Saints where God hath appointed his interpreters those ones amongst thousands to declare vnto man his righteousnesse though it may be some little ease may bee obtained by other privat helpes yet sure they forsake their owne mercy that forsake our assemblies Hetherto ioine Christian prudence in fitting thy meditations to thy present estate The law is indeed a good g Iac. 1.23 looking glasse wherein we may behold the many blemishes and ouglie deformities of our life nature an excellent h Ier. 23.29 hammer to breake the stone of the heart but consider the heart broken needs rather i Isai 61 1. binding then breaking the spirit wounded rather lenitiues then corasiues In this case therefore Repentance faith once in any measure obtained that comfort of the Apostle is fittest to be meditated k Rom. 6.14 we are not vnder the law but vnder grace he meanes in respect of iustification And therefore though the law condemne thee for remainds of sinne yet grace acquits and accepts thee for thy faith in Christ Lastly beware of hellish courses which many take as merry company sports to driue away qualmes of conscience as some profanely tearme them the l Dan. 5.4 5 6 hand writing on the wall makes Belshazzar tremble in midst of his iollitie they are but as a draught of cold water in a fever mitigating the fervour for the present yet so as it after exasperateth the griefe Having thus handled the generals it remaines now that we proceed to some particulars the rather for that the weaknesse of most is such in this misery that except their owne particular and the particulars are almost infinit bee salued little or no ease is brought to the distressed Our order shall be this First consider we the severall occasions out of which this distresse ariseth 2 For that my purpose is to speake of it only as it is in Gods children for chastisement or prevention see wee what these speciall sinnes are which by the severall distresses God would correct or prevent in his servants Lastly as the Lord shal enable proceed we to remedies such as either Scriptures or experience hath approved for soveraigne Let no man require exact method or curious sorting them to their heads no nor enumeration of all particulars which are almost infinite It shall suffice to propound those only that occasioned this paines and that in the same order which the sicke soule for whose sake this paines was first vndertaken confusedly kept in vttering her distresses And in the forefront place we that that ariseth frō supposed vnpardonablenes of sinne This is the general that most affrights opinion that the Lord either cannot or will not pardon transgressions committed so long as but that principle of the Leper is holden m Mat. 8.2 Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane anguish of heart is never so great The sinne the Lord would by this distresse chasten or prevent in his children seemes probably this A former conceit they haue had in the daies of their vanitie that of all things pardon of sinnes is easiest obtained at the hands of God a stroke on the breast I cry God mercy thou hast thought perhaps sufficient to purchase a pardon The Lord would now teach thee it cost more to redeeme a soule and that pardon purchased with the price