lost them for ever if sense must bee his judge and give the sentence Christ therefore doth shew him his weakenesse and failing in saying to him Thomas Blessed are they that have not seene and yet have beleeved verse 29. you that will have all by sight and feeling or else you will never bee quiet I tell you 1. That sense is not a fit judge of a Christians spirituall condition it cannot at all times see into our estates much lesse report our estate unto us the spirituall Psal 73. 28. condition may be without all feeling eyes may faile and flesh faile and God frowne and faith onely expresse such acts as are pure and hidden grounding it selfe upon the naked promise and how can sense report and give sentence 2. That sense is yea and nay it maketh our condition to bee good and bad lost and found and that many times in one day nay in one hower and all because it looketh on the outside of things judging according to outward appearance I yeeld that it is uncomfortable for a man to walke without his feeling but it is as uncertaine to walke alltogether by feeling 3. That the spirituall course of Christians doth many times goe against all the sense of Christians sense and the promise are many times at a contradiction the promise goeth on when sense cannot perceive it but behold the contrary and how can sense meeting with contrarieties resolve 4. That sense goes mans way but faith goes Gods way sense mooves upon what appeares and takes Gods deed whereas faith relyeth upon Gods Word and pitcheth upon things invisible I will waite upon the Lord that hides his face from the house of Iacob and I will looke for him Esa 8. 17. to this purpose reade Esa 50. 10. Hab. 3. 17 18. Ninthly maintaine and set up faith beleeving is the ground of setling after yee beleeved you were sealed saith Paul Ephes 1. 13. a man cannot have the fruit before hee hath the tree nor safety before hee hath laid himselfe on the rock nor assurance before hee beleeveth looke as the soule Simile breeds seeing in the eyes and hearing in the eares so true faith doth breed in the soule true setlednesse and assurance if Christians could rise up to the granting way of faith their doubts would more and more vanish faith is 1. The first ground of all a Christians assurances and experiences if any man hath either in his soule he obtained them by faith 2. The prime instrument bringing home the comfort of all divine good unto the soule the joy of Heaven merit of Christ and favour of God cannot actually comfort and quiet mans heart untill that faith hath done its part Faith at liberty and in authority doth compose a Christians doubtings keeping him from sinking under them two waies 1. By yeelding a ground for setlednesse all the while the soule can finde and feele no bottome it cannot but doubt and stagger can the ship but rowle up and downe when the Marriner cannot finde a place to Simile fixe his anchor but when a man can finde in and by beleeving the truth and goodnesse of a promise to rest upon and can say as David Remember the Psal 119. 49. word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused mee to hope now is hee resolved and become quiet I beleeved and therefore I spake and what reason is there that a man should doubt his safety when hee is once fully set upon the rocke 2. By overmatching all the causes and grounds of doubtings imagined by Christians Christians doubt many times when as they have little reason to doubt and sometimes they thinke their reasons for their doubtings are unanswerable but faith prevailing will put the lie and folly upon al that can bee said for doubting it will shame and silence the foolish reasonings of the hearts of Gods children you may see this in David when his thoughts ranne wild upon the prosperities of wicked men and the adversities of Gods children how did his doubts come in upon him even to his sinking he saith Verily I have cleansed my heart in vaine and washed my hands in innocency for all the day long I have beene plagued but how doth he recover himselfe Surely it was by the exercise and liberty of his faith he went into the house of God and there his faith found matter and ground to worke upon and hee became better setled in his soule Psal 73. 13 14 15 16 17. and truth it is that every thing appeares in all causes of feare when faith is not the master and cannot have full power to bee agent and factor for a Christian Beleeve in the Lord your God and you shall bee established 2 Chron. 20. 20. Tenthly subdue and keepe downe sinne in the love and power thereof If iniquity bee in thine hand put it farre away and let not wickednesse dwell in thy tabernacles for then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot yea thou shalt bee stedfast and shalt not feare Iob â—â— 14 15. where wee plainely see that the more sinne doth die in its love and power within the soule the more will doubtings die too kill sinne and faith lives and doubts vanish The Apostle would that men should draw neere with a true heart in assurance Heb. 10. 22. of faith i. e. to cast away doubtings in their approaches to God and not to come indifferently may bee I shall bee accepted may bee I shall not but as verily perswaded of Gods acceptation happily some Christian might say to him how might a man doe this hee answereth having the heart sprinkled from an evill conscience q. d. faith cannot well perswade nor the heart settle till you get quit of sinne if your consciences doe charge and condemne you of evill you will bee doubtfull truth it is that doubtings are cured by Mortification the heart must bee circumcised of its unbeleeving and hardnesse and ungodlinesse ere ever wee shall get quit of doubtings if wee resolve to bee evill wee must resolve to bee doubtfull were it not for sinnefullnesse faith would bee quicker and stronger and wee more setled and staied in our mindes a heavie rhume falling into the eyes doth hinder a man from looking up and sinne entertained in the soule reares up contrary reasonings and denials to faith making the incouragements of it to bee so difficult that a Christian spirit doth faile him and hee shall not bee able to looke up Psal 40.12 CASE III. Of personall unworthinesse IT hath not a little troubled the minds of many of Gods deare children to consider what unworthy creatures they are in themselves and that they are so ill deserving at Gods hands having no more goodnesse in them to commend them to Gods acceptation and love wee finde them many times complaining and that with much griefe of heart that they have nothing in them but sinne and wickednesse and how should God ever accept such as they are to love and life under the presence
cogitare Hier in Ep. ad Dem. whatsoever is unlawfull to bee done or spoken is as unlawfull to bee thought and I am sure this is as true that such as make no conscience of thoughts will make no conscience of what they doe or speake this fancied liberty of thoughts hath opened the flood-gate and occasioned the letting in of multitude of vaine thoughts into men 2. The subjecting of thoughts unto passions and affections thoughts were ordained to moderate and take off passions there being a naturall influence from the thoughts to the affections but if men give way unto passionate distempers these will breed distraction and division of thoughts if fire bee stirred there flie up a multitude of sparkles and if passions sway they raise up a variety of disordered thoughts within us the soule thereby is no sooner delivered of one thought but it is in labour and paine with another 3. The neglecting and suppressing of the good motions of the Spirit the holy Spirit is blowing and breathing and filling the heart with good meditations which must not bee 1 Thes 5. 19. quenched if that wee will free our selves from ill thoughts 4. Looking on Satans warres my meaning is that when Satan shall inject his thoughts into us wee must not take them up and gaze upon them giving them a walking roome within us if they stay within us they will either defile us or els soone become ours 5. Evill company which doth either find us or will make us bad I say the evill discourses and examples of wicked persons will corrupt good manners and strangely alter the minde both to the evillnes of thoughts and delights 6. Idlenesse this brings forth thoughts of Atheisme and all kinde of impieties he who takes off his hand from labour doth teach his heart to think evill for the mind will still bee working though the man bee idle 't is good therefore to bee upon the duties of our calling bee made wise by David 2 Sam. 11. 1 2 3. 7. Worldlinesse there is a strong efficacie in an earthly treasure to steale away the soule both from it selfe and God the world and gaine begets a world of thoughts in the heads and hearts of men who are more full of vaine and wandering thoughts in hearing and praying then such whose hearts are set upon the riches of this world thick and foggie ayre doth darken the earth and worldly engagements do stuffe and stifle the minde stirring up many plottings and contrivements 4. Labour for strength of affections unto God the more we can keepe up spirituall affections within us setting them upon God and duty and Heaven the more we shall keep out and keepe downe carnall and sinfull thoughts it is an excellent thing to fill the head and heart with God and to be zealously affected in good things these things have a strong power over man and will make him to be thinking aright see it in David O how I love thy Law it is my meditation all the day Psal 119. 97. 5. Watch and observe the heart duly taking an account of thoughts let no thoughts come in unespied but keepe watch ward within the soule and that with much diligence and feare and learne to examine all your thoughts most strictly by the rule say often what and whence are these thoughts of mine can and doe these agree with the Word and Law of God be not too favourable unto them in your selves and you Pro. 4. shall the better suppresse them and keepe them out 6. Commit your waies unto God by faith Commit thy way Pro. 16. 3. unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall bee established I know no better way to keep out the confusion and vexation of sinnefull thoughts then by setting up faith in exercise this is a grace which will 1. Fence the minde with divine arguments against all carnall reasonings and selferesolutions 2. Answer Satan in all his reasonings and suggestions 3. Raise up the minde to quite contrary things to those which Satan puts within us and 4. When Satan doth urge his horrible thoughts upon us it will make us to flie to God with our complaints against Satan and to spread our condition before the Lord saying Lord behold mee and my condition I cannot be quiet for Satan and mine owne stirring corruptions they are still casting up evill thoughts within mee contrary to thy Word thy glory and my will Lord leade mee not into these temptations or deliver mee from the evill of these thoughts that they may not prevaile over mee Lastly know that there may be much comfort to a Christian in doing duty notwithstanding he finde many wandring and impertinent thoughts within him in dutie wee may not give over duties publique and private because of some distractions accompanying us prayer is to be used as a meanes to cure our wandrings in prayer if dirt Simile be cast into a spring men will not damme it up and for sinfull thoughts we are not to cast off spirituall performances looke upon three things which must stay the heart in dutie Three â—hings incouraging â—o duty â—nder vvandring â—houghts 1. Resolution against all sinnefull thoughts in duty when a Christian doth finde the bent of his heart to bee against them before he begin the duty he is to goe on in duty 2. Sincerity and humility in the doing of duties he that can with a sincere and humble heart goe thorough duty may take comfort in performing dutie duties must not be judged of by accidentall and involuntary imperfections but by the temper and disposition of the heart which God lookes at 3. Acceptance of duties in Christ all a Christians duties have their immediate ground of acceptance in Christ and not in the strength and setlednesse of mans performance To conclude all that at this time I meane to speake of in this Argument know that Satan in injecting of evill thoughts into the godly dealeth with them as many wicked men doe with the names of Gods children wee find that the children of others begetting are many times laid at honest mens doores and unto honest mens charge and who can stop the mouth of iniquitie yet in this case a cleare conscience is the ablest comforter and confuter just so Satan begets and stirres up within us evill thoughts and then hee would father them on us and trouble us by them but our pure hearts rising up against them and bewailing them makes us cleare of them before God who is the judge of uprightnesse and the rewarder of innocencie Deo Gloria The Table A. ABusing of conscience in 1 2. things Page 55. Abasing of conscience what page 61. Accusations of conscience page 98. Application of the plaister p. 144. Absence of Gods love page 152. Assurances for acceptance under unworthinesse 2 8. B. Labour for a Bearing spirit â— 46. Benefits by spirituall wounds p. 6. p. 85. A twofold Bearing the wound page 104. The Burden of the spirit to good and bad page
THE BEARING And BVRDEN OF the SPIRIT Wherein the sicknesse and soundnesse of the soule is opened and eight Cases of conscience cleared and resolved for the setling and comforting of perplexed consciences By JOHN SEDGVVICK Batchelor in Divinity and Preacher of GODS Word in London LONDON Printed by G. M for R. Harford and are to be sold by H. Blunden at the Castle in Cornehill 1639. TO THE WORSHIPEVLL Captaine SAMVEL CARLETON and his vertuous Wife Mrs MARTHA CARLETON Grace and Peace from Jesus Christ Beloved Friends IT is well knowne unto you at whose request these Sermons now presented joyntly to you both came to bee preached and for whose sake they are thus printed if any good come to any by either next unto God the thankes is due unto you I cannot denie to doe that service which commeth within the compasse of my calling and power which may either profit your selves or satisfie any of your Noble friends my onely sorrow is that I have so long delayed my promise and your expectations you now see long look for commeth at length and my earnest desire is that it may answer the expectation of the Noble Lady and my thankfull mind whose requitals to you and yours for many undeserved favours lay in no other way then the furthering of your spirituall good and comfort God you see gaineth glory to himselfe by weake meanes and many times derided Sermons by braine-sick and full men doe proove relishing and healing to wounded consciences I wish from my heart unto you both and all yours the peace and purity of conscience the integrity and sincerity of holy walking together with the addition of all graces and comforts belonging unto Christians and that a spurre may be found in these Sermons to prick you on to a holy care of conscience which will proove your best friend or worst enemy beleeve me friends the man is as his conscience is if that bee good in constitution and in execution all things will answer to it in life and death you enjoying its goodnesse shall not faile of its strength and boldnesse make much of it and cherish it therefore as your best lewell and in so doing I shall account my paines plentifully recompenced and be further encouraged to bee yours in what I am able when you shall bee pleased to command me in meane time I take leave and rest Yours in the Lord Iesus IOHN SEDGVVICK Soper-lane London August 21. 1638. To the Reader I Wish thee conscience and care in reading and following what is contained in the ensuing Sermons which are now more large in the Presse then they were in the Pulpit and may receive a farther addition of certaine cases if leasure shall permit in meane time let this that is done profit thee and helpe him with thy prayers who is thine in the best bond and ready to doe thee good JO SEDGVVICK THE BEARING of the burden by the SPIRIT PROV 18. 14. The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmity but a wounded spirit who can beare SAlomon in his Proverbs is the great Master of the Sentences all his Parables are master Sentences whose matter exceed their words and whose words excell not themselves each sentence is pithy and compleate and so absolute that most an end especially from the beginning of the tenth Chapter it shineth in its owne native brightnesse and therefore at this time it spares us the searching after any coherence This present Proverb presents us with two observables 1. The power of a sound spirit against all externall calamity uttered in these words The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmitie 2. The impotencie of a mans spirit against inward perplexities a wounded spirit who can beare Concerning the first part I shall enquire into these things First what is meant by the infirmity of man Secondly what is that spirit of a man which doth and will beare this infirmity of a man To the knowledge of the firstenquiry know that the infirmity of man is double Note 1. One sinfull What are all those slips frailties imperfections unwilling risings and actions befalling the godly in their progresse of Sanctification are they not infirmities and it cannot be denied but that in reference to such kinde of infirmities the spirit of a Christian is and will be sustaining So long as a man alloweth not himselfe in evill or evill in himselfe but can and doth thoroughly judge himselfe unto the bewailing and loathing and leaving of all knowne evill in this case conscience will be his comfort and his stay upholding him in the assurance of a good estate with God against all those troubling arguments and distressing feares where withall hee is daily followed 2. Another is sorrowfull humane calamity is humane infirmity take all those miseries and crosses which divine providence doth inflict either immediately or mediately upon men suppose them to lie in the goods names bodies children or friends of men And this is the infirmity of man spoken of in this Text it s no new thing for the Holy Ghost to call crosses and afflictions befalling men by the name of infirmity or weaknesse and that because of that naturall imbecillity which is found in man to free himselfe from them or to stand under them a state of calamity is a weakning estate and none are more weake then men under the crosse and rod these things doe make men feeble and infirme as sicknesse is the weakenesse of the body so crosses reproaches and afflictions are the weakenesse of man Concerning our second enquirie you must note that there is a double Spirit sustaining humane infirmity 1. One above man and yet A twofold Spirit given unto man and that is the Spirit of God who is a Spirit of power and doth helpe to beare up the burden of all our calamities likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities saith Paul Rom. 8. 26. when a Christian doth finde a weaknesse in himselfe both to doe and to suffer the Spirit of God is assistant unto him and doth make the burden easie and supportable and what we are never able to beare of our selves by his strength we can and shall beare it as the Apostle she weth saying I can do all things through him that strengthneth me Phil. 4. 13. 2. Another in man which maketh man to be man which in some places is The spirit of man diversly taken taken largely for the whole soule of man but in this place more narrowly and strictly for the conscience of man its usuall for the Hebrewes to expresse conscience under the name of the spirit or the heart of man and in the New Testament it is called in one place our spirit Rom. 8. 16. and in another place the spirit of man for what man knoweth the things of a man saving the spirit of a man which is in him 1 Cor. 2. 11. and surely if we doe Conscience called a spirit and vvhy looke unto the originall and being and manner of working of
will better helpe in sufferings and keepe up the soule in patience and comfort then the spirit which is spirituall there is no spirit to the sound spirit and the spirit can never bee sound untill that it be made spirituall conscience was made good at the first and conscience is fit for goodnesse now and goodnesse will bee the good of it and the good of man by it learne to know two things First that the goodnesse of The goodnesse of spirit stands in 7. things 1. Holines conscience stands 1. In its sanctity by spirituall renovation when as it is free from the filth of corruption and qualified with divine graces 2. In its quietnesse and peace 2. Quietnesse it must be pacified as well as purified it must not onely bee privatively quiet but also positively quiet there must not only be no torment but a blessed security and assurance within it 3. In its sincerity it must be 3. Vprightnesse upright freed from the rottennesse of guile and hypocrisie this is that truth in the inward parts which God so much delighteth in Psal 51. 6. 4. In its ability when it is 4 Stâ—engtâ— strong in execution and able to exercise its owne operations and freely disposed to spirituall imployments what good can conscience doe us whilst it is weake and unable to beare it selfe 5. In its tendernesse it must 5. Tendernesse be feeling melting yeelding and bleeding 6. In its clearenesse the 6. Clearenesse good of conscience is the light in conscience it must bee filled with saving light and be informed by the rule not onely naturall but spirituall it must in some measure in a spirituall manner see and know it selfe its God its duty its way its worke its object 7. In its freedome it must 7. Liberty have liberty although it hath a a binding power which it derives from the Word of God yet it selfe must bee freed from entanglements by sinne and error and must be brought into bondage by no creature Secondly the way to attaine this goodnesse of spirit is Two waies of attaining goodnesse of spirit 1. To bee sensibly convinced of the badnesse and naughtinesse of our spirits naturally we have within us no sparke of saving goodnesse but our hearts are full of guile and guilt and they are evill above all things Ier. 17. 9. wee foolishly fancie their naturall goodnesse and that keepeth us of from found endeavour after their spirituall goodnesse who among us would labour after that which hee conceiveth hee wants not our worke is to get sound acquaintance with the illnesse and bafenesse of our owne spirits and to bewaile the same before the Lord. 2. To set upon the use of those meanes whereby badnesse may bee remooved and Meanes of making conscience good to be are are foure 1. The Spirit true goodnesse may be brought into your consciences which I conceive are these foure 1. The Spirit in Sanctification who alone can and doth heale the infirmity of mans spirit by the subduing of corruption within him and vouchsafing courage and strength unto the inner man by the creation of all saving graces within 2. The Lord Jesus in application 2. Christ there is that vertue in the bleedings and dyings of Christ that it is able to kill and crucifie sinne and to sprinkle from an evill conscience and to purge the conscience from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9. 14. 10. 22. there is enough in the Lord Jesus to make us wholly holy and truly good in Gods sight he being made unto us of God Wisedome and Sanctification and one every way fitted for the communication of holinesse to his members 3. The Word in administration 3. The Word the Law and the Gospell meeting in the spirituall vertue thereof with the spirit of man is a notable meanes to make it good and sound the Word of God by its comfortable promises and cleare directions doth and will mightily enable the spirit in his office of upholding and strengthening man in the daies of adversity the Word of God is sutable nourishment unto the spirit it is strong and the admirable strength of the spirit it is sweet and the great refresher of the spirit it doth every way so glad and cheare mans spirit that it giveth him most sure grounds of standing under the greatest burdens Note beleeve me if that conscience bee not informed by the Word it is blind and where it is not fed by the promises it is infirme and can never beare up our infirmities Vnlesse thy Law had beene my delight I should then have perished in mine affliction Psal 119. 92. 4. Faith in operation a 4. Faith conscience full of infidelity is full of badnesse and feares and sinkings but the more beleeving a mans heart is the more sound and the more stout it is I had fainted unlesse I had beleeved to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the living Psal 27. 13. I assure you that faith is a grace that deales with the God of all comfort and the Word of all comfort and when distresses are like a strong tyde beating much upon Note us it is as a rock beating off all waves and keepes the spirit in strength and courage in times of trouble Vse 4 Lastly learne a duty of care and respect towards your spirits that they may performe their office in upholding and strengthening you in the daies of your adversity if that our Six things to be done about the spirit 1. Abuse it not spirits faile us we are undone and to this purpose I shall advise you unto these things 1. Abuse not conscience the abuse of our best friends is base and we cannot with safety Tvvelve vvaies of abusing conscience to our selves abuse our spirits Now men abuse their conscience 12. waies 1. By resisting the motions of conscience there is in conscience a certaine naturall power either by a watch word to give warning when men are bent to sinne or to give the check after the commission of sin it is a word within us and behind us it doth dictate to us and direct us Now when a man shall crosse conscience in this worke and notwithstanding all that it saith and doth go on in an evill way this is the abuse of conscience by an act of resistance 2. By disregarding the motions of conscience conscience is speaking and that very loud it many times groweth importunate with us and stands in our way at every turne Now when men turne away their eare and passe over conscience finding out other matters of very purpose that they may not answer or follow conscience it is a great abuse of conscience Acts 24. 26. 3. By wounding and wasting conscience our spirits are tender things and should be gently used it is as our eye and every the smallest dust offends it it is as a glasse and every knocke crackes it it is a brittleship and we may soone
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.
Shut carnall security out of doores 2. Avoide all occasions of sinning play not upon the hole of the Aspe and come not neare the den of the Cockatrice 3. Wisely withstand temptations unto all sin and wickednesse 4. Keep close to the rule in a holy and religious practise 5. Give contentment unto conscience in nothing willingly offend or displease it this is the wages that is due unto it for sustaining our infirmity we are not to displease such a friend that beareth all our costs and charges and taketh upon him the burden of all our cares and doth not conscience much more for us Learne then 1. To give God The contenting of conscience stands in 2. things content in the pleasing of God you greatly content conscience the servant hath no reason to bee offended all the while his master is quieted 2. To promote conscience in its power unto its place conscience must bee more worth unto us then the world wealth must not buy it worship cannot equall it and wee must not preferre the pleasing of men or our selves unto it it is the discontent of conscience to bee undervalued or to bee put off at low rates and surely if the governement of conscience bee despised it cannot bee pleased conscience is conscience and will and must bee knowne and acknowledged to bee conscience you must heare and obey conscience goe and doe what conscience enjoyneth wee must worke and stop and feare and hope and give and lend and restore when conscience bids us conscience must not be crossed and vexed by us wittingly or willingly it deserves better of us 6. Prevent the wound and torment of it take care that you make it not terrible and troublesome unto your selves if it be your burden how shall it then be able to sustaine your infirmity we reade forward in the Text a wounded spirit who can beare THE BVRDEN of the spirit under its wounds But a wounded spirit who can beare HEere wee have the impotencie of mans spirit against inward perplexities laid down by way of an interrogation which is a most vehement Negation who can beare i. e. no man can beare it in which words the Holy Ghost doth teach us these two things 1. That the spirit of man may be wounded 2. That the wounded spirit is insupportable Wee will begin with the possible estate of the spirit or conscience of man which is this Doct. 2 That it may come under great and fearefull wounds I am Mans spirit may be greatly wounded poore and needy and my heart is wounded within me saith David Psal 109. â—2 and againe he tells us that his spirit was overwhelmed within him Psal 142. 3. we finde wicked men and good men wounded in their spirits unto great vexation I shall briefely open unto you three things 1. What a wounded spirit is 2. The difference of the wound in the good and bad 3. The grounds and causes of this wound For the first know that a wounded spirit is a spirit which A wounded spirit what for the time doth sensibly suffer miserable and in a sort hellish evills in a distressefull uncomfortable fearefull restlesse and desperate manner There goeth to the making of the wounded spirit these things 1. Miserable and in a degree hellish evills I say that innumerable evills doe compasse the soule it is not one misery but an army which doth at this time follow a man thou renewest thy plagues against me and thou increasest thy wrath upon me changes and armies of sorrowes are aginst mee saith Iob 10. 17. the soule is cast into a peck of troubles and into the abundance of calamity yea and it is such kind of misery which nothing can better represent and shaddow then the very paines of the damned the soule for the time feeleth that gnawing worme and lieth as it were boyling and frying in hell fire there is no torment like unto it it goeth beyond all having a fullnesse and exquisitenesse of misery in it 2. The feeling of those miserable evills a man hath now his conscience opened and is made to know and apprehend the extremities of miseries which now lieth upon him even with fullnesse of weight the spirit of man is living and very tender and misery and distresse is felt In a seared conscience there is nothing but senselesnesse for that is past feeling Ephes 4. 19. but in a wounded conscience there is some life and tendernesse the practicall notions are not quite extinguished the naturall light is still burning and indeed miseries would not be miseries unto us did they not touch us to the quick 3. The manner of the apprehending of those miserable evills which is every way most grievous for First of all it is with much distrosse of foule the soule is thereby filled with unspeakeable Psal 77. anguish and paine it is as it were put upon the rack and putto torture and torment in extremity my soule is soretroubled saith David Psal 6. 3. there is such a strange oppression upon the spirit that the heavinesse of it is unto death Mat. 26. 37. Secondly it is without all comfort unto the spirit it is all darknesse without the mixture of light the spirit of a man is so drunke up that it now wasteth it selfe in daily heavinesse O that my griefe were well weighed saith Iob 6. 2. My soule refused comfort saith David Psal â—7 2. a man under the wound of conscience is so under the power of discomfort and so swallowed up of heavinesse that the soule can enjoy no spirituall or naturall comfort for the time every thing doth terrifie it nothing doth comfort it Thirdly it is a spirit filled with horror and feare and that not only in the apprehension of present misery but by the expectation of more and future evills the wounded spirit is a spirit of horrible bondage and keepes a man in bondage to servile terrors trembling thoughts the dreadfull sound is alwaies heard and such men doe create meditate and multiplie feares the spirit of trembling doth so overtake them that they are a terror unto themselves they daily apprehend nothing but guilt and wrath and death and hell and damnation Iob 15. 21. Deut. 28. 65. Dan. 5. Ier. 20. 4. Fourthly it is full of unquietnesse and daily tossings and tumblings it is exceeding restlesse and raging O the disquiet of a wounded conscience the sea in time of tempest is not more raging and rowling madnesse is not more working and unquiet the plague and other impetuous diseases are not more vexing and restlesse to a man then a wounded spirit is Thou keepest mine eyes waking saith David Psal 77. 4. When I held my tongue my bones consumed thine hand is heavie upon me day and night Psal 2. 3 4. My sore ran and ceased not in the night Psal 77. 2. Why art thou so disquieted within me O my soule Psal 43. 5. Lastly the spirit is cast into the devouring gulfe of desperation such under the feeling of their
and it was his wounding The arrowes of the Almighty are within me the poyson whereof drinkes up my spirit the terrors of God do set themselves in array against mee c. Iob 6. â—4 5. The wound is made by the failing of testimonie from Failing of conscience conscience unto man upon repaire made unto it the good or evill day of a Christian is set by the voice of conscience unto him Now when conscience is silent and shall speake neither good nor bad unto a Christian when as no testimony at all shall stand up but after great and studious enquiry no verdict can bee obtained this is asad wound to the spirit The misery of conscience in silence in three things and it doth exceedingly distract and divide a Christian Note the effects of conscience in silence 1. It giveth man but a negative estate and that cannot satisfie and settle the soule it is not enough to my quiet that God lookes not as mine enemy but hee must looke like a friend on me 2. It giveth suspition of a neutrall estate so as a man cannot tell whether God and conscience be for him or against him 3. It breeds a suspition of a bad estate withdrawments and suspensions are sometimes the fore-runners of bitter intentions 6. The wound is in the spirit from the over great accusing Accusations of conscience power of conscience conscience in its accusations shewing the guiltinesse of sin and expressing the anger of God towards a man for sin in a cheerefull and excusing conscience we may behold a gratious God Note accepting and acquitting us in a silent conscience wee can suspect a doubtfull God wee know not which way God is or will be unto us and in an accusing conscience we doe behold an angry God and our selves most miserable creatures when a Christian shall bee totally under the accusations of conscience that his conscience shall speake nothing to him but that his heart is base and vile and that in such and such particular passages of his life he was not right and perfect but hollow and hypocriticall when I say conscience shall thus charge sin upon men this is the time of their wounding as wee may see in Iudas Mat. 27. 5. 7. Another thing which maketh the wound within us is Selfe jealousies an evill jealousie and an over-hard opinion of our selves and estates towards God Some men fall out with themselves and other men fall from themselves shall I say that they censure themselves and charge themselves falsely concluding against a state of grace and charging themselves with hypocrisie and insincerity without just cause Sure I am this is too too frequent among Gods children who upon such grounds as these doe mis-judge themselves and thereby make too great a wound within their spirits I say because they finde within themselves the want of such measure of graces and expressions of obedience which they once had desire to have and see others have when they see within themselves a partiall and temporary indisposednesse unto spirituall required duties when as gifts and graces for a time lie hid and dead in respect of vigour and sensible operations when all endeavours seeme to be fruitlesse and a Christian finds to his seeming the ordinances to go and come without all life and power unto him passing no influence of bettering into his soule Now hee sits him downe in griefe and the soule begins not onely to misgive or mistrust it selfe but to question the truth of all and it not only feares but concludes that surely the hands were washed in vaine and whatsoever hath beene done in religion and in the service of God it hath beene done in hypocrisie Psal 73. 13. and can you conceive how deepely this doth wound the spirit of a man 8. A next thing greatly wounding to the spirit of man is the New risings of old sins New rifings of old sins I meane when those sins which long since were committed and long since bewailed and long since renounced and wee long since did obtaine within our hearts some comfortable assurance of their pardon do meete us in their guilt not yet remooved as a debt not yet discharged and as an evill not yet thoroughly healed this causeth miserable trouble within the soule and upon this these conceits fall in Surely this sin of mine is not pardoned why would God remember it Surely there was but a skinning over the soare my heart was never healed by Sanctification how could it be that my sins should haunt mee againe this is now the sicknesse and death of many a soule 9. Lastly I conceive that this maketh the wound in the spirit Want of some good desired of man the want of some desired good it is not the absence of good generally considered which maketh the spirit to bee wounded for there are such whose unfeelingnesse is such that they have no sense of sinne nor of any spirituall want lying upon them but that which maketh the wound of the spirit to a man is this when his wants are presented unto him and their supplies are suspended and denied the soule would have mercy and mercy is denied him he would have ease and he seekes it and yet he is kept in misery when a mans prayers makes not their returnes but a man calles and none answers comforts delayed or denied do breake the heart and greatly wound the heart Doct. 3 I passe on to the next point That a wounded spirit is a burden The wound suffered yet not borne insupportable by the sonnes of men no man can beare it men must suffer and endure the perplexities thereof but beare A twofold bearing it that is to sustaine a mans selfe under it no man can this wound cannot bee borne with 1. With ease ease so as men enduring and feeling it should make nothing of it but it is with 2. With difficulty great difficulty and disquietment a burning feaver carrying Simile with it the inflammation of the spirits is not borne without much sense and horror so a wounded spirit even by the stoutest of spirits cannot be borne then with strongest and strangest torments men must yeeld themselves unto it and lie downe under it of necessity nay it is a wound unsupportable to all men that are vexed with it there is no withstanding The burden is too great 1. To good men 2. To bad men this wound by any man nor any standing under it by any man unto bad men it hath beene unsupportable O how grievous was it unto Caine who cries out My punishment is more then I can beare Gen. 4. 13. Iudas out of the trouble felt by it hangs himselfe to be rid out of it Mat. 27. 4. many thorough the weight and torment of it have beene forced to throw themselves downe from high mountaines to stabb and poyson and drowne themselves nay unto good men whose grace and strength was great and much this wound hath beene wounding
witnesse David Psal 32. 3 4. Hezekiah Ezek. 38. 13 14. and holy Iob in his whole History and Christ himselfe suffering this wound without sin in his humane spirit cried out under its burden My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and it cannot Reasons prooving the burden of a wounded conscience are seaven be otherwise if we consider these reasons First a wounded spirit is a burden unto it selfe why hast thou set me as a marke against thee so that I am a burden unto my selfe saith Iob 7. 20. Now all wounds and burdens that are extrinsecall a mans spirit can beare but that which lieth within it selfe it cannot you know if the ship bee whole the waves doe onely beate against Simile the side they onely threaten they sinke her not but if shee have a crack and leake within her selfe she cannot endure the stirrings of the winds nor tossings of the waves but doth easily make her selfe her owne grave thus it is with conscience it cannot be both patient and burden and under all wounds it selfe being wounded it is that which makes the burden insupportable Secondly there is no outward thing which can relieve a wounded spirit it is not all the gold of the Indies nor all the favour of Princes nor all the friends on earth that can asswage or cure this wound a troubled mind impaireth health drieth up the blood wasteth the marrow pines away the flesh consumes the bones and makes all pleasures painefull to a man nothing doth comfort it but terrifie it the light doth not comfort him would God saith he it were night the darknesse doth terrifie him his sleepe forsakes him and his dreames doe not please him hee lieth on his bed boyling in disquietnesse and wisheth for day conscience can relieve against all wounds but its owne Suppose the wound to lie in a mans honour friends and estate conscience can heale all that but it selfe being wounded in the least degree it is beyond the cure and comfort of all outward things we have a saying that no borrowing part can helpe the lending part what helpe Simile can the hand returne unto the heart if I wound my hand the heart can yeeld helpe if the nerves which draw more inwardly be wounded yet the heart can helpe it hath blood and spirits and heate enough but if the heart it selfe be wounded what shall help Thirdly the spirit under its wounds retaineth the sensiblenesse of unpardoned guilt which of all things is most raging and makes the soule most comfortlesse when a man shall apprehend his sins to bee unpardonable or unpardoned it keepes him in a perpetuall rowling and boyling it is a condition that can no way be endured for sin lieth still at the doore haunting and vexing a man Fourthly a spirit that is wounded hath to deale with the mighty and irresistible power of God Now the strength of any burden is according to the strength of him with whom wee have to deale under the wound of conscience God is following his owne cause with his owne arguments and hee is now avenging the wrong that is done to his mercy and patience and is it possible for the creature to sustaine it selfe can we imagin any enabling against Gods pressure and power a man while he is to deale with men may beare up himselfe and hee may have much strength of wit or impudencie of face to out-face all enquiries but when men are to deale with an all-seeing and an all knowing and an all-sinne revenging God the might of whose glory is able to confound men and Angels if he once shall start up our guilts and breake into our soules if he send a trembling heart and sorrowfull mind if himselfe be witnesse against us and by his power imprison and shut us up we cannot avoid it or beare it time will not ease us company will not ease us peace will not ease us when he wounds none can heale but himselfe Fifthly the wound of the spirit is accompanied with the accusations of conscience conscience cannot be bribed or put of there is no flying from it the strength of conscience is awakened and her cruelty roareth conscience under wounding doth arraigne evidence condemne and bind over unto eternall wrath for sin and it is of an indefatigable unresistible and unavoidable power in working a man by flight or death or friends may escape the Magistrates hand but by neither can he possibly ever escape from a displeased conscience a tormented conscience cannot flie from God nor can a man flie from it Sixthly the wound of spirit is of an eternall nature all other wounds end in death and are therefore the more tollerable because they be temporall but this wound endeth not in death if it be not gratiously cured it is the beginning of hell upon earth unto the wicked and it continues him in hell upon earth and after death it is that worme which still is gnawing and never dying death is not the end of this misery and this maketh it the more intollerable to be borne what heart can possibly sustaine it selfe under infinite and endlesse miseries Seventhly and lastly when and whilst men are under the wounds of conscience Satan is strongly and subtly working such is Satans cowardize that he takes us at the weakest and such is his malice that hee will yet weaken us wee being weakened already Satan falling in with the bruisings and sores of mens soules and bringing in the fretting gall of hell and powring forth the sharpest vinegar of most violent objections the soule tortured and the wound enlarged and conscience overcharged Satan now tells the sinner of the impossibility of mercy and uncapablenesse of the bloud of Christ hee now followeth him with strange endictments representations and conclusions yea and arguments of insincerity and hypocrisie and this adds to the weight and maketh the burden intollerable there is no such trouble as to be daily troubled with the divell Having thus opened the wound unto you and its burden I shall fall upon the Application of both in this manner First bee wise to know the woundednesse of your spirits and to consider what is your condition thereby I presse you to this the rather upon these grounds Vse 1 1. Because a multitude of men are under searednesse and senslesnesse of conscience 2 Tim. 4. 2. they are dead and A seared spirit is worse then a wounded spirit sleepie their spirits never moove or work within them and let mee tell you that a wounded spirit is infinitely beyond a dead spirit a troubled conscience is a mercy in respect of a seared conscience conscience in trouble may happily proove conscience in goodnesse and peace and a cure may follow it when iron is put into the fire it may be made pliable and receive another impression Simile and so we doe not know what may be the good issue of a wounded spirit unto man but you cannot hope this of conscience continuing under searednesse 2. Because men
thou bee under the same estate againe to feele those hells and sorrowes which once were endured by thee No surely than stirre up thy heart to blesse thy God who hath taken off this heavie burden from thy soule blesse him daily and duely a man can never bee thankfull enough for the ease and free dome of his spirit some men walke with senselesse spirits and they blesse God that they were never troubled in mind all the daies of their life some men walk with wounds in their spirits and would give all the world did they enjoy it for freedome and ease and shall any man enjoy the liberty and peace of his conscience from God and yet walke without joy and praise it well becommeth men healed of their wounds out of that ease and liberty they have obtained to bee very joyfull and thankefull Vse 4 Fourthly to learne us in holy feare and care least that wee should bring this heavie and insupportable wound upon our selves naturally wee shun all paenall evills and dread the plunging of our selves into distresses know that wee have said enough it is a burden that none can beare thinke not out of your ignorance and pride to outface conscience or that ever you shall be able to stand under the burden of its wounds it will amaze you and bring you downe and therefore strive to avoid the pangs and paines of it and to this purpose First know that conscience within is a most tender part which will be soone troubled and wounded Secondly know that conscience troubled is a most vexing part if a man trouble his eye Similie his eye will trouble him and so it is here all the vexations will bee unto our selves Thirdly know that conscience under wounds is pining and will languish it selfe unto death Prov. 12. 25. Fourthly consider how apt men are to wound conscience and they doe it many waies well then follow this counsell Six rules for the keeping of the wounds of spirit 1. Make no adventures upon sin for a man to make light of the least sin and impudently or improvidently to hazard his soule upon the occasions of sin is the readie way to wound the spirit there are too too many who out of a secret confidence of their selfe maintenance doe object their soules upon sinfull companies they doe as many men that goe out of their houses well and sound but home they are brought all gored and wounded in like manner sinfull occasions have the advantage of us and will soone wound us let us not proudly presume of our owne strength 't is not the largenesse of our judgements or fullnesse of our graces or the peremptorinesse of our resolutions that can keepe us presuming from foiles and wounds by sin such as make nothing of sin shall soone bee wounded and darted by sin 2. Seeke not outward pleasures too much excesse of pleasures breed excessive tremblings and sadnesse of spirit such men do pierce themselves thorough and thorough with many sorrowes who doe affect a way of worldly delight and will take their fill of pleasures who so will have the Bee must have his sting also and if wee will laugh and bee merry beyond measure wee shall lie downe and howle for vexation of spirit doe not so vainely bathe your selves in carnall delights and worldly recreations the worldlings pastime is the deadnesse and wound of a Christians conseience 3. Beware of formality and remissenesse in holy services the Ordinances not rightly used doe wound exceedingly how vexing is the word to a formall and carnall Christian did any man fall of grow cold and begin to dead his heart to the meanes and duties but his heart at the last was greatly wounded for it the neglect of Christ by the Church when his voice did seeme unseasonable and inopportune unto her was punished by her spirituall wounding Cant. 5. 2 3 4 5 6. 4. Nourish no hypocrisie or guile within you doe not colour sin with faire pretences and plaister over a foule heart with an outside profession serve not graven images when you pretend a service unto God if you doe so know that it will fester to a sore and make such a wound which will proove the great disquietment of your soules Satan would have fastened this hypocrisie on Iob to have aggravated his misery and he well knoweth that hypocrisie is wounding 5. Goe not on in sinnefull waies against generall or particular convictions there are who have such abundance of love to sin in them that they will be wicked against the light of knowledge and the dictate of conscience it is not the knowledge they have of evill nor the risngs up and reproofes of conscience within them for evills which can hold them of from evill but on they goe and wickedly they will doe now as this prooves an aggravation of sin so it maketh the wound very deepe if knowledge and conscience hold us not of from sin it will hold on sin peircing the marrow and vitals of the spirit David went against as great light as any man did and did not his sins proove wounding sins breaking his bones and heart and so will thine too 6. Keepe your selves in the waies of duty walking in every action according to the rule and peace shall be upon your spirits Gal. 6. 16. I say the more holy and unblameable a man is the more strict a man is with himselfe in keeping himselfe under the law of religion the more assured peace and soundnesse shall he finde within his conscience The waies of wisedome are waies of pleasantnesse and all her paths are peace yea and the keeping of sound wisedome and discretion shall be life unto our soules Prov. 3. 17 21 22. I assure you that duties conscionably sincerely and constantly performed doe keepe up the soule in life and joy Vse 5 Fiftly continue not your selves under the wounds of conscience there is a strange cruelty which Gods children doe offer unto themselves in keeping the wound upon the soule alwaies fresh and bleeding whereby they lie longer Men doe continue themselves under their spirituall vvounds six vvaies under it then they need to doe I shall touch upon the waies and grounds of continuing the wound of conscience on a mans selfe 1. Want of seasonable counsell and comfort when men do hide their wounded estate and will not repaire to appointed comforts and comforters this doth not onely enlarge the wound but settle it as wee see in bodily wounds if they want a timely looking too it is the longer before that they heale the case is so here delaies breed dangers and we are speedily to make in to our remedies do not sleight the least wound as many doe who at the first make nothing of it but set upon the cure as soone as you espie the wound the medicine is prepared before hand and physitians to apply it are at hand onely take you heed of a sinfull bashfullnesse and dumbe divell and cursed negligence cry not out when it