it or disliking of it contentment maketh the present condition to bee Gods condition and knoweth that Gods condition is the best condition Psal 16. 6. 3. Satisfyingnesse of minde In all contentment there is sufficiency there is a blessednesse even in misery and there shall be no want in all wants the reachings and cravings of the soule shall bee fully answered Now hereupon because by holy contentment the soule is enabled to take up the impression of the present condition as humid qualities doe receive the figure of their continent and because the mind and soule falls in with an afflicted condition as the dispensation and allotment of a Soveraigne and wise God hence it is J say that the spirit is so sustaining under trialls and troubles 5. A sound spirit is a beleeving spirit filled and qualified with faith which must needs bee a ground of strong supportance under all humane calamities all things are possible to him that beleeveth and a spirit of faith is couragious and conquering doe but consider a fourefold worke of faith enabling the sound spirit to beare Faith doth 4. things to the enabling of the spirit under the crosse its calamity 1. It apprehends divine assistances and sets up overmatching helps under all calamities it is the dejection of the spirit to be left to it selfe in times of trouble and for a man to finde to his sense a troubled condition to be his master as we may see in Elishaes servant who when he saw the great hoste of the King of Assyria sent to take his master crieth out Alas master how shall we doe his troubles were above all his arguments and the man seemeth to be at his wits end But behold the faith of Elisha and you shall see it to be above all his trouble for he quiets his owne heart and the heart of his man with the beleeving apprehension of a greater power with him then against him Saying feare not for they that bee with us are more then they that be with them 2 King 6. 15 16. it is the worke of faith to finde out and to bring home a Christians helps unto him in times of triall it makes God at such times both present in favour and assistant in councell and power in confidence of this David will lie him downe and sleep wake and not be afraid Psal 3. 5 6. of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against him round about yea he can walke thorow the valley of the shadow of death and feare none evill Psal 23. 4. 2. It sets up God for a mans owne in love and care in the midst of all afflictions God separated and divided from a Christian in any misery is the weakenesse of the Spirit and makes the heart to sinke and faint within Oh how downe dead how crackt and undone was David when God to his sense was gone from him at such times he was a man without a spirit and now the evill was great and sore and intollerable But when by the eye of faith God was discovered to be his God and hee could well perceive that it was not all his afflictions which could separate him from the love of God unto him in Christ Now he cheeres up himselfe and saith to his soule Why art thou so dejected O my soule trust still in God who is the health of my countenance and my God Psal 43. 5. 3. It keepeth of from the soule and spirit whatsoever might weaken or deject it in and under calamities in the day of a Christians calamitie it is with him as it is in the gathering of a bile or botch in the body all the ill humours will make their recourse unto the botch increasing disquietment unto the patient just so when we have miseries seazing upon us suspition of Gods love towards us Note feares of what men can doe against us and tumultuousnesse of passions will haunt and follow us in so much that wee finde we have our selves to bee greater troubles to our selves then all outward troubles that doe befall us wee sticke our selves in greater deepes then troubles doe cast us into Now faith relieveth the soule against these or the like things partly Foure vvaies hovv faith releeveth the soule in carrying a man from all the creatures unto God shewing unto him that men are but men whose breath is in their nostrills and whose power is confined and malice over-ruled by the power of an Almighty God who being with us and for us wee need in nothing to feare who can harme us partly in keeping a man from looking too much downeward and overwhelming our selves in and by the aggravation of our trouble Simile if men looke too much upon the water in tempestuous times their heads will soone swimme and their stomack qualme and whilst sense and reason is poaring into an afflicted condition and a man is willing and wittie in aggravating his miseries unto the highest making the most and the worst of them the spirit will soone bee sicke and sink and faint within now faith sets a man above all his miserable conditions shewing to a man that hee lieth not at the mercie of any his most miserable conditions that as it is not a good condition which can make him so it is not any bad condition that can marre him partly by setting a Christian upon the way of mitigation learning the Christian the art and skill of breaking the wave in the midst of his most violent tossings Now it starts up the hand of God in all this and the wisedome and goodnesse of God in ordering all unto good which was Davids stay in the great calamity and made him to say let him alone and let him curse the Lord hath bidden him and it may bee that the Lord will looke on mine affliction and that the Lord will requite good for his cursing this day 2 Sam. 16. 11 12. partly by countermanding the violent risings and habituall vexations of the soule faith is an enemy unto distempered passions it checks it and crieth it downe and will not admit that a man should be angry and froward and fretfull under the hand of God Dost thou well to be angry Jonah 4. 4 saith faith shall we receive good and not evill from the Lord Iob 2. 10. 4. It puts the pawnes and earnests of God into the hands of a Christian in evill times a man in any condition without the promise is as weake as miserable but the promises of God going along with a man they will proove his greatest strength and comfort in any condition we must know that the Covenant was made for the comforting of Christians in all conditions and there are speciall promises made to Christians in times of their distresse which onely faith can finde and supply the Christian withall by meanes where of the head is held above water and the man made stronger then all his trialls and crosses when faith reades that God wil know the soules
is too late 2. Recourse unto contrary medicines there are many false and deluding medicines unto conscience and there are many medicines which are vertuall but yet not sutable all medicines heale not all diseases wee see in experience in bodily wounds which are but small and little to looke to if that a contrary medicine bee applied to it it doth enrage it and increase it and continue it many times unto the death of the patient and thus if men in and under their spirituall wounds will runne to the use of such druggs and playsters which may onely for a time damme up the sense but not make upthe wound they may long and long continue under the wound and cry out of their wounds you may no more think to heale the spirit by sin then by adding piles of wood Simile to extinguish flaming fire beleeve me it was not Sauls musick which could tune his jarring spirit nor Belshazzars cups which could blot out the sense of the secret hand-writing it is not your mad miâ—th or joviall companions or worldly imployments that can take of your sadnesse of spirit they may put of from some horror for the present but they double horrors in their returne even as cold water doth the heate in a burning feaver 3. Illnesse of diet diet is much in continuing of bodily wounds there are meates and drinkes which men must abstaine from if that they intend to be cured and 't is as true in the spirituall Surgerie if that wee enlarge our desires after for bidden fruit and delight to feed upon sinfull husks and will be doing that we should not we may thanke our selves for the smart of our wounds is it the way to be rid of a wound to vexe it and to feed contrary to it 4. Selfe-nicenesse men are many times so tender and indulgent toward themselves that they will be healed onely by soft words and the covering of a faire cloth they will not submit themselves unto the painefull searchings of the Law but they are in this cruell to themselves and out of selfe favouring do make their misery larger and longer 5. The life of sense which is open to all winds and the keeping open of all wounds within the soule my meaning is this that when Christians do place the disposition of God towards them and judge of themselves according to the condition of their own feelings and sensible apprehensions this is that which doth greatly keepe up the wound of the spirit for now the soule being under its ebbings and finding the channell in a manner drie so as he cannot see what he was wont to behold begins thus to reason surely God is not my God in grace and mercy for I cannot finde him in his love to me as I was wont to doe which condition is full of suspense and feare and doubting and must needs continue the wound 6. Harkning unto Satan if a man doe beleeve the divels testimony and information touching his estate and condition and take up all his speech upon trust for truth he shall keepe himselfe in bleeding wounds the more Satan doth tamper with our condition and take upon him to judge of our sins and services and temper and standing the more sad and doubtfull will our condition be I say if wee shall put the issue of our condition upon the determination of Satan and all his interpretations and decisions shall bee gospell with us Lord how shall wee bee tossed too and fro and where there is no rest how can there bee the healing of the wound Vse 6 Quit your selves as speedily as you can from the wounded spirit I speake to all such who labour under this wounded spirit 1. Do not you unwisely cast off all hope of cure and despairingly conclude against all your comforts know 1. That the best of Gods Saints have beene under the grievousnesse of this wound and that in as fearfull and terrible a manner as any of you can possibly bee and they have received their cures 2. That the greatest of our spirituall wounds suppose them to bee more setled and permanent wounds are capable of cure and may bee cured God which hath healed this wound in many of his deare children and is the wise and able Physitian Three meanes to get out of our wounded estate for his people can and will heale all the wounds of our spirits and it matters not how great and grievous the wound bee if God be Surgeon Ier. 17. 14. Hosea 6. 1. he can heale one as well as another and all wounds assoone as any and therefore say not my spirit is greatly wounded but rise up to the cure and learne in the next place 2. To be willing of cure I know that there can be no pleasure in staying under wounds unto any wise man yet as many are ignorant of the true remedies so many are very unwilling to use those remedies provided and prescribed for their cure wee finde in some people such refusals of offered comforts such sleightings of able counsels yea and such shunnings of soule-searchings that it makes us to feare them and of many of them we may say wee would have cured Babell but she would not be cured Ier. 51. 9. and rest not heere but Thirdly learne to follow the waies and meanes prescribed for your healing there is balme in Gilead and a poole at Bethesda There are five things to be done if wee doe intend the curing of our wounded spirits 1 Open the wound and Physitians enough among us onely wee must take the course and addresse our selves 1. Unto the opening and searching of the wound it is not enough that we have a view of our wound in generall seeing that we are sicke and aile ill but we must finde out the particular maladie in the speciall reason of it and therefore you must suffer the Ministers of God to goe to the quick and to launce and lay open all there is a holy incision to be made into the wound of the spirit by Gods Law this doth finde out and open the particular hidden and malevolent humour of the soule and it is your duty to let the Law into your hearts that so it may have its perfect worke blesse God for a searching Ministerie and deliver up your selves to that word which maketh most inquisition into your wound the word that doth most wound you for the present it will by Gods blessing be a meanes of the after curing of you 2. Unto the washing and 2. Wash the wound cleansing of the wound there is a great deale of filth that falls into mans spirit in the wounding thereof which of necessity must be washed away or no cure will follow who so is not willing to be rid of sin that as extreame filthinesse doth lodge within him hee shall never receive the right cure of his spirituall wound it is sin which is the core of the ulcer O remoove it in the guilt of it and remoove it in the
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
of his in adversity Nah. 1. 7. That God will be with his in the fire and water Esa 43. 2. That all miserable evills shall end in spirituall good to them that love God Rom. 8. 28. And that that God who hath shewed his great and sore evills will quicken them againe Psal 71. 20. 21. Now the spirit gathers spirits unto it selfe and is made lively and strong yea it gets upon the rocke and triumphs over all trouble Having thus opened the point unto you the Application must needs be this Vse 1 First to discover unto us that evillnesse of spirit which is in the sonnes of men I may justly complaine that most men doe want soundnesse and sincerity of spirit to beare them up in evill times considering Two evidences of weaknes of spirit 1 Feare two things 1. Some men doe overfeare troubles before they come the very empty thought and conceit of troubles is terrible and perplexing unto them when it was told the house of David saying Syria is confederate with Ephraim his heart was mooved and the heart of his people as the trees of the wood are mooved with the winde Esay 7. 2. When Belshazzar saw the comming forth of the fingers of a mans hand and writing over against the Candlestick upon the plaister of the wall his countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joynts of his loines were loosed and his knees smote one against another Dan. 5. 5 6 7. and even so is it with too too many among us the very newes and conceit of troubles or calamities which possibly may befall them doth put them into such shaking fits that they know not what to doe with themselves and now tell mee where is the soundnesse and strength of your spirit call you that a stout spirit that is daunted with the report and thought of calamity Ob. Good men have feared troubles Sol. Know that there is a A twofold fearing of troubles 1. Of faith twofold fearing of troubles before they come The one is a carefull and beleeving feare opposed to carnall security which was found in holy Iob who said the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me and that which I was afraid of is come unto me Iob 3. 25. Surely the good man in his prosperity did not cast of all thought of adversity but did wisely consider that a change might come upon his estate and family it might be that his sun might bee darkned and his day turned into night and he looked upon his children and wife and friends and stock and honour as things dying and fading there being no constancy in outward mercies unto any The other is a carking and 2. Of distrust distressing feare opposite unto faith and comfort a fearing either without a cause or beyond all bounds thorough the utter mistake of a miserable condition unto the sons of men wherein feares doe cut and divide the heart even emptying a man of all present joy and future hope this now is an argument that the spirit of infirmity doth possesse a man and that hee wants that spirit which will sustaine a mans infirmity 2. Some men are overburdened 2. Faintnesse by the crosses which do befall them the least crosse that is doth sink them and they cannot beare or endure any calamity indeed before that troubles come they wil brag boast as if they would could carry al the world before them and no adversity could overmaster them or their spirits but when they are put to it and the day of triall commeth alas they are men of very poore and impotent spirits Achitophel like who being under disacceptation most desperately hangs himselfe as being no way able to beare it O how do men roare and complaine and lie downe in the dust suffering crosses to binde them hand and foot and to spoile them of all their comforts it is strange to observe the weakenesse of spirit in some men who though they have many comforts for one crosse yet that one crosse doth so dampe and daunt them that all joy and comfort is gone and they are mightily overwhelmed thus doe most men want supporting spirits and surely their strength is weake who faint in the day of trouble Pro. 24. 10. and such men may doe well to suspect the soundnesse of their spirits certaine it is that there is a want of soundnesse of spirit where the supportance of spirit doth wholy faile cease to wonder that thou art so sinking and fainting and leave crying out against the greatnesse of thy present trouble knowing that there wants such a spirit within as should be which is the cause of this thy failing Quest But may not a deare childe of God faint and his spirit faile him in the day of his calamities Sol. Unto this I answer three things 1. That it may so fall out that a Christian indeed may bee to seeke of the helpe and strength of his spirit in and under crosses befalling him Suppose him 1. To have forfeited the sense of divine favour 2. To have formerly neglected or abused divine assistances 3. To be suddainely surprized by the strangenesse and the strength of the calamity comming upon him 4. To bee followed both with the continuation of some grieving affliction or the multiplication and comming in of one crosse upon the neck of another And surely in these and the like times the spirit within him which alwaies retaineth strength and might may not be so serviceable and supporting unto him as at other times it hath beene and in time to come it may be againe 2. That though there may be much fainting overtaking the spirits of sanctified men for a time yet it is not totall faintnesse there is and may be a very weake upholdment the spirit is many times well neare spent in the spirituall conflict and labouring under some grievous wounds and now it upholds in much weaknesse a horse that is almost tired carrieth his burden but not in that pace and with that mettle as when hee was fresh there are degrees of strength sometimes wee are holpen with a little helpe Dan. The strength of the spirit is graduall 11. 34. and it is a day of small things with us and it is not much that the spirit within doth for us at other times the spirit being freed is more full of assistance and carrieth us thorough all troubles one mans spirit may sustaine him under his infirmity more then another yea and the spirit of the same man may at one time and in one crosse more beare him out then in another Witnesse David who in the case of Nabal was very weake and passionate he had scarce the spirit of a man in him But now in the case of Shimei where the crosse was farre greater his spirit did with much strength beare him out 3. That there is a double sinking of the spirit under afflictions or miserable evills 1. One arising from the weaknesse of nature in the
want of all grace and thus the godly faint not 2. Another arising from the weaknesse of grace by the opposition of temptation and corruption And thus the godly may faint in part but they shall come to a recovery of themselves againe it is with the godly in their sinkings under afflictions as with a man that is skilfull to swimme at the first when hee is cast into the water he is over head and eares and the whole body is covered but by and by hee riseth up againe and swimmes upon the water commanding the water under him whereas it is with a meere naturall and carnall man in his sinkings under afflictions as it is with a stone cast into the deepe there is a great noise made but he sinketh lower and lower and never riseth up againe Vse 2 To examine the strength and sufficiency of our spirits to our enabling under the crosses wee suffer tell me not so much of the greatnesse and grievousnesse of your crosses which you are quick enough to doe but answer me what is the spirit within you and how doth it serve and helpe you can it and doth it sustaine you rightly bearing the burden for you I yeeld 1 That some mens spirits can do sleight crosses and seemingly they make nothing of them but with the Leviathan they laugh at the shaking of the speare but this is an argument of an evill and naughty spirit not to be sensible of Gods hand and rod. 2 That men carnall and formall to outward seeming are marveilous hardie in temper and stout in spirit and have without flinching or fainting passed thorough many afflictions and endured extreame torments when alas they have brawned themselves or a spirit of slumbering and benummednesse is cast upon them and for some selfe aimes they have onely restrained passion in the meane time they doe remaine destitute of all positive joy peace and confidence and want the assurance of the goodnesse of their spirits in bearing the crosse befalling them Quest How may a man know that by a sound and good spirit he beareth the crosse and calamity which God layeth upon him Three signes of a sound spirit upholding man under the crosse Answ By these Signes 1. When the cause of suffering is good a good spirit cannot beare up in an ill cause when a man suffers as a murderer â— A good cause or as a thiefe or as an evill doer or as a busie body in other mens matters as it is written 1 Pet. 4. 15. Now conscience cannot uphold but when a man suffers as a Christian and is reproached for the name of Christ conscience can and doth uphold as you may reade in the 14. and 16. verses of the same Chapter we see the stoutnesse of the Apostles enduring the lash and the prison was grounded on this that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name Acts 5. 41. 2. When the carriage under 2. A good carriage the crosse is becomming a good spirit which carrieth a man under Six waies of the spirits carrying a man under the crosse the crosse 1. With silence stopping inward frettings and outward murmurings against the Lord making a man to say yet my soule be silent unto the Lord it layeth the mouth in the dust and dares not open the mouth against the Lord to charge him foolishly 1 Sam. 3. 28 29. Psal 39. 9. 62. 5. 2. With submission and subjection the soule is low and very humble poore and exceeding empty the man is cast downe under Gods hand and will saying it is the Lord let him doe as it seemeth good unto him 1 Sam. 3. 18. 2. Sam. 15. 25. 3. With thankefullnesse the man can kisse the rod and blesse the rod and say with Iob the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away blessed be the name of the Lord Iob 1. 21 22. 4. With religion making God as lovely and good and worthy to be praised prayed unto under calamity as at any other time of prosperity a man under the power of a sound spirit doth loose much of his sinne nothing of his godlinesse I dare say he is more quick and hearty in his devotion then at other times the soule doth now settle it selfe upon spirituall imployment and is taken up with God Is any man afflicted let him pray Iames 5. 13. 5. With humiliation now a man shall finde the guilts of his sinne and doth consider the deserts of his sins he can and doth weepe more for the sinfullnesse of sinne then for all the evills he doth sustaine and endure he well knoweth that man suffereth for his sinne and that sinne deserveth more evill then God inflicts upon his children and that the evill of sinne being the greatest of evills can never be sufficiently bewailed 6. With hope waiting upon Gods time and pleasure for deliverance out of trouble expecting that great good shall happily befall him in and by all the troubles which he endureth he considers that as the Bee hath his sting so hee hath his honey and crosses have their comforts in the latter end as well as bitternesse in the beginning Note I say such men doe put themselves into the covenant and promise and will keep themselves there they doe see the Covenant going along with them in their trialls and troubles and doe beleeve that a little assured good is above a great deale of sensible evill and this is the moderation of their spirit in and under the rod. 3. When their comming out 3. A good issue of trouble is glorious and gratious a sound spirit doth beare afflictions with power unto profit and carrieth all painefull evills with soveraigne good unto it selfe so that when a Christian is at the end of his trouble and tossings he shall set downe with great cost and recompence having the great fruit of his patience even blessed is he that endureth and the Spirit of God and glory shall rest upon him he shall say with David before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy word Psal 119. 67. And it is good for me that I have beene afflicted that I might learne thy statutes verse 71. Neverthelesse afterward it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse unto them which are exercised thereby Heb. 12. 11. if we can finde any good by afflictions that our proud hearts are humbled that our corruptions are weakned and wasted that our graces are quickned and enlarged and that we are in any degree made more holy and heavenly this is an argument unto us that we have borne all our afflictions by the strength of a sound spirit Vse 3 Labour that there may bee found within you a good and a sound spirit to beare you up under your troubles we know not to what times of tryall God hath reserved us wee may meete with the crosse and calamity may be our portion wee know not how soone and then strength to beare will doe well but know that there is nothing
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
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
spirituall miseries doe conceive a desperatenesse of condition such do now begin to damme up all the springs of mercy and drie up the bloud of Christ and close up the doore of grace against themselves and that I may not bee mistaken in this point note with mee two things Note 1. That in strictnesse of divinity wee are to make a difference betweene a wounded and a desperate conscience the one runs beyond the other in many things 2. That in every wounded conscience Desperation in every vvounded conscience compleatly or incompleatly there is a degree of desperation sometimes and in some men it runneth in more compleatnesse when men take their sinnes in such an high manner and with such an over-reaching power as that neither mercy can or will ease them they set an eternall night within their soules without hopes of a morning framing to themselves an utter impossibility of pardoning mercy as Caine Gen. 4. 13. and Iudas Mat. 27. 5. and this is a distresse Note of distresses and a greater evill then the disease it selfe Sometimes againe some men under the wound of the soule are more incompleately desperate they onely thinke and feare that God will cast them away and shut up his mercies and loving kindnesse from them heare they lie languishing and bleeding and are only holpen with this that though they cannot apply yet they dare not deny unto themselves Gods mercy and Christ in merit and this was the case of David under his wound Psal 77. 7 8 9 10. 4. The time of mans feeling this misery and calamity I know well that the wound of the spirit is graduall in some it is more then in other and it hath not alike continuance in The degrees and the continuance of this woūd in men different all in some it is but for a little space they quickly recover of their disease and attaine refreshment and comfort as we may see in Peter he went out and wept bitterly there was his wound in spirit but hee could speake comfortably and confidently to Christ after his Resurrection this shewed that he was not long in the agony Paul lay three daies in the affliction and distresse of spirit and then least hee should bee swallowed up of too much sorrow Anani as was sent unto him to refresh and comfort him But as God gives speedie ease to some so hee is pleased to let others lie a longer time under the perplexities of a wounded spirit David cries out shall I never bee remembred Psal 19. 1. My soule is sore troubled but Lord how long wilt thou delay Psal 6. 3. Now let the time be shorter or longer All the daies of the afflicted are evill Prov. 15. 15. and all the while a man doth feele this evill so long the wound doth remaine 2. Wee must know that though the wound of conscience is incident unto good and bad yet it is with a great and wide difference the wounds of spirit in wicked men are 1. Legall they spring up in the soule from the terrible operation The difference that is betwee◠the wound of the wicked the wound of the godly in 5. things of the law within their soules the Law of God hath an extreame curse written in it and this it writes in the conscience of every wicked man I say by its spirituall vigour it gets within the conscience of a wicked man and so the wound is made there is no worke of the Gospell as well as of the Law but all is done and made by the Law alone in all unregenerate men 2. Paenall and judiciall such men lie under the justice and wrath of God and for feare of hell and punishment are most of all cast downe so that were there no punishment to bee endured it were not the displeasure or offence of God by sin that should amaze them My punishment is greater then I am able to beare saith Caine Gen. 4. 13. whereas the wound in the godly is paternall and penitentiall a fatherly chastisement of God for tryall wherein the childe of God is wounded most at heart by the deepe apprehension of his sinnes and the displeasure of his Father against sin or 3. Violent the wound in them worketh with more and greater violence having more of the fire of hell in it such men are wholly under the terrors of the wound having no assistance from God no hope of ease no glimpse of light and no allayment by the saving power of the Gospell which the godly doe finde first or last more or lesse in degree 4. Mortall the wound in the issue prooveth desperate and incurable and though for a time their spirits may be benummed by the application of false meanes that so there may seeme to bee a cessation of the raging thereof yet the wound remaineth still they carry it with them to the grave to the judgement seate of God yea and to hell it selfe whereas God doth in due time and by good meanes make a compleat cure of all the wounds in the spirits of his there being no disease in their soule but as it is possible of cure so it is actually cured 5. Hurtfull the wounds of wicked men do them no good but hurt they are hereby driven from God and fall away more and more whereas the The benefit of spirituall vvounds in the godly serve in 6. things 1. Sense of sin Three vvaies of feeling sin wound in the godly is an occasion of much good unto them by the wounding of their spirits they are wrought unto these six things 1. Sensiblenesse of the bitter and sad effects of sinne God hath waies enough to make his feele their sinnes as his Word which strikes hard on the eare threatning sinne and wickednesse then if men hate reproofe and harden their hearts God hath his rod he sheweth man his judgement and in that mans sinne and his anger by which if man will not learne righteousnesse and feele the bitternesse of his sinne then troubles arise in conscience that shall be awakened and dis-eased that shall come upon man with feares and horrors for the sins that hee hath committed so that hereby he shall bee made to possesse the sinnes of his Job 23.26 Psal 51.3 youth and to know his own wickednesse as Iob and David did 2. Humility and emptinesse 2. Humility of soule of soule the wounds of the spirit doth weaken the proud and perverse conceits of mans owne strength and righteousnesse God by these doth make men vile in their owne eyes and opinions it is strange to see what rising humours are found in the godly before the wound befalleth them their blood is exceedingly over-heated but now by an humbled spirit God doth worke them to an humble spirit carrying them as to sin deniall so to selfe deniall 3. Enquiry after sinne these 3. Search after sin wounds of the spirit doe make us reflect on the evill of sinne and to search more seriously and narrowly into what wee
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
ordinarily take least notice of their spirituall wounds in their cause and cure they are lumpish and heavie full of sad thoughts evill imaginations many times they roare and complaine but this is their Men doe mistake the spirits wound ignorance they know not what ailes them they are so mistaken in the cause businesse in hand that they judge themselves to bee under some bodily distempers by melancholie passions and other violent humours a great madnesse and ignorance in men and being fallen upon this point let mee tell you that melancholy prevailing in men doth come very neere to the trouble of conscience but it is not the wound of conscience here spoken of Satan makes it his bait and man makes it his burden but wee may not make it this wound concerning which I shall yeeld you two things 1. That melancholy given The operation of melancholie in man way unto doth corrupt the imagination and those actions of the minde or the â—ext instruments by which the minde worketh that therewith the heart affections and conscience are greatly distempered with feare and griefe and doe conceive a many uneschewable miseries against it selfe against which fancies and imaginations no arguments of reason can prevaile and this darkning vapour and blackish fume thus affecting the soule doth add torment unto it making it for the time uncapable of the sense of comfort I say this humour of melancholy hath very subtile spirits that flie up into the braine and the instrument of discretion and there they lodge their contagious qualities which corrupt the spirits and annoy both heart and braine whence arise strange imaginations and fancies in the head Head and heart having entercourse and body and soule being united the soule is nor thereby a little troubled 2. That what ever vaine men judge melancholy is not a spirituall maladie or the wounder spirit here spoken of the difference Melancholy is not the wounded spirit proved by 5. reasons betweene both is great as 1. In the ground and cause the troubles of melancholy ariseth either from naturall causes in the body or from supposed and fained causes the imagination conceiving things to bee so and so when indeed nothing is really so the trouble of conscience ariseth from the sight and sense of sin in the soule the apprehension of divine wrath due to man for sin and such like spirituall and reall causes 2. In the seate of it troubles from melancholy seate themselves in the head and naturall spirits the man having lost the right use of his wits and being mistaken in his imagination in conceits becomming monstrous true trouble is in the conscience and whole soule of man 3. In the cure of it physick may cure the one it being a bodily disease or distemper but it is not all artificiall and naturall meanes that can cure the wounds of the spirit 4. In the effects of it melancholy maketh a man simple and absurd in his thoughts touching himselfe such men will speake to you and yet conceive themselves to bee without head or heart and life they will tell you that they see Divels and feele Divels within them and you shall heare many odd things from them when as trouble of conscience looseth not it selfe but speakes according to the truth and feeling of it selfe 5. In the enlargement of it melancholy seldome or never worketh griefe for Gods dishonour it is not touched with sorrow for sin and when it is cured it gives not a man any ground and measure of spirituall joy it enforceth not a man to Christ for ease and rest it quickens no man to prayer and duty all which the wounds of the spirit in some men doe most kindly and savingly Thirdly and lastly let us know our selves rightly in our troubles of mind and we shall the better know our selves in our comforts nothing doth so prepare the heart for comforts and make us to rellish our comforts as the sense of soule trouble and heavinesse I dare affirme that if wee did know and finde our spirituall wants and wounds more wee would and should withall bee more upon the waies and feelings of comfort then we are Vse 2 Secondly let us have compassion on such who are wounded in spirit you see that such is the weight of their wounds as neither eye hath seene eare hath heard or tongue of man is able fully to expresse none can in any way of expression speake of it but such as have more or lesse felt it and shall we passe by any that are labouring under this burden not yeelding them our pitie 't is a foolish madnesse in many to thinke this sicknesse and this wound to bee but passion conceit and mopishnesse put into their heads by reading good books or hearing some strict Preachers or melancholy because it often changeth the body they think it ariseth from the body and what need all this adoe about it it is cursed cruelty in any to looke upon any labouring under this wound crying out against them censuring of them for hypocrites and in thought sentencing them to hell blaspheming their God and their religion O Considerations for the pitying of wounded in soule you ignorant men learne better and be now instructed 1. That there is no disease for symptomes and torments like unto this all other maladies are naturall but this is supernaturall they come from the constitution of the body this of the soule in them the humours first in this the conscience first and humours last are distempered they may all bee cured by naturall remedies the body may be brought to a fittemperature but it is not all the medicines under heaven that are meerely naturall can cure or comfort here 2. That it is an argument of an unsanctified and stony heart within maÌ„ to disregard taxe or censure men under the miseries of inward perplexities you being mercilesse and wanting tendernesse and experience cannot pittie them aright 3. Blessed are such as judge wisely of such poore soules and do labour to relieve their soules in their woundings this is a worke of mercy indeed and a businesse becomming the most excellent of Christians Motives to pitie and to relieve wouÌ„ded Christians Christ himselfe received his annointing and was sent of God to bind up the broken hearted Esay 61. 1 2 3. Ministers have the tongue of the learned given them to speake a word of comfort to such whose soules are wearie Esa 50. 4. and shall not wee that are Christians comfort the feeble minded and support the weake 1 Thes 5. 14. bearing one anothers burden O let us pity such and pray earnestly to God for such considering our owne case Gal. 6. 1. would wee not bee prayed for were wee in their conditions Vse 3 Thirdly how thankfull should all Christians bee for their freedome from this great burden of a wounded spirit tell me are you set at liberty and is all peace and rest within are the bands of the distresse broken wouldst
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
trees of one growth nor all Christians of equall grace to some is given a greater to others a lesser measure of grace grace in one is much and strong in another little and weake sincere in both but absolutely perfect in none Note with mee two things Graces are two waies considerable 1. That all degrees of Christians doe agree together 1 Quaad esse habitum in the substantiall part of grace every man hath the same spirit of holinesse knowledge faith repentance love c. is alike in them all flowing from one and the same common fountaine 2. That the varying of 2. Quoad operari exercitium Christians is much in the active part of grace they may have their severall agilities so as one man may know more then another one man may pray more fervently and frequently then another and so is it in the rest of all required duties meethinkes that it is with Christians in this case as it is with men in nature every man Simile hath a soule and faculties from that soule and actions issuing out of those faculties yet every man is not equall in the expressive waies of nature But you will querie whence A question about the causes of inequality of measures and operations of graces in Christians doth this inequality of graces and holy operations arise I answer not from nullity and falsenesse of grace as weake Christians do surmise but 1. From the wise dispensation of God who giveth grace to every man according to his owne good will and pleasure and followeth his owne measures with the same proportion of assistance 2. From the variety of particular occasions every Christian hath not alike forcible occasion to exercise his graces given him 3. From the variety of particular ends God intends some Christians for some singular end and services to which hee fits them by the great improovement and use of their graces 4. From the variety of particular assistance every man hath not at all times an equall gale or breath of the Spirit to enlighten affect excite and draw them onward 5. From the variation of naturall tempers bodily constitution conduceth much to the actions of the soule 6. From the sinfullnesse and carelesnesse of some Christians above others when as thorough the conceit of the eminency of their graces they doe swell with pride when they cannot bee thankfull for graces and abilities formerly received when their imaginations are meane of graces bestowed they thinking that they will not serve turne to their salvation in a word when they are inconstant in duties and doe not stirre up the graces in them wisely watching the motions of the Spirit and improoving the seasons of grace this is the thing which occasioneth the inequality spoken of 10. That no man misseth of Heaven for want of measures but for want of the truth of grace I grant a Christians consolation lieth much in the comparative degree but his salvation is in the positive degree of grace though one Christian cannot beleeve as strongly as another yet beleeving hee shall bee saved as well as another littlenesse and greatnesse of grace doe agree in saving issue a weake and a soare eye in the Israelites did behold the brazen Serpent to health as well as a sound and cleare eye the hand of a little childe can lay hold of a pretious Jewell given unto it just so is it here difference in proportion and in operation of graces may stand with truth of grace and assurance of Heaven one man rides faster then another yet both meet at length in the same Inne one ship makes more speed then another yet both put in at the same harbour and one Christian hath more grace and doth more duty then another yet both shall meete in one Christ and Heaven CASE V. Of failings in duties WHen Christians doe looke upon their services publike or private which they doe performe unto God they finde many failings especially in the manner of their performance Lord with what dullnesse and deadnesse and distraction of spirit doe Christians pray and heare and meditate and humble themselves c. upon this doe many Christians mis-judge themselves concluding against their selfe sincerity and soules comfort now nothing is well done by them and why should they pray and reade and heare and receive Sacraments any more it is but sinne that they doe and it will but increase their judgement this is a bitter and most desperate remptation and once given way unto it doth leade a man farre into sinne and trouble for when once a man taketh exceptions against himselfe for doing duties that he will put himselfe out of the way of duty how easily doth he make himselfe a prey unto Satan To the releevement of the soule under this burden I shall Five setlings against failings in duties yeeld you these meditations following 1. That the best of Gods servants have beene are and may bee indisposed in holy duties though the spirit of Peter bee willing yet the flesh was weake Mat. 26. 41. and there being contrary lustings of the flesh against the Spirit a Christian cannot doe the things he would O how doth flesh clog and dull the best of Gods Saints there is within them a living spring without a lively operation the spring I say is open but the operation narrow so as it is with them in the manner of their performing duties as it is with a sicke man hee would faine Simile walke a turne about his chamber but alas hee cannot doe it his body is so weake 2. That there is a wide difference betweene a heart that is dead unto duty and a dull and indisposed heart in duty a dead heart wants a living spring and is contrary unto all duty as it falls off from duty so it gives it selfe an allowance and dispensation in the same and can and doth find no trouble within it selfe under all non-performances of duties whereas a Christian under all his unevenesse in duties hath an inward intention and inclination unto duties such men in their dullest times and greatest indispositions see not more duties then they would doe and are grieved because they cannot doe duties in a more lively and spirituall manner such stand up from the dead and are ready for divine emploiment there is a praying spirit in them so as they can say with Paul the good Rom. 7. 19. that I would I doe not There are two evidences when the bent of a mans heart is for duties in a living and right way First when a heavie kinde of performing duties is displeasing and contrary unto the frame of the soule and spirit of a man such men set upon duties sorrowfully and performe duties with feare and rise from duties humbled greatly blaming themselves for the heavinesse and distraction of spirit which they observe to bee in themselves Secondly when the desires are rising out of the state of indisposition such men easily fasten upon the waies of quickning
and bettering themselves in duty expecting that they may be shaken out of their fits of dullnesse I dare say that such men will reade the more and pray the more and heare the more hoping to finde some helpe in the use of the ordinances and performances of duties they have heard and doe find it to bee true that frequencie in Simile duty begets fervencie that as a man by often rubbing of his benummed parts may get heate so a Christian by forcing himselfe to the going over of duties doth get strength against his dullnesse in duty 3. That when a Christian cannot doe duties with that life he should and would doe yet hee may doe them with much sincerity and uprightnesse of heart and in a farre different way from a formall and carnall Christian I yeeld unto this that an hypocrite who hath a name to live may talke much of duty and may mount high into the visible duties of holinesse applying himselfe to many religious actions the Jewes were not failing in their services and sacrifices and solemne assemblies but yet they came short of sincerity and so all was lost labour unto them You may aske mee what is Seven differences betvveene an hypocrite and a Christian in doing duties the difference betwixt an hypocrite and a sincere Christian in doing duties I answer it is much every way which may bee seene in seven things First a Christian doth performe all duties by the power of spirituall life wrought within his soule he praieth and beleeveth and reades and heares in the Spirit by vertue of the working of the Spirit the principle of life in the soule is sufficient to it selfe to act required duties it needs not altogether those naturall and accidentall helpes which false Christians must have to set them on work the bird flies in the aire from a principle of life and motion in himselfe whereas a clock being Simile a dead thing mooveth because the weights are powerfull to the wheeles Secondly a Christian is more generall or universall in the performance of duties then any hypocrite can be he sets himselfe to duties of every kinde even those of the highest nature and excellencie duties required admit of a distinction there are the greater and the lesser things of the Law there are some duties which strike at the quick and call for strictnesse such as are selfe-deniall sinnes-mortification the sanctifying of God in a mans thoughts desires and speeches in all the conditions of life some duties there are which are exceeding high and climbing as beleeving in God and in Christ and keeping the conversation in Heaven to conclude there are ordinary and extraordinary duties publique and private duties costly and painefull duties and all these the spirit of soundnesse is for Christians are ready to act all as well as one duty of holinesse looke which way duty whose latitude is much and parts many divides it selfe thither they dispose themselves that as water will runne in all prepared channels so a Christian followeth all required duties whereas hypocrisie doth duties with partiality and delicacie it severs and divides duties it will bee upon this but not on that duty and is neither whole nor lively in any duty and no marvaile for as waters cannot rise higher then Simile their springs no more can an hypocrite rise higher then himselfe in duty Thirdly a Christian doth act spirituall duties spiritually in the purpose and resolution of his heart hee doth empty himselfe of flesh and corruption which will bee creeping into duty as much as may be such an one undertakes no duty but with selfe-examination and soule-humiliation for sin committed and remaining within such follow the Law of the spirit exercising all vouchsafed graces in the performance of duties Christians indeed doe heare and pray with much knowledge faith feare humility c. and by reason of the performance of the duty they become more spirituall I say a Christian in duty is another man from what hee is at other times such heavenly raptures and soule-ravishments doe befall him that in a manner he feeles no world no place no time whereas a formall Christian is a base and mixt mettall formality leades him into duties carnall keepes him in duties carnall and brings him off from duties not onely carnall but much more sinnefull and prophane then hee was before Fourthly a Christian doth performe duties encreasingly his desires are such and so great unto duty that he cannot give himselfe any satisfaction in doing duties his spirit within him is like unto leaven which is of a rising nature or to the graine of mustard seed which was of a spreading nature the soule wil be carried with vehement desire of bettering it selfe in duty and performing more and more duty unto God nay it riseth in duty against opposition that as a living spring doth Simile worke out its way against dammings and stoppings up so a sound Christian will doe duties wrastling with his owne lyther and sluggish nature yea and withstanding Satan in his temptations oile can bee no more kept under by water then a Christian can be kept of from duty and increasings in duties I grant that at the first a Christian is and may be little and low in duty but at length an enlargement will follow answerable to the life bestowed and duties to be performed Davids spring at sometimes did but drop gently at other times it did run freely and fully whereas the hypocrite keepes him in a circle or compasse he is confined and limited and is much like unto artificiall bodies uncapable of extension restings and sufficits overtake such men and if there be any swellings in duties it is not from an incorporated principle of grace which is within as a feeding spring but from some externall reason and influence there may bee the rising of waters in a pond by Simile the powring downe of raine from the clouds and duties may be done by an hypocrite with much abundance whilst judgements or mercies are stirrings Fifthly a Christian exerciseth himselfe in spirituall duties chearefully such doe spirituall actions pleasingly as with willingnesse of heart so with gladnesse of heart it is meate and drinke and recreation unto them to performe spirituall duties Exod. 35. 29. Psal 100. 2. Psal 110. vers 3. Ephes 6. 5 6. whereas hypocrisie is of a Bearish nature slow to the duty it is mooved it mooves not it selfe to a formall heart 1. Spirituall duties are grievous and tedious and though something bee done yet it is with secret wearinesse reluctancie and unwillingnesse there are many objections raised up against duties and many cases and questions which must be answered and resolved before such can set on to duty 2. The closing up of spirituall duties is very pleasing and delightfull the Lord knoweth that as in his heart hee wisheth there were no time nor duties belonging to God so hee is glad of a suddaine release from all duties the shorter the Sermon and the shorter the prayers the
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
105 The Bent of the heart in duty page 263. C. Comfort of the Spirit page 15. Contentment page 17. Clearenesse of conscience page 49 Care for conscience page 55. Content of conscience p. 67 68. Confession of sin page 88. Change of life page 89. Compassion due to the wounded in spirit page 121. Considerations to pity such p. 123. Continuance under wounds caused 6. waies p. 133. Clearing of warrants what p 173 Causes of Gods suspending his love page 177. D. Desperation two fold page 79. Degrees of wounding page 81. Differences in the wounding p 82 Detestation of sin page 89. Dresse the wound page 145. Danger by sinning page 168. Darkning of warrants page 175. Doubtings in their nature causes differences and sorts page 195. Difference betweene Christians and others in doing duties page 266. E. Enquire after sin page 87. Fruitlesse Endeavours page 280. F. Faith doth foure things to strengthen the spirit page 19. It doth foure waies relieve the soule page 23. Fearing of trouble twofold p. 28 29. Faintnesse page 31. A case about Fainting of spirit p. 33. Faith in operation page 54. Feeding of conscience what p. 64 Sin Felt three waies page 85. The Failing of conscience what page 97. To Feare the wounding of spirit page 126. Former feelings of love foure signes of it page 185. Foundations of divine love to the soule page 192 Faith and doubtings go together page 207. Faith to be cherished and advanced page â—27 Failings in duties page 260. G. A Good cause for suffering p 41. A Good carriage under suffering in seaven things page 45. The Goodnesse of spirit seene in seaven things page 48. Graces two waies considerable page 254. H. Humiliation an effect of the wound page 43. Hope page 44. Humility page 86. Harkning to Satan page 138. Humbling necessary for three things page 162. I Infirmity double p. 3. Selfe Iealousie p. 99. Illnesse of diet p. 136. K. Six rules for Keeping off wounds from the spirit p. 128 The Knowledge of the wound of the spirit necessary p. 114. L. Liberty of spirit p. 49. The Law and two things about it p. 94 95. The Life of sense p. 137 225. Three things about Love and duty p. 170. Love one for kind different in degree p. 184. Littlenesse of faith causeth doubts p. 206. Little grace apprehended p. 245. M. Meanes of making conscience good p. 51. The Misery of conscience in silence in three things p. 97. Mistaking about the wound of conscience p. 115. Melancholy is not this wound p. 117 118. Motives to pittie wounded spirits p. 124. Meanes to get off the wounds of spirit three p. 140. Misplacing of warrants p. 174. Motives and meanes against doubtings p. 216. N. New risings of old sins p. 102. Spirituall Nicenesse 137. O. Overlading of conscience what and how p. 63. Operation of melancholy p. 116. Opening of the wound needfull p. 142. P. Patience of the spirit p. 16. Prevention p. 69. Rules for Preserving the spirit from wounds p. 6 128. Provision p. 147. Promises the ground assuring love p. 185. Q. Quietnesse of conscience p. 48. A Question about the inequality of graces p. 256. R. Religion expressed under the crosse p. 43. The Remoovall of sin p. 64. Seven Reasons proving the burden of conscience insupportable p. 106. Releevements under the suspension of Gods love p. 159. For the Regaining of Gods love in sense foure things p. 167. Ten Releevements against doubtings p. 204. Ten Releevements under imperfection of graces p. 248. Five Releevements against failings in duties p. 261. Relapses afâ—er resolutions p. 286. Causes of Relapses nine p. 288. The misery of Relapses p. 296. The kindes of Relapses p. 301. S. A twofold Spirit p. 6. Conscience called a Spirit p. 8. Mans Spirit considered two waies Ibid. Strength of Spirit graduall p. 36. Sinking of Spirit double p. 37. Sleighting of crosses evill p. 39. Sins that are most wounding p. 92 A Seared spirit p. 114. Sense of love graduall p. 167. To Settle the soule in assurance of love p. 176. Sin to be subdued p. 231. T. Thankefullnesse p. 43 125. Tendernesse of spirit p. 49. Tempting of conscience of what p. 58. To Taste divine wrath p. 96. Testimony of Satan put by two waies p. 219. Thoughts 1. In their sorts p 319. 2. In their trouble 3. In their triall 4. In their cure V. Vprightnesse of conscience p. 48. Vse conscience p. 65. Conscience Vexed p. 58. Vnstedfastnesse in walking p. 163 Vnworthinesse p. â—34 W. Weakenesse of spirit p. 28. Wound of spirit p. 73. Want of good p. 103. Willing of cure p. 141. Wash the wound p. 143. Gods Wages p. 281. Waiting must be added to doing page 283. FINIS A Post-Script to the Reader THou hast a promise of Cases in the Epistle unto thee I had no sooner made it but it was called for by desiring and needing Christians time and leasure also serving it is brought forth as fitly agreeing with the subject handled and deemed by men more judicious then my selfe very comforting and setling unto perplexed soules I. S. Errata Page 116. for are the next instruments reade or Page 323. for formerly reade formally