prayer shall be that whilst I stand by and am â—…ilent Gods Spirit which is free from any fault and full of all perfection would be pleased to repeat in thy heart the selfe-same answers I have given to your objections And then what was weak shallow and unsatisfying as it came from my mouth shall and will be full powerfull and satisfactorie as re-inforced in thee by Gods Spirit XII Dialogue Meanes to be used by wounded Consciences for the recovering of comfort Tim. ARe there any usefull meanes to be prescribed whereby wounded Consciences may recover comfort the sooner Phil. Yes there are Tim. But now adayes some condemne all using of meanes let Grace alone say they fully and freely to do its own worke and thereby mans mind will in due time return to a good temper of its owâ—… accord This is the most spirituall serving of God whilst using of meanes makes but Dunces and Trewants in Christs Schoole Phil. What they pretend spirituall wil prove aiâ—…ry and empty making lewd and lazie Christians Meanes may and must be used with these cautions 1. That they be of Gods appointment in his word and not of mans meere invention 2. That we stil remember they are but means and not the main For to account of helps more then helpes is the high-way to make them hindrances Lastly that none rely barely on the deed done which conceit will undoe him that did it especially if any opinion of merit be fixed therein Tim. What is the first meanes I must use for I re-assume to personate a wounded conscience Phil. Constantly pray to God that in his due time he would speake peace unto thee Tim. My prayers are better omitted then performed They are so weak they will but bring the greater punishment upon me and involve me within the * Prophets curse to those that doe the worke of the Lord negligently Phil. Prayers negligently performed draw a curse but not prayers weakly performed The former is when one can do better and will not the latter is when one would do better but alas he cannot And such failings as they are his sinnes so they are his sorrows also Pray therefore faintly that thou maist pray fervently pray weakly that thou mayest pray strongly Tim. But in the Law they were forbidden to offer to God any lame * sacrifice and such are my prayers Phil. 1. Observe a great difference betwixt the materiall Sacrifice under the Law and spiritual Sacrifices the calves of the lips under the Gospell The former were to be free from all blemish because they did typifie and resemble Christ himselfe The latter not figuratively representing Christ but heartily presented unto him must be as good as may be gotten though many imperfections will cleave to our best performances which by Gods mercy are forgiven 2. Know that that in Scripture is accounted lame which is counterfeit and dissembling in which sense * Hypocrites are properly called halters and therefore if thy prayer though never so weake be sound and sincere it is acceptable with God Tim. What other counsell do you prescribe me Phil. Be diligent in reading the word of God wherein all comfort is conteined say not that thou art dumpish and undisposed to read but remember how travellers must eat against their stomach their journey will digest it and though their Palate find no pleasure for the present their whole body will feele strength for the future Thou hast a great journey to go a wounded conscience is farre to travell to find comfort and though weary shall be welcome at his journeys end and therefore must feed on Gods word even against his own dull disposition and shall afterwards reap benefit thereby Tim. Proceed in your appointing of wholsome dyet for my wounded conscience to observe Phil. Avoid solitarinesse land associate thy selfe with pious and godly company O the blessed fruits thereof Such as want skill or boldnesse to begin or set a Psalme may competently follow tune in consort with others Many houses in London have so weak walls and are of so slight and slâ—…nder building that were they set alone in the fields probably they would not stand an houre which now ranged in streets receive support in them selves and mutually returne it to others So mayst thou in good society not only be reserved from much mischiefe but also be strengthened and confirmed in many godly exercises which solely thou couldest not perform Tim. What else must I do Phil. Be industrious in thy calling I presse this the more because some erroneously conceive that a wounded conscience cancels all Indentures of service and gives them during their affliction a dispensation to be idle The inhabitants of the Bishoprick of * Durham pleaded a priviledge that King Edward the first had no power although on necessary occasion to presse them to go out of the Country because forsooth they termed themselves Haly-worke-folke only to be used in defending the holy Shrine of S. Cuthbert Let none in like manner pretend that during the agony of a wounded conscience they are to have no other imployment then to sit moping to brood their Melancholly or else only to attend their devotions whereas a good way to divert or asswage their pain within is to take paines without in their vocation I am confident that happy minute which shall put a period to thy misery shall not find thee idle but employed as ever some secret good is accrewing to such who are diligent in their calling Tim. But though wounded consciences are not to be freed from all worke are they not to be favoured in their worke Phil. Yes verily Here let me be the Advocate to such Parents and Masters who have Sonnes Servants or others under their authority afflicted with wounded Consciences O doe not with the Egyptian task-masters exact of them the full tale of their bricke O spare a little till they have recovered some strength Unreasonablâ—… that maimed men should passe on equall duty with such Souldiers as are sound Tim. How must I dispose my selfe on the Lords day Phil. Avoid all servile work and expend it only in such actions as tend to the sanctifying thereof God the great Landlord of all time hath let out six daâ—…s in the weeke to man to farme them the Seaventh day he reserveth as Demeanes in his owne hand If therefore we would have quiet possession comfortable use of what God hath leased out to us let us not incroach on his Demeanes Some Popish * people make a superstitious Almanacke of the Sunday by the fairenesse or foulenesse thereof guessing of the weather all the weeke after But I dare boldly say that from our well or ill spending of the Lords Day a probable conjecture may be made how the following weeke will be imployed Yea I conceive we are bound as matters now stand in England to a stricter observation of the Lords Day then ever before That a time was due to Gods Service no Christian in our
beene beneath his high minde to stoop to the dressing thereof till it was too late Let us take heed the stoutest of us be not so served in our Soules If we repent not presently of our sinnes committed but carelesly contemne them a scratch may quickly prove an Ulcer the rather because the flesh of our minde if I may so use the Metaphor is hard to heale full of cholerick corrupt humors and very ready to rancle Tim. What else may we gather for our instruction from the torture of a troubled mind Phil. To confute their cruelty who out of sport or spight willingly and wittingly wound weak consciences like those uncharitable * Corinthians who so far improve their liberty in things indifferent as thereby to wound the consciences of their weake brethren Tim. Are not those Ministers too blame who mistaking their message instead of bringing the Gospell of Peace fright people with Legall terrours into despaire Phil. I cannot commend their discretion yet will not condemn their intention herein No doubt their dâ—…sire and designe is pious though they erre in the pursuite and prosecution thereof casting down them whom they cannot raise and conjuring up the Spirit of Bondage which they cannot allay againe Wherefore it is our wisest way to interweave promises with threatnings and not to leave open a pit of despaire but to cover it again with comfort Tim. Remaineth there not as yet another use of this poiâ—…t Phil. Yâ—…s to teach us to pitty and pray for those that have afflicted Consciences not like the wicked * who persecute those whom God hath smitten and talke to the griefe of such whom he hath wounded Tim. Yet Eli was a good man who notwithstanding censured * Hannah a woman of a sorrowfull spirit to be drunke with Wine Phil. Imitate not Eli in committing but amending his fault Indeed his dimme eyes could see drunkennes in Hannah where it was not could not see Sacriledge Adultery in his own Sonnes where they were Thus those who are most indulgent to their owne are most censorious of others But Eli afterwards perceiving his Errour turned tho condemning of Haâ—…nah into praying for her In like manner if in our passion we have prejudiced or injur'd any wounded Consciences in cold blood let us make them the best amends and reparation VI Dialogue That in some cases more Repentance must be preached to a wounded Conscience Tim. SO much for the Maladie now for the Remedy Supposâ—… you come to a wounded Conscience what counsell will you prescribe him Phil. If after hearty prayer to God for his direction he appeareth unto me as yet not truely penitent in the first place I will presse a deeper degree of Repentance upon him Tim O miserable Comforter more sorrow still Take heed your eyes be not put out with that smoking Flax you seeke to quench and your fingers wounded with the splinters of that bruised Reed you goe about to breake Phil. Understand me Sir Better were my tongue spit out of my mouth then to utter a word of griefe to drive them to despaire who are truly contrite But on the other side I shall betray my trust and be found an unfaithfull dispencer of Divine mysteries to apply comfort to him who is not ripe and ready for it Tim. What harme wolâ—…d it doe Phil. Raise him for the present and ruine him without Gods greater mercy for the future For comfort dawbed on on a foule soule will not stick long upon it And instead of pouring in I shall spill the precious oyle of Gods mercy Yea I may justly bring a Wounded Conscience upon my selfe for dealing deceitfully in my stewardship Tim. Is it possible one may not be â—…oundly humbled and yet have a woundeâ—… Conscience Phil. Most possible For a wounded Conscience is often inflicted as a punishment for lacke of true Repentance great is the difference betwixt a mans being frighted at and humbled for his sinnes One may passively be cast downe by Gods terrours and yet not willingly throw himselfe downe as he ought at Gods foot-stoole Tim. Seeing his pain is so pittifull as you have formerly proved why would you adde more griefe unto him Phil. I would not adde griefe to him but alter griefe in him making his â—…orrow not greater but better I would endeavour to change his dismall dolefull dejection his hidâ—…s and horrible heavines his bitter exclamations which seeme to me much mixed in him with Pride impatience and impenâ—…tence into a willing submission to Gods pleasure and into a kindly gentle tender Gospell-repentance for his sinnes Tim. But there are some now adayes who maintaine that a Child of God after his first conversion needeth not any new repentance for sinne all the dayes of his life Phil. They derend a grievous and dangerous errour Consider what two petitions Christ coupleth together in his Prayer When my Body which every day is hungry can live without Gods giving it daily Bread then and no sooner shall I believe that my Soule which daily sinneth can spiritually live without Gods forgiving it its Trespasses Tim. But such alledge in proof of their opinion that a man hath his person justified before God not by pieces and parcels but at once and for ever in his conversion Phil. This being granted doth not favour their errour We confesse God finished the Creation of the world and all therein in six dayes and then rested from that worke yet so that his daily preserving of all things by his providence may â—…till be accounted a constant and continued Creation We acknowlege in like manner a Child of God justified at once in his conversion when he is fully and freely estated in Gods favour And yet seeing every daily sinne by him committed is an aversion from God and his daily Repentance a conversion to God his justification in this respect may be conceived intrirely continued all the dayes of his life Tim. What is the difference betwixt the first Repentance and this renewed Repentance Phil. The former is as it were the putting of life into a dead man the latter the recovering of a sicke man from a dangerous swound by the former sight to the blind is simply restored and eyes given him in the latter only a filme is removed drawn over their eyes and hindering their actuall sight By the first we have a right title to the Kingdome of Heaven by our second repentance we have a new claime to Heaven by vertue of our old title Thus these two kinds of repentance may be differenced and distinguished though otherwise they meet and agree in generall qualities both having sinne for their Cause sorrow for their Companion and pardon for their consequent and effect Tim. But are not Gods Children after committing of grievous sinnes and before their renewing their repentance remaine still heires of Heavâ—… married to Christ and citizens of the new Hierusalem Phil. Heires of Heaven they are but disinheritable for their mâ—…demeanour Married still to Christ
desirest is enough to make thee giddy stagger and reel into despaire Ever therefore Lift up thine eyes unto the * hils from whence commeth thy helpe never viewing the deepe Dale of thy own unworthines but to abate thy pride when tempted to presumption Tim. Sir your fourth and last counsell Phil. Be not disheartned as if comfort would not come at all because it comes not all at once but patiently attend Gods leisure they are not styled the swift but the * Sure mercies of David And the same Prophet saith * The glory of the Lord shall be thy Rereward this we know comes up last to secure and make good all the rest Be assured where grace patiently leads the Front glory at last will be in the Reare Remember the prodigious patience of Eliahs servant Tim. Wherein was it remarkeable Phil. In obedience to his master He went severall times to the Sea it is tedious for me to tell what was not troublesome for him to doe 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. times sent down steepe Carmel with danger and up it again with difficulty and all to bring newes of nothing till his last journey which made recompence for all the rest with the tydings of a cloud arising So thy thirsty soule long parched with drowth for want of cōfort though late at last shall be plentifully refreshed with the dew of consolation Tim. I shall be happy if I find it so Phil. Consider the causes why a broken Leg is incureable in a Horse and easily cureable in a man The Horse is incapable of counsell to submit himselfe to the Farrier therefore in case his Leg be set he flings flounces and flies out unjoynting it again by his mis-imployed mettle counting all binding to be shackles fetters unto him whereas a man willingly resigneth himselfe to be ordered by the Chyrurgeon preferring rather to be a prisoner for some dayes then a Cripple all his life Be not like a * Horse or Mule which have no understanding but let patience have its perfect worke In thee When God goeth about to bind up the * broken hearted tarry his time though ease come not at an instant yea though it be painfull for the present in due time thou shalt certainly receive comfort XIV Dialogue Comfortable meditations for wounded Consciences to muse upon Tim. Furnish me I pray with some comfortable meditations whereon I may busie and imploy my soule when alone Phil. First consider that our Saviour had not only a notionall but an experimentall and meritorious knowledge of the paines of a wounded conscience when hanging on the Crosse If Pau◅ conce◅ved himselfe happy being to answer for himself before King Agrippa especially because he knew him to be expert in all the customes and questions of the Jewes How much more just cause hath thy wounded conscience of comfort and joy being in thy prayers to plead before Christ himself who hath felt thy pain and deserved that in due time by his stripes thou shouldst be healed Tim. Proceed I pray in this comfortable subject Phil. Secondly consider that herein like Eliah thou needest not complaine that thou art left alone seeing the best of Gods Saints in all ages have smarted in the same kind instance in David Indeed sometimes he boasteth how he lay in green * pastures and was led by still waters But after he bemoaneth that he sinks in * deepe mire where there was no standing What is become of those greene pastures Parched up with the drowth Where are those still waters Troubled with the tempest of affliction The same David compareth himselfe to an * owle and in the next Psalme resembleth himselfe to an Eagle Doe two fowles flie of more different kind The one the Scorne the other the Soveraigne the one the slowest the other the swiftest the one the most sharp sighted the other the most dimme-eyed of all Birds Wonder not then to find in thy selfe sudden and strange alterations It fared thus with all Gods servants in their agonies of temptation and be confident thereof though now run aground with griefe in due time thou shalt be all afloate with comfort Tim. I am loath to interrupt you in so welcome a discourse Phil. Thirdly consider that thou hast had though not grace enough to cure thee yet enough to keep thee and conclude that he whose goodnesse hath so long held thy head above water from drowning will at last bring thy whole body safely to the shoare The Wife of Manoah had more faith then her husband and thus she reasoned * If the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have received a burnt and a meat offering at our hands Thou mayst argue in like manner If God had intended finally to forsake me he would never so often have heard and accepted my prayers in such a measure as to vouchsafe unto me though not full deliverance from free preservation in my affliction Know God hath done great things for thee already and thou mayst conclude from his grace of supportation hitherto grace of ease and relaxation hereafter Tim. It is pitty to disturb you proceed Phil. Fourthly consider that besides the private stock of thy owne thou tradest on the publick store of all good mens prayers put up to heaven for thee What a mixture of Languages met in Hierusalem at Pentecost * Parthians Medes and Elamites c. But conceive to thy comfort what a medley of prayers in severall tongues daily center themselves in Gods eares in thy behalfe English Scotch Irish French Dutch c. insomuch that perchance thou dost not understand one syllable of their prayers by whom thou mayst reap benefit Tim. Is it not requisite to intitle me to the profit of other mens prayers that I particularly know their persons which pray for me Phil. Not at all no more then it is needfull that the eye or face must see the backward parts which is difficult or the inward parts of the body which is impossible without which sight by sympathie they serve one another And such is the correspondency by prayers betwixt the mysticall members of Christs body corporally unseen one by another Tim. Proceed to a fift Meditation Phil. Consider there be five kinds of Consciences on foot in the world First an ignorant conscience which neither sees nor saith any thing neither beholds the sinnes in a soule nor reproves them Secondly the flattering conscience whose speech is worse then silence it selfe which though seeing sin sooths men in the committing thereof Thirdly the seared conscience which hath neither sight speech nor sense in men that ar◅ * past feeling Fourthly a wounded conscience frighted with sinne The last and best is a quiet and cleare conscience pacified in Christ Jesus Of these the fourth is thy case incomparably better then the three former so that a wise man would not take a world to change with them Yea a wounded conscience is rather painfull then