Christian See to Thy Conscience, Treatise · Chapter 46 – Chapter 47
CHAP. 46. Of the difference betweene the wounded Conſcience and the deſperate Conſcience.
SEing the effects of a wounded ſpirit in the regenerate are very lamentable, and that ſuch a one may vtter deſperate ſpeeches, yea more, ſometime become ſo weary of life, as he or ſhee may ſeek their owne death: it may be asked how the deſperate and this do differ?
I anſwere, that the difference is much betweene them in many reſpects.
1. Of the parties, the afflicted Conſcience may befall a Dauid, and is the Conſcience of the regenerate, though it afflict them ſore: but the deſperate Conſcience happeneth to a Saul, a Iudas: either to men lewdly vicious, or deeplie hipocrites.
2. They differ in the cauſes; The deſperate conſcience is from Gods iuſtice to puniſh the wicked; the other is a fatherly chaſtiſment of God, and for triall. The deſperate conſcience ariſeth from apprehenſion of Gods fierce anger and wrath for ſinne, for feare of vengeance, from loſſe, from outward croſſes, ſhame, and reproach among men; The other is moſt from the conſideration of ſinne, and want of grace, of which things they moſt complaine; and more bewaile theſe, then grieue or fret at croſſe, ſhame, diſgrace, or terrified; with apprehenſion of Gods heauy indignation, deſperately as others be.
3. They differ in the manner of working, the deſperate is very violent, condemning, damning, and making a man to giuegive way wholly to the terrours thereof, and to the ſuggeſtions of Satan; for they are wholly vnderunder the power of the Law; they hauehave no part in the ſauing power of the Goſpell; neither hauehave they any aſſiſtance from God, Iob 8. 20.
The other is very troubleſome, but not ſo violent, but reproueth, argueth, conuinceth, and murmureth euer againſt man; but yet is hee not wholly giuen ouer to the terrour thereof, nor to Satans malitious ſuggeſtions. Becauſe they are not vnderunder the Law, but vnderunder Grace, their graces alſo do worke as their faith and hope, though but weakely for the preſent; and God doth not vtterly forſake them, Iob 8. 20. neither doth hee ſuffer them to be tempted aboue that which they are able to beare, 1. Cor. 10. 13.
4. They differ in ſome effects: the deſperate conſcience makes man to ſeeke eaſe, and to get freed from the torture here, if he may; not to change his former duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page euill life, but to liue quietly, as before, in his vaine courſe of his conuerſation, vexed to hauehave in this world a Hell, of which hee is regardleſſe till after death.
But the wounded ſoule ſeeketh deliuerance, not to follow the world for profits, or pleaſures but with a reſolution …o walke: more carefully in holy duties, and to hauehave his heart ſet at liberty, to runne more chearefully the way of Gods Commandements.
5. They differ in the remedies vſed to cure the griefe. The deſperate conſcience driues men to vaine company, fooliſh paſtimes, wanton delights, or to thruſt them into worldly buſineſſes, or to ſeeke help of ill inſtruments, Witches, Wizards, as Saul did; or to goe to their companions in ſinne, as Iudas did, but without comfort.
The afflicted ſpirit is not moued to any of theſe, but flyeth from them, and hateth them; it finds no reſt by worldly vaine, and fleſhly meanes: it therfore ſeekes ſpirituall meanes, godly mens aduiſe, Chriſtian conference, and labours continually with earneſt deſire to feele comfort in a fauourable acceptance with God, through faith in Ieſus Chriſt.
6. And laſtly they differ in the end, the deſperate Conſcience workes mans deſtruction, & makes ſome to kill themſelues, or to die with damnation vponupon themſelues in their own mouthes; or elſe ſuddenly 1. Sam. 25. 37.with terrour hauehave their hearts die within them, and become as a ſtone, like Nabal.
But the godly, afflicted in conſcience, attaineth toPſa. 37. 37. a more happy end, and that is peace after much and long conflict, as examples hauehave ſhewed.
CHAP. 47. Of the difference betweene the afflicted Conſcience, and the paſsion of Melancholy.
IT is the faſhion of vaine men to iudge the wound of Conſcience, Melancholy, becauſe they are altogether ignorant of the one, and not ſo of the other; according to their naturall knowledge therefore they fondly iudge of a ſpirituall malady. And for that they may ſometime meet together, to the greater griefe of the aflicted ſpirit, and not diſcerning the one from the other, they raſhly iudge all to be onelyonly a fit of Melancholy, when as they differ much.
For firſt, the Melancholike humour workes a ſad penſiueneſſe in ſuch, as bee neuer troubled about caſes of Conſcience, nor euer grieued for ſinne, or failing in religious duties: but the wound of Conſcience workes heauineſſe of heart for theſe things:
2. Melancholy filleth the head often with vaine fantaſies and imaginations of ſuch things, as if the parties had loſt their wits and vnderſtandings, the conceits being to others ſo euidently falſe and fooliſh. But he that is wounded in ſpirit, loſeth not his right apprehenſion of the iuſt cauſe of ſorrow, neither is he ſo miſtaken in his imagination as the other be.
3. Melancholike paſſions ariſe from naturall cauſes in the body; the other from the ſight of ſinne in the ſoule.
4. This may bee ſomewhat diſcerned by bodily complection, ſo cannot the other: for affliction of conſcience may befall ſuch, whoſe complection is ſ… guine, as Dauids was, as by his deſcription may appeare,1. Sam. 16. 12. & 17. 42. and by his delight in Muſicke.
5. The meere melancholike perſon grieueth not for Gods diſhonour, for other mens rebellions againſt God, and becauſe men keepe not Gods Law; hee is not touched with theſe things, as a Dauid was, and afflicted ſoules be for their owne ſins, which moueth them to mourne and lament for others.
6. The melancholy is cured by phyſicke, as being a bodily diſeaſe: but ſo is not the wound of ſpirit.
7. The melancholike cured and amended, is not ioyous in the Lord, ſpeaks not of ſpirituall comforts, and peace obtained with God by faith, nor delighteth in the company of the godly, nor in any holy conference with them, nor ſeekes after ſpirituall meanes, nor finds comfort in meditation, hearing and reading of Gods Word, often praying, and many eiaculations vntounto God: but the afflicted in Conſcience cured, takes delight in theſe things, and doth expreſſe much ioy herein, euen to the reioycing of the hearts of the pious, and religiouſly-minded.
Laſtly, the melancholike humour is neuer ſo cured, but the parties of that complection will eaſily bee ouertaken therewith, either vponupon no occaſion, or vponupon light croſſes of the world, and diſcontentments, and ſo bee caſt into a ſudden dumpiſhneſſe, without being able to render a ſound reaſon thereof. But men of wounded conſcience once cured, and their peace obtained with God, they are neuer ſad but for ſome new ſinne, or being in company with ſuch as grieue thē by ſinning; the worlds croſſes may trouble them; but finding inward peace, they are chearefull, or ſoone made chearefull by comfortable conference with religious people. The Melancholike humour and the wound of conſcience doe very much differ one from the other, and require differing remedies, and differing Phiſicians to cure the ſame.