Conflicts and Comforts of Conscience, Treatise · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. The Comfort; How in this Conflict the Soule may stay it selfe, and wind out of it.
WHo would not here stand agast, and appall'd, to consider into what a Maze of perplexities, and Sea of sorrowes, sinne, though but in some errour of our life, doth inwrap and ingulfe the poore child of God; still one waue following in the necke of another, like Iob's messengers, and euerie one more grieuous then other? How is it possible, but the poore man should bee swallowed vp in the bottomlesse gulfe? But loe, euen in his vtmost extreamitie there is a planke for him to saue him from drowning. First for the offence to the enemies without the Church. The wound that is deeper will require the longer tent, the longer time, the greater pains, the greater patience in curing of it. For first, this must redoubble and renue his repentance. Secondly, he must pray the more feruently for Gods enemies, for their conuersion to God. Thirdly, hee must expresse such fruits of his repentance in his life and conuersation, that euen they that are without, may thereby bee brought within the Church. Fourthly, if he be a Minister, he must so much the more labour in his Calling, and that not onelyonly by preaching, but otherwise also, if God hauehave giuen him abilitie and oportunitie, that thereby they may bee brought to Christs Fold. And if by his labour hee can rescue but one Soule out of the Diuels paw, it will both comfort him for the present, and procure vntounto him a more glorious reward hereafter. Fifthly, though all his labour and industry this way cannot preuaile to win any one of Gods enemies, yet his good purposes and endeauours shal not bee defrauded of Gods gratious acceptance, nor frustrated of a mercifull recompence. Sixthly, if the enemies of God remaine obstinate in their Idolatry and superstition, it is not now (whatsoeuer their pretence bee) because of offence taken at him who professeth the truth, but because they are possest with the spirit of obstinacie to affect falshood and lyes, rather then the truth. For although through humaine weakenesse hee had giuen them cause of offence, to helpe to harden them in their Infidelitie: yet now vponupon the more cleare euidence of his repentance, confirmed by his constant reformation, they ought to bee reconciled to God by his example. For if they will wilfully and maliciously harden themselues in sin by others example of falling: then on the contrarie they ought wisely and willingly to abandon their sinfull estate by the patern of his rising again. Otherwise, they therefore lye not in their sin, because Gods child hath vnwarily sinned, whom they hauehave seene to repent: but because their habituall malice against the truth hath blinded their eyes, not to imbrace it. So that the Child of God going on in the practise of these foresaid duties, he shall find much comfort in his Conscience, and much peace in his Soule. In the last place, as it fared with Dauid, so it faring with any Saint of God in the like kind, to be vnderunder Gods rod inflicted (as we noted before) not as an expiatorie or vindicatorie punishment for sinne, alreadie satisfied by, and pardoned for Christ, both for guilt and mulct, but as a profitable medicine, not onelyonly to humble the Patient, but to warne and terrifie Gods verie enemies not to sinne, seeing God spareth not his owne children offending: hereupon the enemies ought to take speciall notice of, and lay to heart the afflictions infli…ed vponupon Gods children, …hom they hauehave noted to offend; and to bee thereby moued to take heed, either how they presume to censure him, or Religion for his sa…e; much …esse, that they should the more obstinately persist in their Infidelitie and impietie; euer hauing before their eyes that saying of the Holy Ghost by Peter: Iudgement must begin at the House of God; And if it first begin at vsus, what shall the end be of them, that obey not the Gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely bee saued, where shall the vngodly, and the sinner appeare?
Secondly, For offence giuen to the enemies within the Church, such as are false Brethren, halfe-Christians, enemies of the Crosse of Christ, such as the Apostle describes, Phil. 3.18, 19: When to such Gods child is become a scandall and scorne, and that in some sort worthily (though none ought to be so diabolical, as to make a scoffe of anothers weakenesse, but to mourne for it rather) how shall his (otherwise) magnanimous Spirit bee able to vndergoe such an indignitie? Surely not by accounting their scorn of lesse moment, because though deserued, it is no …esse vsuall with profane persons in their surquedry to canuas and bandie, like a Tennis-ball in the Racket-court, the good names of best Christians, casting all aspersions vponupon them, though neuer so vniust. Or may not his griefe herein find some mi…igation, that forasmuch as nothing more disquiets him, then that he hath caused the profane Rout to speake euill of Religion, and the true professours of it: yet he well knowes, that before this, their malice wanted no incentiue against it? No surely; this is so farre from giuing him any comfort at all, that it rather much exasperates his sorrow. For while carnall worldlings, out of an inbred antipathy to true Religion (at lest touching the life and power of it) speak euill thereof, and hate the beautie of it, which shining in her Sonnes, discouers th… deformities of the Children of Darkenesse so much the more; in all which they are left without excuse, being conuicted of their owne Conscience, while they hate goodnesse for no other cause, but because it is good: But now when the practicioner and professour of goodnesse hath so exorbitated from the strait and strict path thereof, as hee fals vnderunder the Checke of such Mates, hee puts a weapon into their hands, not onelyonly for offence, whereby they wound his vprightnesse, but for defence, to maintaine their owne sinne. Yea doth hee not put a Dart into their hand, wherewith through his sides, lying open, for neglect of strait guirding on his Armour, they wound the whole Band of his fellow-Souldiers? Oh, what a wound is this to his Soule?
Yet why should he, at least so much torment himselfe for this? Doth hee not know, that Religion is still an intemerated and vnuiolated Virgin, notwithstanding all the reproaches cast vponupon her by maleuolent tongues, thogh in some measure occasioned by the humaine imbecillitie of her otherwise faithfull Traine? And are not all the Children of Truth, though Saints by calling, though washed, sanctified, iustified in the Name of the Lord Iesus Christ, and by the Spirit of our God, yet full of the Dregges of Corruption remaining to bee purged out by daily prayer, repentance, … the practise of pious dutie… Is there not still in such a body of sinne to be destroyed? Still a Law in the Members, still sinne dwelling in them? Why then should some one actuall errour in such persons bee made such a Monster, or vn-heard-of wonder, as to bring a scandall vponupon the whole Profession, yea or vponupon the Person himselfe offending, so farre forth, as to account him as a Reprobate? As though sanctification consisted in an vtter abolition of sinne, branch and root, and not rather (for the present condition of this life) in the destruction of the tyrannicall dominion of sinne; and a daily conflict with the Reliques of it. For although all the truly regenerate bee Saints, translated from the state of darkenesse to light: Yet they put not off the nature of men, yea of weake and sinfull men, while they carrie about with them this body of death. For alas, how should the old bottles of our mortall bodies bee able to containe the pure new Wine of perfect holinesse (perfect I meane in the degrees) and not burst, and the Wine run out? How many, possessed but with a conceit and opinion of perfection in this life, hauehave lost euen that grace, which they seemed to hauehave? How should not then Gods child be quickly puffed vp and enamoured with the beautie of his graces, and so, as Satan to bee cast forth of Heauen like lightning, as Christ admonisheth his Disciples, Luke 10.18. if he had not some allay of corruption, or sinne to presse him downe, and humble him? Was not the Apostle exercised with a Thorne in the Flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet him, least hee should bee puffed vp with aboundance of Reuelations? Or how should Gods power bee magnified in our weakenesse, who said vntounto him, My grace is sufficient for thee, My strength is made perfect through weakenesse? Or how else should wee worke out our saluation with feare and trembling, seeing it is God that worketh in vsus both to will and to doe of his good pleasure? Or how shall God tread Satan vnderunder our feet shortly, if wee bee alreadie Conquerours? Or how shall wee presse hard toward the marke, if wee bee alreadie perfect? Or how shall wee shake off the sinne that doth so easily beset vsus, and euerie waight of humane frailtie, to run with patience the race that is set before vsus, if Gods Saints here bee altogether without sinne? Or how shall the Spirit fight against the Flesh, if the Enemie bee alreadie vanquished? Or what need hauehave wee of Gods merciemercy, that wee should daily pray, Forgiue vsus our sins, if we did not euerie day commit sinne? So that to grieue, that one offence in the Regenerate should bee sufficient to scandalize Religion, and the profession of it, may serue to muzzle either Papists in their pride, or Carnall men in their ignorance, who may thinke, that either there is a perfection of grace on Earth, or else holinesse beeing imperfect, there is no difference at all among men, but onelyonly in outward appearance, some seeming to be better then others. So that all this might seeme to mitigate the Patients maladie.
But yet (alas!) all this cannot giuegive him any solid comfort. For although there bee no perfection of degrees in holinesse here in the regenerate, yet a perfection of parts there is; and so of the parts, that Gods child must still bee growing on, and aspiring towards the perfection of degrees. Whereunto striuing, if by the way, in regard of infinite incombrances outward, and no lesse infirmities within him, hee stumble or fall, stagger, or stray, neuer so litle, hee is so much the more displeased with himselfe, and deiected in spirit, by how much hee pursued after perfection with greater sincerity and eagernesse. And although it stand not with the state of grace to be without many inbred corruptions still dwelling, but not raigning in the regenerate: Yet it is no small griefe of heart vntounto him, to hauehave committed the least sin. But when his corruption breakes out into a blaine or bile of open offence and scandall, oh what intollerable torment doth seaze vponupon his soule, as we see in Dauid! but no man can take an estimate of the waight of this burthen, but he that hath it vponupon him.
Therefore to conclude all, and to wind our selues at length out of this Meander of a turn-sicke conscience: besides other meanes of comfort mentioned before, wee will here adde onelyonly these two. First, that the Delinquent or Offendant giuegive such testimony of his continuall heart-griefe for his sinnes past, as that hee may euen driue the most carnall man into an astonishment, and to reflect vponupon his owne great and many sins, thus resoluing with himselfe: if so be that one sinne, and that committed of weakenesse, not of purpose, casually, not of custome, cost a man so much sorrow and humiliation: then what repentance and sorrow is requisite for all my great and many sinnes? Now I see, that sin is not so slightly to be regarded, as formerly I hauehave imagined. Thus by Gods grace may the wickedest man be brought to repentance for his euil life past, by beholding thy great humiliation for the least sinne. What a comfort then shall this bring vntounto thy soule, when thou shalt bee an occasion of pulling an other out of the fire, by letting him see how grieuous the burning of soule and body in hell flames shall be, when but one sparke, casually lighting vpo… the soule, hath beene enoug… euen to make thy precious life tedious to thy selfe, and thy more precious name odious to all.
The second meanes of comfort herein, is to possesse thy soule with a greater indignation against the least sinne in thy selfe, but with a greater compassion of others weakenesses. Pardon others many things, but thy selfe nothing. For if the Apostles reason for spirituall compassion be forcible, as when hee saith, Brethren, if a man be ouertaken in a fault, ye which are spirituall restore such a one in the spirit of meekenesse; and the reason is added, Considering thy selfe, least thou also be tempted: then … much more forcible is it …, to whom it may bee …aid, Considering thy selfe who hast beene tempted and ouer taken? Thus shalt thou reape a double fruite: the first, that thy lenity towards others grossely offending, shall make them the more amicable and gentle towards thee, in pardoning thy lesser offence towards them. Not that because we hauehave offended, therefore wee should remit our zeale (after the testimony of our … pentance) to reproue … sinnes, for so it should be… … to the Prouerbe, M…lus mulum scabit: but that our zeale in reprouing others should appeare to bee kindled at our indignation for our owne sinnes in the first place. Thus when others shall perceiue, that our zealous reproofes are bent against their sinnes, not their persons, (which they shall the more easily discerne, when it commeth from a hatred of sinne in ourselues,) it will so much the more affect them, not onelyonly with a louelove towards our persons, but a hatred towards their owne sinnes. The second fruit is, that howsoeuer the Patient shall bee incountred with vnkind affronts, frowns, or frumps, now and then; yet his indignation and zeale a…inst himselfe, if it cannot mitigate others sharpnesse towards him; yet shall it bee such an armour of proofe vntounto him, being tempered with faith, humility, meeknesse, & patience, as all Sathans fiery darts shal not be able to pierce it, at leastwise, not mortally to wound him. And in a word, so many outward discouragements as either hee hath, or yet shall meete withall in the world for his offence past, they shall from henceforth be but as so many * thorne-hedges round about him, ready to pricke and wound him, when any temptation would diuert or draw him to the least transgression.
FINIS.
End of the text · Henry Burton, Conflicts and Comforts of Conscience (1628)