Conflicts and Comforts of Conscience, To the reader – Errata
To the Christian Reader.
CHristian Reader, I here present thee with A Treatise of Conflicts and Comforts of Conscience. Which, how sutable for thee, I know not: But I am sure, for me. The bitter Conflicts of the Mother in the birth, may iustly name it Ben-oni, Sonne of Sorrow: But the Father, Ben-iamin, Sonne of the right hand; Or Barnabas, Sonne of Consolation. They that sow in teares, shall reape in ioy. Such a tenderling could not be bo…e in a colder Season; it must incounter many bitter stormes; But beeing strengthened by Paul's Comforter, it runneth aground, not waighing the losse of the Ship, to saue the Soules, though driuen on the Barbarians shore; hoping also, that howsoeuer, as the Barbarians, seeing the Viper leaping on Paul's hand, deemed him some Malefactour; but cast off againe into the fire without hurt, changed their minds: So haply it may befall the Authour of this Treatise. Who of set purpose proposing himselfe the maine subiect of these Conflicts and Comforts: May h…ply occasion some Readers in their hast to passe vponupon him a far harder sentence, then he deserueth▪ What's the matter, say th…y? Adulterers, Fornicatours are onelyonly fit for publicke penance. But let such know, that it becommeth a Minister of the Gospell to be humbled for the lest offence, much more for greater. Blessed be God, by whose Grace I hauehave be…ne kept for euer committing any such act, throughout my whole life. Let the great Accuser of our Brethren stand vp, and accuse me in that kind, if hee can. Yet the vile corruptions of nature, and the foule aberrations of life, yea euen meere heedlesse follies and needlesse frailties, may they not bee cause enough to plunge a man in the deepe, to cause him to abhorre himselfe, and to repent in dust and ashes, and that especially when they fall vponupon a Sacred person? Euen holy Iob did so. How much more such a one, as being equall to Iob in sacrednesse of person, yet is farre inferiour to him in the perfection of vertues?
But they obiect: If it bee no more, who is free? If euerie one should write a Booke of his humaine follyes, the world would not containe them. This sauours of too much nice and needless scrupulosity; Or as done of spl…ne, to aggrauate others sinnes, which might passe for currant, at least for veniall, were it not for such strait laced Consciences, which grieued for small sinnes, make the greater out of measure sinfull. As the enuious man, to hauehave both his neighbours eyes put out, is willing to loose one of his owne. How many, yea & sometimes Churchmen too, may play the good fellowes, bee ouerseene, and ouer-shooes, and yet make no such scruple of it? Or if men espy the least hole in the Ministers coat, they will easily g…t in their whole body, hiding all their deformities vnderunder his holely Coat, as silly Papists their sins vnderunder a Fryers cowle. And may not Papists also, specially their Priests take it in snuffe, wh…n they shal see common frailties so deepely lamented, as it must needs damme to the de…pe Pit of Hell their ordinarie Adulteries, and Fornications, which they account but venials, specially in a Priest? May they not hereupon grow vponupon the simple people, as whose libertie is too much captiued vnderunder the yoake of such a Ministry, as cannot brooke in themselues the least aberrations, how much lesse such as they censure and esteeme farre greater in the multitude? Or else may they not disgrace such Ministers vntounto their people, by making Mountaines of their Molehils, while Ministers bewaile their Molehils as Mountaines?
To this multiplicit obiection I answer: First, It were to be wished, that all offenders would giuegive publicke euidence of their Repentance, if not by Orall confession, yet by an actuall reformation. Secondly, I see no reason why any common Christian should inuy, that a Ministers heedlesse smallest slips should in the skales of his owne iudgement preponder others head die falls. Thirdly, What Marriners will bee so desperately madd, as to run vponupon the Rocke, because the Pilot sometime in the securitie of a calme fell a sleepe at the Sterne? O… what Seruant will goe cut his own throat, because his Master against his will cut his finger? Fourthly, Why should better taught Christians bee like those vntaught Lystrians, who either Idolatrously will sacrifice to the Apostles▪ or hearing them professing to be men of like passions with them, in the turning of a hand stone them? Yet, if no remedie, Let him that is without sinne, cast the first stone. Fifthly, For the common Aduersarie of all grace; nothing will stop his Serpentine two forked tongue. If a Minister bee altogether blamelesse, hee heares, A Puritan: But if in the least casuall errour obnoxious, Worse then a Publican. Lastly, It is the glorie of the Gospell to make the least sinnes vile in the eyes of the true Professours thereof, to the confusion of Babel, with all her Crimsin, Criminall, Capitall, yet Veniall, yea Meritorious, Meretricious Sinnes. And it shall euer bee the glorie of the Ministers of the Gospell, as an euidence of true grace in their hearts, when they shall with a meeke, yet magnanimous Spirit bee able to dig…st the sower hearbes of malicious exprobrations cast in their dish by the profane Aduersarie, and to answer them, as Dauid did mocking Micol, with a noble resolution, I will yet bee more vile then thus, & will be base in mine owne sight.
In a word, if any shall beare himselfe bigge vponupon such instances as this (of a man made nothing in his owne eyes) thinking to purchase some opinion of sanctitie to blaunch his monstrous lurking lusts, by how much his mouth shall vent the more venemous Censures against it: let such learne of the Heathen Poet:
Qui, ne tuberibus proprijs offendat amicum,
Postulat, ignoscat verrucis illius; aequum est
Poscentem veniam peccatis, reddere rursus.
Who would bee glad not to offend
With his swolne bunches his deare friend,
His warts must pardon; This is iust,
Who pardon craues, hee pardon must.
But why stand we thus to answer euerie Obiecter? Let this Booke answer for all. Read it. And if it will not satisfie thee: Yet I hope it will aboundan…ly satisfie him, for whom it is specially written.
Yet one obiection more is: That in these loosse and licentious times, it had beene more necessary to reach men the way to repentance & humiliation for sinne, then how to find comfort, being humbled. For most men, though neuer so sinnefull, are apt enough to lay hold on Gods merciemercy, which yet neuer trod the way of true repentance, thinking it sufficient (as the Thiefe that trusts to his Neck-verse) if at the verie end of the Race they can worke force in but one foote, and with a Peccaui crowd in at Heauen Gate. For such Ben-onies most will bee, to assume the name of Sonnes of Sorrow, but not before the giuing vp of the Mothers ghost, that bare them. As the Phenix is not bred, but of the dead ashes of the Damme. Most men being as loth to see their sinne dye, as Hagar her bond sonne. How many Iudasses will neuer repent, confesse, restore, but with the Halter in their hands? Or at the best, as the Aramites, going with Halters about their Hypocriticall neckes to the King of Israel, to flatter God for a pardon. The Vsurer builds no Hospitals, relieues no poore, till he dy, nor many times then, choosing rather to dye, then make his Will. Balaam will but dye the death of the righteous as loth to forgoe his wages of vnrighteousnesse, while hee liueth. Hee that liues a Theef, would dye a Martyr, though wee read but of one that did so. Dici que bea…us Ante obitū nemo (in the worst sense) Euerie one would be happy, but not till death. In this regard then it had beene more requisite to show men their folly in deferring their repentance, till either sinne or sicknesse hauehave made them senselesse of their sinnes, or in putting off the payment of their debts, till the score grow greater and greater, and they lesse able to pay, turning at length quite Banckrupts: That so repenting in time, they may enter in at the Gate of MercieMercy, before it be quite shut vp, with an, I know you not: Depart yee workers of iniquitie.
Answ. This obiection (I confesse) is of some moment. Too many (alas!) are readie with Ioab, flying to lay hold on the Hornes of the Altar, when yet they hauehave not made their peace with King Salomon, the King of peace. But in case any inordinate liuer shall be brought to a sight and sense of his sin, while hee is yet meat-whole, as we say: here he may, by Gods grace, find comfort. And as for that other taske to teach men the way to repentance, others hauehave bestowed profitable pains therein; and especially of late a learned and reuerend Predecessour of mine, M. Mason, in his Tribunall of Conscience. Wherein for the point of moralitie, in the examination of a mans life, he hath taken worthy paynes. OnelyOnly I could wish, if his leasure did serue, that hee would bee pleased to add thereunto a Rule how to examine a mans Errours in point of Faith, and of the sound knowledge of the Mystery of Christ. For where this foundation of sound and sauing knowledge is not rightly layd in the heart, as the foundation, whatsoeuer repentance a man goes about to frame or erect, it either falleth, as built on the Sand, or vanisheth away in an ayerie imagination. For the purpose: How can a man, that either is ignorant of the grace of Christ, of the Gospell of God, and of the nature of sauing Faith, or else is arrogant in the singularitie of his owne opinion, wherein he ouerturneth the whole foundation of Grace, euer come to true repentance for his sinne? For true repentance is a speciall gift of Grace: It is an immediate fruit of sauing Faith illuminating and sanctifying the heart, and whole man: and God giues this grace to no malicious enemie of Grace, but to such as hauing receiued it, are thankefull for it, as a gift of Gods free grace in Christ, flowing from the Fountaine of Gods eternall louelove in electing vsus in Christ, before the World was. So that it may seeme a worthy worke, and necessarie (if any) for the aduersaries of grace, swelling to a great height in these last times, as if they would bring another Deluge vponupon the Earth: to show the way, how such may come (if it be possible) to the acknowledgement of the Truth, to repentance and amendment of their Errours, and Sins, that they may be saued. OnelyOnly it is a question, whether their Errours vphold them in their Lusts, especially Ambition, and LoueLove of the World, or these their Lusts hold them fast in their Errours. But I will not ouer bouldly presse this Taske vponupon any, it being both touchy and tedious. In the meane time, if any shall reape either Consolation, or Instruction by this poore Worke, to the furtherance of their Saluation, and the adu…ncement of the glory of him, who set me on worke, it is the Fruit of all my Labour, and I reioyce therein, yea and I will reioyce.
THe Proeme.
CHAP. I. The first Conflict, or tryall, wherein the Conscience of a man Regenerate, apprehending Gods wrath for sin, is perilously shaken. pag. 17
CHAP. II. The Comfort. How the Soule is reduced and restored into Gods fauour, and so, to the peace of Conscience. p. 34
CHAP. III. Conflicts with Gods people offended, specially when the faithfull Pastor is afflicted for the least offence giuen by him to his Flocke. p. 125
CHAP. IIII. The Comfort. Shewing how Gods Minister may recouer Comfort of Conscience, and that among his offended Flocke. p. 133
CHAP. V. Conflicts, arising from the Sacred societie of the Ministry offended. p, 166
CHAP. VI. The Comfort. How in this case the poore forlorn Patient may find reliefe. p. 170
CHAP. VII. Conflicts with old Friends and Familiars, growne strangers. p. 203
CHAP. VIII. The Comfort. How a man may ouercome, or, at least, not be ouercome of the former Conflict. p. 215
CHAP. IX. Conflicts with an euill name. p. 224
CHAP. X. The Comfort. How in this deplored case, the deiected Soule may sustaine it selfe, and hold out to the end. p. 236
CHAP. XI. Conflicts with the Enemies of the Truth. p. 246
CHAP. XII. The Comfort. How in this Conflict the Soule may stay it selfe, and wind out of it p. 257
Errata.
IN the Latine Epistle; page 2. line 13. for, intexuisse, read intexuerim. p. 3. l. 9. r. dedignabimini. p. 5. l. 7. r. misericordiam. p. 8. l. 10. r. Sanctorum.
In the Booke; p. 57. l. 4. for Conflict r. cooler. p. 131. l. 19. r. credatis. p. 145. l. 9. f. corruption r. corrupts. & l. 24. f. comming r. winning. p. 161. l. 24. f. turning r. teaching. p. 180. l. 16 r. quid. p. 210. in the margent, l. 6. r. ardo…. p. 270. l. 21. r. nuzzle. Other lighter escapes the judicious Reader will easily correct.