The Cause and Cure of a Wounded Conscience, Dialogue 4
IV. Dialogue. The great torment of a wounded conscience, proved by Reasons and Examples.
Tim.
IS the paine of a wounded Conscience so great as is pretended?
Phil.
God *Prov. 18. 14.saith it, we have seene it, and others have felt it: Whose complaints, …avour as little of dissimulation, as their cries in a fit of the Cholique, doth of counterfeiting.
Tim.
Whence comes this wound to be so great and grievous?
Phil.
Six Reasons may be assigned thereof. The first drawn from the Heavinesse of the hand which makes the Wound; namely, God himslfe, conceived under the notion of an infinite angry Judge. In all other afflictions, man encountreth only with man, and in the worst temptations, only with Sathan, but in a wounded Conscience, he enters the Lists immediately with God himselfe.
Tim.
Whence is the second Reason fetcht?
Phil.
From the *Heb. 4. 12sharpnesse of the Sword, wherewith the wound is made, being the Word of God, and the keen threatnings of the Law therein contained. There is mention Gen. 3. 24. of a Sword turning every way: parallel whereto is the Word of God in a wounded Conscience. Mans heart is full of windings, turnings and doublings, to shift and shunne the stroke thereof if possible, but this sword meets them wheresoever they move, it fetcheth and finds them out, it hants and hunts them, forbidding them during their Agony, any entrance into the Paradise of one comfortable thought.
Tim.
Whence is the third Reason derived?
Phil.
From the tendernesse of the Part it selfe which is wounded; the Conscience being one of the eyes of the soule, sensible of the smallest hurt. And when that Callum, Schirrus or Inerustation drawn over it by nature, and hardned by custome in sinne, is once … off, the Conscience becomes so pliant and supple, that …he least imaginable touch is painf…ll … it.
Tim.
What is the fourth Reason?
Phil.
The Folly of the Patient: who being stung, hath not the wisedome to looke up to Christ, the Brazen Serpent but tormenteth himselfe with his owne activity. It was threatned to *Jer. 20. 4.Pashur, I will make thee a terrour to thy selfe: So fareth it with Gods best Saint during the fit of his perplexed Conscience; Heareth he his owne voice, he thinketh, this is that which so often hath sworne, lyed, talked vainly, wanton, wickedly; his voice is a terrour to himselfe. Seeth he his own eyes in a glasse, he presently apprehends, these are those which shot forth so many envious, covetous, amorous Glances, his eyes are a terrour to himselfe. Sheep are observed to flye without cause, scared, (as some say) with the sound of their own feet: Their feet knack, because they flye, and they fly, because their feet knack, an emblem of Gods Children in a wounded Conscience, selfe-fearing, selfe▪frighted.
Tim.
What is the fift Reason which makes the paine so great?
Phil.
Because Sathan rak…s his clawes in the reeking blood of a wounded Conscience. Belzebub the devils name fignifieth in Hebrew the Lord of flyes; which excellently intimates his nature and employment: flyes take their selicity about sores and galled Backs, to infest and inflame them. So Sathan no sooner discovereth (and that Bird of Prey hath quick sight) a Soule terrour-struck, but thither he hasts, and is busie to keepe the wound raw, there he is in his throne to doe mischiefe.
Tim.
What is the sixt and last Reason why a wounded Conscience is so great a torment?
Phil.
Because of the impotency and invaliditie of all earthly receipts to give ease thereunto. For there is such a gulfe of disproportion betwixt a Mind-malady and Bodymedicines, that no carnall, corporall comforts can effectually work thereupon.
Tim.
Yet wine in this case is prescribed in Scripture, *Prov. 31. 6.Give wine to the heavy hearted, that they may remember their misery no more.
Phil.
Indeed if the wound be in the spirits, (those cursiters betwixt soule and body) to recover their decay or consumption, wine may usefully be applyed: but if the wound be in the spirit in Scripture phrase, all carnall, corporall comforts are utterly in vaine.
Tim.
Me thinks merry company should doe much to refresh him.
Phil.
Alas, a man shall no longer be welcome in merry company, then he is able to sing his Part in their Joviall Consort. When a hunted Deere runs for safeguard amongst the rest of the Herd, they will not admit him into their company, but beat him off with their hornes, out of principles of selfe-preservation, for feare the Hounds, in pursuit of him, fall on them also. So hard it is for Man or Beast in misery to find a faithfull friend. In like manner, when a knot of Bad-good-fellowes perceive one of their society dogg'd with Gods terrours at his heeles, they will be shut of him as soone as they can, preferring his roome, and declining his company, lest his sadnesse prove infectious to others. And now if all six reasons be put together, so heavy a hand, smiting with so sharp a sword on so tender a part of so foolish a patient, whilst Sathan seeks to widen, and no worldly plaister can cure the wound, it sufficiently proves a wounded conscience to be an exquisite torture.
Tim.
Give me I pray an example hereof.
Phil.
When Adam had eaten the forbidden fruit, he tarryed a time in Paradise, but tooke no contentment therein. The Sunne did shine as bright, the Rivers ran as cleare as ever before, Birds sang as sweetly, Beasts played as pleasantly, Flowers smelt as fragrant, Herbs grew as fresh, Fruits flourisht as faire, no Puntilio of Pleasure was either altered or abated. The objects were the same, but Adams eyes were otherwise, his nakednesse stood in his light; a thorne of guiltinesse grew in his heart, before any thistles sprang out of the ground; which made him not to seeke for the fairest fruits to fill his hunger, but the biggest leaves to cover his nakednesse. Thus a wounded conscience is able to unparadise Paradise it selfe.
Tim.
Give me another instance.
Phil.
CHRIST JESVS our Saviour, he was blinded, buffeted, scourged, scoffed at, had his hands and feet nailed on the Crosse, and all this while said nothing. But no sooner apprehended he his Father deserting him, groaning under the burthen of the sins of mankind imputed unto him, but presently the Lambe, (who hitherto dumb before his shearer opened not his mouth) for paine began to bleat, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Tim.
Why is a wounded conscience by David resembled to Arrowes,*Psa. 38. 2 Thine Arrowes stick fast in me?
Phil.
Because an Arrow (especially if barbed) rakes & rends the flesh the more, the more mettall the wounded partie hath to strive and struggle with it: and a guilty conscience pierceth the deeper, whilst a stout stomach with might and main seeketh to out-wrastle it.
Tim.
May not a wounded conscience also work on the body, to hasten and heighten the sicknesse thereof?
Phil.
Yes verily, so that there may be employment for*Col. 4. 14. Luke, the beloved physitian, (if the same person with the Evangelist) to exercise both his professions: But we meddle onelyonly with the malady of the mind, abstracted from any bodily indisposition.