The Cause and Cure of a Wounded Conscience, Dialogue 1
I. Dialogue. What a wounded Conscience is, wherewith the Godly and Reprobate may be tortured.
Timotheus.
SEeing the best way never to know a wounded Conscience, by wofull experience, is speedily to know it by a sanctified consideration thereof: Give me (I pray you) the description of a wounded Conscience, in the highest degree thereof.
Philologus.
It is a Conscience frighted at the sight of *Psa. 38. 3sin, and weight of Gods wrath, even unto the despaire of all pardon, during the present Agony.
Tim.
Is there any difference betwixt a broken *Psal. 51. 17.spirit, and a wounded Conscience, in this your acception?
Phil.
Exceeding much: for a broken spirit is to be prayed and laboured for, as the most healthfull and happy temper of the soule, letting in as much comfort, as it leakes out sorrow for sinne: Whereas a wounded conscience is a miserable maladie of the mind, filling it for the present with despaire.
Tim.
In this your sense, is not the conscience wounded every time that the soule is smitten with guiltinesse for any sinne committed?
Phil.
God forbid: otherwise his servants would be in a sad condition, as in the case of David *1▪ Sam. 24. 5.smitten by his owne heart, for being (as he thought) overbold with Gods Anointed, in cutting off the skirt of Sauls garment; such hurts are presently heal'd by a Plaister of Christs blood, applyed by faith, and never come to that height to be counted and called wounded c…nsciences.
Tim.
Are the godly, a… well as the wicked, subject to this malady?
Phil.
Yes verily: Vessels of honour as well as vessels of wrath in this world, are subject to the knocks and br…ises of a wounded conscience. A patient Job, p…ous David, faithfull Paul may be vexed therewith no lesse then a cursed Cain, perfidious Achit… phil, or treacherous Judas.
Tim.
What is the difference betwixt a wounded conscience in the godly, and in the reprobate?
Phil.
None at all; oft times in the parties apprenensions, both (for the time being) conceiving their estates equally desperate; little, if any, in the widenesse and anguish of the wound it selfe, which (for the time) may be as tedious and torturing in the godly, as in the wicked.
Tim.
How then doe they differ?
Phil.
Exceeding much in Gods intention, gashing the wicked, as Malefactors, out of Justice, but lancing the godly, out of love, as a Surgeon his Patients. Likewise they differ in the issue and event of the wound, which ends in the eternall confusion of the one, but in the correction & amendment of the other.
Tim.
Some have said, that in the midst of their pain, by this mark they may be distinguished, because the Godly, when wounded, complain most of their Sinnes, and the wicked of their sufferings.
Phil.
I have heard as much; But dare not lay too much stresse on this slender signe, (to make it generally true) for feare of failing. For sorrow for sin, and sorrow for suffering, are oft times so twisted and interwoven in the same person, yea in the same sigh and Groane, that sometimes it is impossible for the partie himself so to separate and divide them in his owne sense and feeling, as to know which proceedeth from the one and which from the other. OnelyOnly the Allseeing Eye of an infinite God is able to discerne and distinguish them.
Tim.
Informe me concerning the Nature of Wounded Consciences in the wicked.
Phil.
Excuse he herein: I remember a Passage in S. *Angelicū vulnus ver… medicus qualiter factū sit indicare noluit, dum illud postea curare non destinavit. De mirab. Scrip…. lib. 1. c. 2.Augustine, who enquired what might be the cause that the fall of the Angells is not plainly set down in the Old Testam. with the manner and circumstances thereof, resolveth it thus: God, like a wise Surgeon, would not open that wound which he never intended to cure: Of whose words thus farre I make use, that as it was not according to Gods pleasure to restore the Devils, so it being above mans power to cure a wounded conscience in the wicked, I will not meddle with that which I cannot mend: OnelyOnly will insist on a wounded conscience i… Gods children, where, by Gods blessing, one may be the instrument, to give some ease, and remedy unto their disease.