The Cause and Cure of a Wounded Conscience, Dialogue 12
XII. Dialogue. Meanes to be used by wounded Consciences, for the recovering of comfort.
Tim.
ARe there any usefull meanes to be prescribed, whereby wounded Consciences may recover comfort the sooner?
Phil.
Yes, there are.
Tim.
But now adayes some condemne all using of meanes, let Grace alone (say they) fully and freely to do its own worke: and thereby mans mind will in due time return to a good temper of its ow… accord: This is the most spirituall serving of God, whilst using of meanes, makes but Dunces, and Trewants in Christs Schoole.
Phil.
What they pretend spirituall, wil prove ai…ry and empty, making lewd and lazie Christians: Meanes may and must be used with these cautions. 1. That they be of Gods appointment in his word, and not of mans meere invention. 2. That we stil remember they are but means, and not the main. For to account of helps more then helpes, is the highway to make them hindrances. Lastly, that none rely barely on the deed done, which conceit will undoe him that did it, especially if any opinion of merit be fixed therein.
Tim.
What is the first meanes I must use, for I re-assume to personate a wounded conscience?
Phil.
Constantly pray to God, that in his due time he would speake peace unto thee.
Tim.
My prayers are better omitted then performed: They are so weak they will but bring the greater punishment upon me, and involve me within the *Jer. 48. 10Prophets curse, to those that doe the worke of the Lord negligently.
Phil.
Prayers negligently performed, draw a curse, but not prayers weakly performed. The former is when one can do better, and will not; the latter, is, when one would do better, but alas, he cannot: And such failings as they are his sinnes, so they are his sorrows also: Pray therefore faintly, that thou maist pray fervently; pray weakly, that thou mayest pray strongly.
Tim.
But in the Law they were forbidden to offer to God any lame *Deut. 15. 21.sacrifice, and such are my prayers.
Phil.
1. Observe a great difference, betwixt the materiall Sacrifice under the Law, and spiritual Sacrifices (the calves of the lips) under the Gospell. The former were to be free from all blemish, because they did typifie and resemble Christ himselfe: The latter (not figuratively representing Christ, but heartily presented unto him) must be as good as may be gotten, though many imperfections will cleave to our best performances, which by Gods mercy are forgiven. 2. Know that that in Scripture is accounted lame, which is counterfeit, and dissembling, (in which sense *1 Kings 18. 21.Hypocrites are properly called halters) and therefore if thy prayer though never so weake, be sound, and sincere, it is acceptable with God.
Tim.
What other counsell do you prescribe me?
Phil.
Be diligent in reading the word of God, wherein all comfort is conteined; say not that thou art dumpish and undisposed to read, but remember how travellers must eat against their stomach; their journey will digest it: and though their Palate find no pleasure for the present, their whole body will feele strength for the future. Thou hast a great journey to go, a wounded conscience is farre to travell to find comfort, (and though weary, shall be welcome at his journeys end) and therefore must feed on Gods word, even against his own dull disposition, and shall afterwards reap benefit thereby.
Tim.
Proceed in your appointing of wholsome dyet for my wounded conscience to observe.
Phil.
Avoid solitarinesse, land associate thy selfe with pious and godly company: O the blessed fruits thereof! Such as want skill or boldnesse to begin or set a Psalme, may competently follow tune in consort with others: Many houses in London have so weak walls, and are of so slight and sl…nder building, that were they set alone in the fields, probably they would not stand an houre; which now ranged in streets receive support in them selves, and mutually returne it to others: So mayst thou in good society, not only be reserved from much mischiefe, but also be strengthened and confirmed in many godly exercises, which solely thou couldest not perform.
Tim.
What else must I do?
Phil.
Be industrious in thy calling; I presse this the more, because some erroneously conceive that a wounded conscience cancels all Indentures of service, and gives them (during their affliction) a dispensation to be idle. The inhabitants of the Bishoprick of*Cambd. Brit. in Durham. Durham pleaded a priviledge, that King Edward the first had no power, although on necessary occasion, to presse them to go out of the Country, because▪ forsooth, they termed themselves Haly-worke-folke, only to be used in defending the holy Shrine of S. Cuthbert. Let none in like manner pretend, that (during the agony of a wounded conscience) they are to have no other imployment, then to sit moping to brood their Melancholly, or else only to attend their devotions; whereas a good way to divert or asswage their pain within, is to take paines without in their vocation. I am confident, that happy minute which shall put a period to thy misery, shall not find thee idle, but employed, as ever some secret good is accrewing to such, who are diligent in their calling.
Tim.
But though wounded consciences are not to be freed from all worke, are they not to be favoured in their worke?
Phil.
Yes verily. Here let me be the Advocate to such Parents and Masters, who have Sonnes, Servants, or others under their authority afflicted with wounded Consciences, O, doe not with the Egyptian task-masters, exact of them the full tale of their bricke, O spare a little till they have recovered some strength. Unreasonabl… that maimed men, should passe on equall duty with such Souldiers as are sound.
Tim.
How must I dispose my selfe on the Lords day?
Phil.
Avoid all servile work, and expend it only in such actions, as tend to the sanctifying thereof. God the great Landlord of all time hath let out six da…s in the weeke to man to farme them; the Seaventh day he reserveth as Demeanes in his owne hand: If therefore we would have quiet possession, & comfortable use of what God hath leased out to us, let us not incroach on his Demeanes. Some Popish *Ifitrains on Sunday before Messe, it will raine all weeke more or lesse. A Popish old …ime.people make a superstitious Almanacke of the Sunday, by the fairenesse or foulenesse thereof, guessing of the weather all the weeke after. But I dare boldly say, that from our well or ill spending of the Lords Day, a probable conjecture may be made, how the following weeke will be imployed. Yea I conceive, we are bound (as matters now stand in England) to a stricter observation of the Lords Day, then ever before. That a time was due to Gods Service, no Christian in our Kingdome ever did deny: That the same was weekly dispersed in the Lords Day, Holy dayes, Wednesdayes, Fridayes, Saturdayes, some have earnestly maintained: Seeing therefore, all the last are generally neglected, the former must be more strictly observed; it being otherwise impious, that our devotion having a narrower channell, should also carry a shallower streame.
Tim.
What other means must I use for expedition of comfort to my wounded Conscience?
Phil.
Confesse*2 Sam. 12. 13. Mat. 3. 6. that sinne or sinnes, which most perplexes thee, to some Godly Minister, who by absolution may pronounce, and apply pardon unto thee.
Tim.
This confession is but a device of Divines, thereby to skrne themselves into other mens secrets, so to mold, and manage them with more ease to their owne profit.
Phil.
God forbid they should have any other designe, but your safety, and therefore choose your confessour, where you please to your owne contentment; so that you may finde ease, fetch it where you may, it is not our credit, but your cure we stand upon.
Tim.
But such confession hath beene counted rather arack for Sound, then a remedy for wounded Consciences.
Phil.
It proveth so, as abused in the Romish Church, requiring an enumeration of all mortall sinnes, therein supposing an error, that some sinnes are not mortall, and imposing an impossibility, that all can be reckoned up. Thus the conscience is tortured, because it can never tread firmly, feeling no bottome, being still uncertain of Confession, (and so of Absolution) whether or no he hath acknowledged all his sinnes. But where this ordinance is commended as convenient, not commanded as necessary, left free, not forced, in cases of extremity, soveraigne use may be made, and hath been found thereof, neither M…gistrate nor Minister carrying the Sword or the Keyes in vaine.
Tim.
But, Sir, I expected some rare inventions from you, for curing wounded consciences: whereas … your receipts hitherto are old, stale, usuall, common, and ordinary; there is nothing new in any of them.
Phil.
I answer, First, if a wounded conscience had been a … disease, never heard of in Gods Word before this time, … perchance we must have been forced to find out new remedies. But it is an old Malady, and therefore old Physick is best applyed unto it. Secondly, the Receipts indeed are old, because prescribed by him, who is the*Dan. 7. 9. Ancient of dayes. But the older the better, because warranted by experience to be effectuall. Gods ordinances are like the cloathes *Deu. 29. 5.of the Children of Israel, during our wandring in the wildernesse of this world, they never wax old, so as to have their vertue in operation abated or decayed. Thirdly, whereas you call them common, would to God they were so, and as generally practiced, as they are usually prescribed. Lastly, know we meddle not with curious heads, which are pleased with new-fangled rarities, but with wounded consciences, who love solid comfort. Suppose our Receipts ordinary and obvious; If*2 Kings 5 12. Naaman counts the cure too cheap and easie, none will pitty him if still he be pained with his leprosie.
Tim.
But your receipts are too loose and large, not fitted and appropriated to my malady alone. For all these, Pray, reade, keep good company, be diligent in thy calling, observe the Sabbath, confesse thy sinnes, &c.) may as well be prescribed to one guilty of presumption, as to me ready to despaire.
Phil.
It doth not follow that our physick is not proper for one, because it may be profitable for both.
Tim.
But Despaire and Presumption being contrary diseases flowing from contrary causes, must have contrary cures.
Phil.
Though they flow immediately from contrary caufes, yet originally from the common fountaine of naturall corruption: And therefore such meanes as I have propounded, tending towards the mortifying of our corrupt nature, may generally, though not equally be usefull to humble the presuming, and comfort the despairing; But to cut off cavills in the next Dialogue, wee'l come closely to peculiar counsells unto thee.