The Cause and Cure of a Wounded Conscience, Dialogue 19
XIX. Dialogue. How such who are compleatly cured of a wounded conscience, are to demeane themselves.
Tim.
GIve me leave now to take upon me the person of one recovered out of a wounded conscience.
Phil.
In the first place, I must heartily congratulate thy happy condition, and must rejoyce at thy upsitting, whom God hath raised from the bed of despaire: welcome David out of the deepe, Daniel out of the Lions Den, Jonah, from the Whales belly: Welcome Job from the Dunghill, restored to health and wealth againe.
Tim.
Yea, but when Jobs bretheren came to visit him after his recovery, every one gave him a piece of *Job 42. 11money, and an eare-ring of gold: But the Present I expect from you, let it be I pray some of your good counsell, for my future deportment.
Phil.
I have need to come to thee, and commest thou to me? Faine would I be a Paul, sitting at the feet of such a Gamaliel, who hath been cured of a wounded conscience, in the height thereof: I would turn my tongue into eares, and listen attentively to what tidings he bringeth from Hell it selfe. Yea, I should be worse then the brethren of Dives, if I should not believe one risen from the dead, for such in effect I conceive to be his condition.
Tim.
But waving these digressions, I pray proceed to give me good advice.
Phil.
First, thankfully owne God, thy principall restorer, & Comforter Paramount. Remember that of *Luk. 17. 17.ten Lepers, one onelyonly returned to give thanks; which sheweth, that by nature, without grace over-swaying us, it is ten to one if we be thankful. Omit not also thy thankfulnesse to good men, not onelyonly to such, who have been the Architects of thy comfort, but even to those, who though they have built nothing, have borne burthens towards thy recovery.
Tim.
Goe on I pray in your good counsell.
Phil.
Associate thy self with men of afflicted minds, with whom thou mayst expend thy time, to thine and their best advantage. O how excellently did Paul comply with Aquila and Priscilla! As their hearts agreed in the generall profession of Piety, so their hands met in the trade of *Act▪ 183.Tent-makers, they abode and wrought together, being of the same occupation. Thus I count all wounded consciences of the same company, and may mutually reap comfort one by another. OnelyOnly here is the difference: they (poore soules) are still bound to their hard task and trade, whilst thou (happy man) hast thy Indentures cancelled, and being free of that Profession, art able to instruct others therein.
Tim.
What instructions must I commend unto them?
Phil.
Even the same comfort, wherewith thou thy selfe was *2 Cor. …. 4.comforted of God: with David tell them what God hath done for thy soule; and with Peter, being strong *Luk. 22. 32.strengthen thy brethren: conceive thy … like Joseph, therefore sent before, and sold into the Egypt of a wounded conscience, (where thy feet were hurt in the stocks, the irons entered into thy soule) that thou mightest provide food for the famine of others, and especially be a purveyor of comfort for those thy bretheren, which afterwards shall follow thee down into the same dolefull condition.
Tim.
What else must I doe for my afflicted bretheren?
Phil.
Pray heartily to God in their behalfe: When David had prayed, Psal. 25. 2. O my God I trust in thee, let me not be ashamed; In the next verse (as if conscious to himself, that his prayers were too restrictive, narrow, and nigardly) he enlargeth the bounds thereof, and builds them on a broader bottome; yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: Let charity in thy devotions have Rechoboth, roome enough: beware of pent Petitions confined to thy private good, but extend them to all Gods servants, but especially all wounded consciences.
Tim.
Must I not also pray for those servants of God, which hitherto have not been wounded in conence?
Phil.
Yes verily, that God would keepe them from, or cure them in the exquisite torment thereof: Beggars when they crave an almes, constantly use one main motive, that the person of whom they beg may be preserved from that misery, whereof they themselves have had wofull experience: If they be blind, they cry, Master God blesse your eye sight; if lame, God blesse your limbs; if undone by casuall burning, God blesse you and yours from fire. Christ, though his person be now glorifyed in heaven, yet he is still subject by sympathy of his Saints on earth, to hunger, nakednes, imprisonment, and a wounded conscience, and so may stand in need of feeding, cloathing, visiting, comforting, and curing: Now when thou prayest to Christ, for any favour, it is a good plea to urge, edge, and enforce thy request withall, Lord grant me such or such a grace, and never mayst thou Lord, in thy mysticall members, never be tortured and tormented with the agony of a wounded conscience, in the deepest distresse thereof.
Tim.
How must I behave my self for the time to come?
Phil.
Walke humbly before God, and carefully avoid the smallest sinne, alwaies remembring*Joh. 5. 14. Christs caution; Behold thou art made whole, …inne no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.