The Cause and Cure of a Wounded Conscience, Dialogue 21
XXI. Dialogue. Whether it be lawfull to pray for, or to pray against, or to praise God for a wounded conscience.
Tim.
IS it lawfull for a man to pray to God to visit him with a wounded conscience?
Phil.
He may and must pray to have his high and hard heart, truly humbled, and bruised with the fight and sense of his sinnes, and with unfained sorrow for the same: but may not explicitely, and directly pray for a wounded conscience, in the highest degree, and extremity thereof.
Tim.
Why interpose you those termes explicitely and directly?
Phil.
Because implicitly, and by consequence, one may pray for a wounded Conscience: Namely, when he submits himselfe to be disposed by Gods pleasure, referring the particulars thereof, wholly to his infinite wisedome, tendring, as I may say, a blank paper to God in his Prayers, and requesting him to write therein what particulars hee pleases; therein generally, and by consequence he may pray for a wounded Conscience, in case, God sees the same, for his owne glory, and the parties good; otherwise, directly he may not pray for it.
Tim.
How prove you the same?
Phil.
First, because a wounded Conscience is a judgement, and one of the sorest, as the resemblance of the torments of hell. Now it is not congruous to nature, or grace, for a man to be a free, and active instrument, purposely to pull downe upon himselfe, the greatest evill that can befal him in this worl…. Secondly, we have neither direction, nor president of any Saint, recorded in Gods word to justifie and warrant such prayers. Lastly, though praying for a wounded Conscience may seemingly scent of pretended humility, it doth really and rankly savour of pride, limiting the holy one of Israel. It ill becoming the patient to prescribe to his heavenly Physitian, what kind of Physicke he shall minister unto him.
Tim.
But we may pray for all meanes to increase grace in us, and therefore may pray for a wounded Conscience, seeing thereby, at last, piety is improved in Gods Servants.
Phil.
We may pray for and make use of all means, whereby grace is increased: Namely, such means, as by God are appointed for that purpose; and therefore, by virtue of Gods institution, have both a proportionablenesse, and attendency, in order thereunto. But properly those things are not means, or ordained by God, for the increase of piety, which are only accidentally over-ruled to that end, by Gods power, against the intention and inclination of the things themselves. Such is a wounded Conscience, being alwayes actually an evill of punishment, and too often occasionally an evill of sinne: The Byas whereof doth bend and bow to badnesse; though over-ruled by the aim of Gods Eye, and strength of his Arme, it may bring men to the marke of more grace, and goodnesse. God can, and will extract light out of darknesse, good out of evill, order out of confusion, and comfort out of a wounded conscience: And yet darknesse, evill, f…sion, &c. are not to be prayed for.
Tim.
But a wounded conscience, in Gods children, infallibly ends in comfort here, or glory hereafter, and therefore is to be desired.
Phil.
Though the ultimate end of a wounded conscience winds off in comfort, yet it brings with it many intermediate mischiefs and maladies, especially as managed by humane corruption: Namely, dulnesse in divine service, impatience, taking Gods name in vaine, despaire for the time, blasphemy; which a Saint should decline, not desire; shun, not seek; not pursue, but avoid, with his utmost endeavours.
Tim.
Is it lawfull positively to pray against a wounded conscience?
Phil.
It is, as appeares from an argument taken from the lesser to the greater. If a man may pray against pinching poverty, as wise *Pro. 30. 8Agur did; then may he much more against a wounded conscience, as a far heavier judgement. Secondly, if Gods servants may pray for ease under their burthens, whereof we see divers particulars in that *1 Kings 8. 33.worthy prayer of Solomon; I say, if we pray to God to remove a lesser judgement by way of subvention, questionlesse we may beseech him to deliver us from the great evill of a wounded conscience, by way of prevention.
Tim.
May one lawfully praise God, for visiting him with a wounded conscience?
Phil.
Yes verily. First, because it is agreeable to the*1 Thes. 5. 18. Ephes. 5. 20. Psal. 103. 22. & 145. 10. will of God, in every thing to be thankfull; here is a generall rule, without limitation. Secondly, because the end, why God makes any work, is his owne glory; and a wounded conscience being a work of God, he must be glorified in it, especially seeing God shews much mercy therein, as being a punishment on this side of hell fire, and lesse then our deserts. As also, because he hath gracious intentions towards the sick soule for the present, and when the maladie is over, the patient shall freely confesse, that it is good for him that he was so afflicted. Happy then that soule, … in the lucid intervals of a wounded conscience can praise God for the same. Musick is sweetest neere, or over Rivers, where the Eccho thereof is best rebounded by the water. Praise for pensivenesse, thanks for teares, and blessing God over the flouds of affliction, makes the most melodious Musick in the care of heaven.