The Cause and Cure of a Wounded Conscience, Dialogue 7
VII. Dialogue. OnelyOnly Christ is to be applyed to Soules truly contrite.
Tim.
BUt suppose the Person in the Ministers apprehension heartily humbled for sinne, what then is to be done?
Phil.
No Corrosives, all Cordialls; no Vineger, all Oyle; no Law, all Gospell must be presented unto him. Here blessed the lippes, yea beautifull the feet of him that bringeth the tidings of peace. As*2 Kings 4. 34. Elisha, when reviving the Sonne of the Shunamite laid his mou…h to the mouth of the Child. So the gaping orifice of Christs wounds must spiritually by preaching, be put close to the mouth of the wounds of a conscience: happy that skilfull Architect, that can shew the sick man, that the*Zacha. 4. 7. Head stone of his sprituall building, must be laid with shouts, crying Grace, grace.
Tim.
Which doe you count the Head-stone of the Building, that which is first or last laid?
Phil.
The foundation is the Head-stone in honour, the topstone is the Head-stone in height. The former the Head-stone in strength, the latter in stature. It seemeth that Gods spirit, of set purpose ▪made use of a doubtfull word, to shew that the whole fabricke of our salvation, whether as founded, or as finished, is the only worke of Gods grace alone. Christ is the Alpha and Omega thereof, not excluding all the letters in the Alphabet interposed.
Tim.
How must the minister preach Christ to an afflicted conscience?
Phil.
He must crucifie him before his eyes, lively setting him forth, naked, to cloath him; wounded, to cure him; dying, to save him. He is to expound and explaine unto him, the dignity of his person, pretiousnesse of his blood, plenteousnesse of his mercy, in all those loving relations, wherein the Scripture presents him: A kind Father to a prodicall Child, a carefull Hen to a scatter'd Chicken, a good Shepherd that bringeth his lost Sheep back on his shoulders.
Tim.
Spare me one qnestion, why doth he not drive the sheepe before him, especially seeing it was lively enough to lose it selfe?
Phil.
First, because though it had wildnesse too much to goe astray, it had not wisedome enough to goe right. Secondly, because probably the …lly sheep, had tired it selfe with wandring; Habbabuk 2. 13. the people shall wearie themselves for very vanity, and therefore the kind shepheard brings it home on his owne shoulders.
Tim.
Pardon my interruption, and proceed, how Christ is to be held forth.
Phil.
The latitude and extent of his love, his invitation without exception, are powerfully to be prest; every one that thi…teth, all ye that are heavy laden, whosoever beleeveth, and the many promises of mercy are effectually to be tendered unto him.
Tim.
Where are those promises in Scripture?
Phil.
Or rather, where are they not? for they are harder to be mist, then to bee met with. Open the Bible (as he*1 King: 22. drew his bow in Battle) at adventur…s▪ If thou lightest on an Historicall place, behold Precedents; if on a Doctrinall, Promises of comfort. For the larter, observe these particulars, Gen. 3. 15. Exo. 33. 6. Isa. 40. 1. Isa. 54. 11. Mat. 11. 28. Mat. 12. 20. 1 Cor. 10. 13. Heb. 13▪ 5. &c.
Tim.
Are these more principall places of consolation, then any other in the Bible?
Phil.
I know there is no choosing, where all things are choicest: Whosoever shall select some Pearles out of such a heap, shall leave behind as precious as any he takes, both in his owne and others judgement; yea which is more, the same man at severall times may in his apprehension preferre severall promises as best, formerly most affected with one place, for the present more delighted with another; and afterwards conceiving comfort therein not so cleare, choose other places as more pregnant, and pertinent to his purpose. Thus God orders it, that divers men (and perchance the same man at different times) make use of all his promises, gleaning and gathering comfort, not only in one furrow, Land, or furlong▪ but as its scattered clean through the whole field of the Scripture.
Tim.
Must Ministers have varie…y of severall comfortable promises?
Phil.
Yes surely: such Masters of the Assembly being to enter and fasten consolation in an afflicted soule, need have many nailes provided aforehand, that if some for the present, chance to drive untowardly, as splitting, going awrie, turning crooked or blunt, they may have others in the roome thereof.
Tim.
But grant, Christ held out never so plainly, prest never so powerfully, yet all is in vaine, except God inwardly with his spirit perswade the wounded Conscience to beleeve the Truth of what he saith.
Phil.
This is an undoubted Truth, for one may lay the Bread of Life on their trencher, and cannot force them to feede on it. One may bring them downe to the spring of life, but cannot make them drinke of the waters thereof; and therefore in the cure of a wounded Conscience, God is all in all, only the touch of his hand, can *Deut. 32. 39.heal this Kings Evill, I kill and make alive, I wound and I heale, neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.