The Cause and Cure of a Wounded Conscience, Dialogue 8
VIII. Dialogue. Answers to the objections of a wounded Conscience drawne from the grievousnesse of his sinnes.
Tim.
GIve me leave now Sir to personate & represent a wounded Conscience, and to alledge and inforce such principall objections wherewith generally they are grieved.
Phil.
With all my heart, and God blesse my endeavours in answering them.
Tim.
But first I would be satisfied how it comes to passe, that men in a wounded Conscience have their parts so presently improved. The Jewes did question concerning our Saviour, *John 7. 15.How knoweth this man letters being never learned? But here the doubt, and difficulty is greater; How come simple people so subtile on a sudden to oppose with that advantage, and vehemency, that it would puzzle a good and grave Divine to answer them?
Phil.
Two Reasons may be rendred thereof. 1. Because a man in a diste…per, is stronger then when he is in his perfect health. What Sampsons are some in the fit of a Feaver? Then their spirits, being intended by the violence of their disease, push with all their power. So is it in the agony of a distressed soule, every string thereof is strained to the height, and a man becomes more then himselfe to object against himselfe in a fit of despaire.
Tim.
What is the other Reason?
Phil.
Sathan himselfe, that subtile sophister assisteth them. He formes their Arguments, frames their objections, fits their distinctions, shapes their evasions; and this discomforter (Aping Gods spirit the Comforter, John 14. 26.) bringeth all things to their remembrance, which they have heard or read to dishearten them. Need therefore have Ministers, when they meddle with afflicted men, to call to Heaven afore-hand to assist them, being sure, they shall have Hell it selfe to oppose them.
Tim.
To come now to the objections, which afflicted Consciences commonly make: they may be reduced to three principall Heads. Either drawne from the greatnesse and grievousnesse of their sinnes, or from the slightnesse and lightnesse of their repentance, or from th… faintnesse & feeblenesse of their faith. I begin with the objections of the first forme.
Phil.
I approve your method I p…ay proceed.
Tim.
First Sir, even since my conversion, I have beene guilty of many grievous sinnes, and (which is worse) of the same sinne many times committed. Happy *G…. 38. 36.Judah, who though once committing incest with Thamar, yet the text saith, that afterward he knew her again no more. But I vile wretch have often re-fallen into the same offence.
Phil.
All this is answered in duplicate page duplicate page Gods Promise in the*Isaiah 1. 18. Prophet, Though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them as snow. Consider how the Tyrian scarlet was dyed, not overly dipt, but throughly drencht in the liquor, that coloured it, as thy soul in custome of sinning. Then was it taken out for a time, and dryed, put in againe, soakt, and sodden the second time in the Fatt; called therefore foreign, twice dyed; as thou complainest thou hast been by relapsing into the same sin. Yea the colour so incorporated into the cloath not drawne over, but diving into the very heart of the wool, that rub a scarlet rag on what is white, and it will bestow a redish tincture upon it: As perchance thy sinfull practice, and president, have also infected those which were formerly good, by thy badnesse. Yet such scarlet sins so solemnly and substantially coloured, are easily washt white in the blood of our Saviour.
Tim.
But, Sir, I have sinned against most serious resolutions, yea against most solemne vowes which I have made to the contrary.
Phil.
Vow-breaking, though a grievous sinne, is pardonable on unfaigned repentance. If thou hast broken a Vow, t…e a knot on it, to make it hold together againe. It is spirituall thrift, and no mis-becomming basenesse, to piece and joynt thy neglected promises with fresh ones. So shall thy vow in effect be not broken, when new mended: and remain the same, though not by one intire continuation, yet by a constant successive renovation thereof. Thus*Compare Gen. 28. 20. with Gen. 35. 1 Jacob renewed his neglected vow of going to Bethel; And this must thou doe, re-inforce thy broken vowes, if of moment, and materiall.
Tim.
What mean you by the addition of that clause, if of moment and materiall?
Phil.
To deale plainly. I dislike many vowes men make, as of reading just so much, and praying so often every day, of confining themselves to such a strict proportion of meate, drinke, sleepe, recreation, &c. Many things may be well done, which are ill vowed. Such particular vowes men must be very sparing how they make. First, because they savour somewhat of will-worship. Secondly, small glory accrews to God thereby. Thirdly, The dignitie of vowes are disgraced by descending to too triviall particulars. Fourthly, Sathan hath ground given him to throw at us, with a more steady aime. Lastly, such vowes, instead of being cords to tie us faster to God, prove knots to intangle our Consciences: Hard to be kept, but oh! how heavy when broken? Wherefore setting such vowes aside, let us be carefull with David, to keep that grand and generall vow,*Psal. 119 106. I have sworne, and I will performe it, that I will keep thy righteous judgements.
Tim.
But Sir I have committed the sinne against the holy Ghost, which the Saviour of mankind pronounceth unpardonable, and therefore all your counsells and comforts unto me are in vaine.
Phil.
The devill, the father of lyes, hath added this lye to those, which he hath told before, in perswading thee, thou hast comitted the sinne against the holy Ghost. For that sinne is ever attended with these two symptomes. First, the party guilty thereof never grieves for it, nor conceives the least sorrow in his heart, for the sinne he hath committed. The second (which followeth on the former) he never wisheth or desireth any pardon, but is delighted, and pleased with his present condition. Now if thou canst truely say, that thy sinnes are a burden unto thee, that thou dost desire forgivenesse, and wouldest give any thing, to compasse and obtaine it; be of good comfort, thou hast not as yet, and by Gods Grace, never shalt, commit that unpardonable offence. I will not define how neere thou hast beene unto it. As David said to Jonathan, there is not a haires breadth betwixt death and me: So it may be thou hast m…st it very narrowly, but assure thy selfe, thou art not as yet guilty thereof.