The Cause and Cure of a Wounded Conscience, Conclusion
The conclusion of the Author to the Reader.
ANd now God knows how soon it may be said unto me, Physitian heale thy selfe, and how quickly I shall stand in need of these counsels, which I have prescribed to others. Herein I say with Eli to*1 Sam. 3. 18 Samuel, It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good: With*2 Sam. 15 26. David to Zadock, Behold here I am, let him do to me as s…emeth good unto him. With the*Acts. 21. 14. Disciples to Paul, The Will of the Lord be done: But Oh how ea…ie it is for the mouth to pronounce, or the hand to subscribe these words! But how hard, yea without Gods garce, how impossible, for the heart to submit thereunto! Only hereof I am confident, that the making of this Treatise, shall no wayes cause or hasten a wounded conscience in me, but rather on the contrary (especially if as it is written by me, it were written in me) either prevent it, that it come not at all, or deferre it that it come not so soon, or lighten it, that it fall not so heavy, or shorten it that it last not so long. And if God shall be pleased hereafter to write*Job. 13. 26 bitter things against me, who have here written the sweetest comforts I could for others, let none insult on my sorrowes: But whilst my wounded conscience shall lye like the*Acts 3. 2. Criple, at the Porch of the temple, may such as passe by be pléased to pit…y me, & permit this Booke to beg in my behal…e, the charitable prayers of well disposed People; till divine Providence, shall send some Peter, some pious minister, perfectly to restore my maimed soule to her former soundnes.
Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Fuller, The Cause and Cure of a Wounded Conscience (1647)