The Works of Jeremiah Burroughs 8, Part · Chapter 51
CHAP. LI.
The former Ʋſe further proſecuted. Firſt, Againſt thoſe that have ſlight thoughts of trouble of Conſcience, which ariſeth either from groſs Ignorance, or Atheiſm, or deſperate ſlighting of God. Secondly, Trouble of Conſcience is the beginning of Eternal death. Thirdly, Thoſe that have ſlight thoughts of trouble of Conſcience, can never prize Chriſt. Fourthly, Thoſe that have ſlight thoughts of trouble of Conſcience now, ſhall one day alter their opinion. Fifthly, It were juſt with God to let thoſe ſink under the burden of Conſcience that have ſlight thoughts of it now. Sixtly, Thoſe that have ſlight thoughts of trouble of Conſcience, thoſe very thoughts do take away a chief reſtraint from ſin. Seventhly, Slight thoughts of trouble of Conſcience for ſin, are, 1 A high degree of Blaſphemy. 2 And a degree towards the unpardonable ſin.
WE have entred upon the Application of all that hath been ſaid concerning the evil of Sin. And you may remember I have only named one Uſe that do ariſe from all that hath been ſaid about the evil of Sin: and that we ſhall now proſecute.
The Uſe is this, If there be ſo much evil in ſin as you have heard opened unto you, beyond all the evil of any affliction, Hence then we ſee that the wounds and trouble of Conſcience for ſin, certainly it is no melancholly conceit, it is not a fancy or imagination, as many in the world think of it. Many men have very ſlight thoughts about the trouble of Conſcience for ſin; and when they hear of men or women troubled for their ſin, they think, it is nothing but melancholly, or temptation, or ſome kind of frenzy, or madneſs, or folly, or weakneſs of ſpirit, or timerouſneſs: Theſe be the thoughts men have of trouble of conſcience, and according to their thoughts that they have of it, ſuch are their Cures that they ſeek for it. I ſpake ſom what of it in the laſt Chapter: but now certainly, if theſe things be true, as verily they are the Truths of God that have been delivered concerning the evil of ſin; then we are not to wonder at men and women that have troubles of conſcience for ſin. I ſhewed by ſome examples, that trouble of conſcience was not melancholly; eſpecially in the example of Chriſt himſelf, that had the burden of ſin, troubles of ſpirit; I cannot ſo properly cal it trouble of conſcience, for there is a ſubſtantial difference between the wrath upon his ſoul that he felt, and the wrath of God that others feel upon their conſciences; but in effect, the wrath of God is the ſame, that was upon him by imputation of ſin; and upon others by reaſon: of their own proper guilt: and it was not melanchollineſs in him, nor in David, as I ſhewed in the laſt Chapter.
Now to proceed. There be two things I deſire to proceed in: And
Firſt, I have many things to ſay unto thoſe that have ſlight thoughts of trouble of Conſcience for ſin, ſomwhat to ſay to thoſe; and if there be any in this place that have wondred at men and women that have been troubled in their conſcience for ſin; let them attend to what they read, I have divers things to ſay unto them.
Secondly, I am to ſhew you ſome difference between melancholly diſtempers, and trouble of Conſcience for ſin
Firſt, Theſe thoughts of thine, they certainly eome from either abundance of Ignorance; or, Atheiſm; or, Deſperate ſlighting of God: One of theſe three Cauſes
1 Ordinarily theſe thoughts that men have of trouble of Conſcience, to be no greater matter than ſuch melanchoby conceits, they do come from groſs Ignorance: thou knoweſt not God, thou knoweſt not what it is for a ſoul to have to deal with an infinite Deity; thou never yet hadeſt a real ſight of an infinite Deity, with whom thou haſt to deal: And it is a ſad thing to think, that men and women ſhould live a long time, and never in all their lives come to have a real ſight of that infinite Majeſtie and Deitie, with whom we have to do: It comes from ignorance of the nature of ſin; thou doſt not know what ſin is, God hath yet blinded thine eyes that thou ſhouldeſt ſin, but not know what ſin is. Certainly thou doſt not know the Law of God, the Spiritualneſs of it, and the d…eadfulneſs of the wrath of God revealed againſt ſin: thou doſt not know what Eternty means, thou doſt not apprehend what it is for a ſoul to be in hazard of miſcarrying to all Eternity. It was the Speech of Francis Spir… (as I opened in the former Chapter) I ſhall make uſe of that example further, becauſe a notable ezample: Oh ſaith he, If I might endure the heavy wrath of God, but for twenty thouſand years I ſhould not think it much; but it muſt be Eternally, Eternally; I muſt endure the Eternal wrath of God: that lay heavy upon his ſpirit. Let any man or woman in the world, the ſtouteſt, proudeſt ſpirit that lives upon the face of the Earth, think what it is to miſcarry to Eternity, and this will make his ſpirit be troubled. Therefore its groſs Ignorance in men, that makes many have ſuch ſlight thoughts of trouble of conſcience for ſin.
2 Again, If not from Ignorance, yet from Atheiſm: For many men that ſeem to have excellent Parts, and are not ignorant Sots, and yet have ſlight thoughts of trouble of conſcience for ſin. It is not ſo much to be wondred at, to ſee a company of ignorant Sots, that know nothing of God, and the Principles of Religion, that they ſhould have ſuch ſlight thoughts, and wonder what men mean to be troubled for ſin: But men, that have good Parts, perhaps men of great Gifts, and pregnant Wit, and great Schollers, and yet they have ſlight thoughts of trouble of Conſcience for ſin.
Now in them, Ʋſually the cauſe is Atheiſm, or ſlighting of God. Woful deſperate Atheiſm is in the hearts of many great Schollers, many pregnant Wits, many that w…ll ſpeak much of Religion, yet they are deſperate Atheiſts in their hearts, therfore from thence it comes. Therefore when you ſee learned men, underſtanding men, go on in ſuch and ſuch ſinful waies, and ſlight all that is ſaid concerning the evil of ſin, do not wonder at it; for woful deſperate Atheiſm lies under abundance of Knowledg, a great deal of knowledg, learning, wit, and parts; and yet ſlight ſin: this is the Cauſe, the Atheiſm in their ſpirits. Compare theſe two Scriptures together, Pſalm, 14. 1. The fool hath ſaid in his heart, there is no God: and in Prov. 14. 9. Fools make a mock of ſin: that is, thoſe fools that do ſay in their hearts, there is no God, thoſe fools make a mock of ſin, and they think lightly of all that hath been ſaid of the evil of ſin: and what need ſo much ado about the evil of ſin? they can ſlight it, and make light of it; well, it is ſuch that make a mock of ſin, as ſay in their hearts, there is no God; or otherwiſe, it comes from deſperate wickedneſs, ſlighting of God: Perhaps men are not grown ſo far, to be plain, downright Atheiſts, yet they have ſlight thoughts of God: Oh what ſlighting the Majeſtie of God is this, for any man or woman, to think it a light matter to ſin againſt God? or for trouble of Conſcience for Sin, to be a ſlight matter: thus it will appear to ſpring from ſome of theſe Cauſes. Perhaps if thou thy ſelf beeſt but croſt in any thing, or any thing come croſs to thy will, thou thinkeſt it a great thing, and art troubled wofully, and art in a rage; when thou art croſt, thou thinkeſt it intollerable, it muſt not be born or ſuffered, that any ſhould croſs you: but when it comes to croſs God, and ſin againſt him; thou haſt ſlight thoughts of it, and it is a matter of nothing to croſs God, or ſin againſt God is a ſlighte matter: to croſs you, or to do any evil againſt you is unſufferable; what a ſlighting of God is this, that if you be croſt in your will, it is ſo unſufferable; and yet to have ſuch ſlight thoughts of ſinning againſt God. This is the Firſt.
Secondly, Thou that haſt ſlight thoughts concerning troubles of Conſcience, conſider that what thou haſt ſlight thoughts of, In it ſelf, in its own Nature, it is no other but the very beginnings of Eternal death, of the ſecond death, the very beginnings of Hell. The principal torments of Hell, lie in the perfection of that trouble now, that for the preſent, is upon conſcience; and yet this thou makeſt nothing of, as if it were but melancholly, as if the wrath of God that ſhall lie upon the damned in Hell to all Eternity, were but a frenzie. Certainly that which the Lord will at the laſt torment the ſouls of the Damned withal to all Eternity, it is the principal of that, it is of the very ſame Nature with the wounds and horrors of conſcience in this world: It is true, that God doth indeed often times bleſs the horrors of Conſcience to the ſaving of the ſoul, to bring the ſoul to Chriſt; but horrors of Conſcience in their own Nature (I ſay) are the beginnings of the ſecond death: as pains, and ſickneſſes of the body of a man or woman, are the beginnings of the firſt death; ſo wounds and horrors of Conſcience are the beginnings of the ſecond death. The Soul of Man is a Subject of more large Capacity for torments than the Body can be: Now the principal way that God hath to torment the Soul, that we know of, in Hell it ſelf, it is by the horrors and wounds of Conſcience. I remember therefore it was the Speech of Francis Spira, ſaith he, I feel in me the wrath of God, as the torments of Hell; and he was not miſtaken, for they be the beginnings of the torments of Hell: and therefore God many times, to keep men from being ſwallowed up in thoſe torments, he makes them feel theſe torments, they have ſome ſparks of theſe torments of Hell upon their ſouls now, that they may be delivered from the flames of Hell to all Fternity. Troubles of Conſcience for ſin, is nothing elſe, but Gods letting out ſome ſparks of Hell upon the Soul. Now what a miſtake is this, Thou thinkeſt this but melancholly, when the truth is it is nothing elſe but the ſparks of Hell upon the ſoul. This is the Second.
Thirdly, Thou thinkeſt this a melancholly conceit: Certainly, It is impoſſible for ſuch a man or woman, ever, ſo long as they thus continue, to prize Chriſt, or love Chriſt: I ſay, whoſoever thou art that hath ſuch conceits, if this abide in thee, I dare as from the Lord charge thee, That, thou dideſt never yet in all thy life prize Jeſus Chriſt, and love Jeſus Chriſt.
But how doth this appear?
Thus: Thou dideſt never prize Chriſt, and love Chriſt aright, if thou haſt this conceit, Becauſe thou canſt never know what Chriſt ſuffered for thee. The principal thing Chriſt ſuffered for Sinners, was The bearing of the Wrath of the Father upon his Soul, his Soul ſufferings were more than his Bodily ſufferings. Thou heareſt ſomtimes of Chriſts ſhedding his precious Blood for thee, and dying upon the Croſs; but the death of his body, ſhedding of his blood, was not the principal thing Chriſt ſuffered for thee if thou ever beeſt ſaved; but the ſufferings of the Wrath of God upon his Soul, when his Soul was troubled, when he cried out, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? and yet thou haſt ſlight thoughts of theſe Sufferings. If you ſee a man or woman in tortures in their body, in ſome diſeaſe, thou thinkeſt, there is ſome reallity in that, but for the ſufferings of the ſoul, thou haſt poor thoughts of theſe, and canſt not imagine what they ſhould mean when they ſpeak of the wrath of God to be upon the Soul. Now if thou haſt ſlight thoughts of the wrath of God upon the ſoul, it is impoſſible thou ſhouldeſt price Chriſt, becauſe thou knoweſt not what he ſuffered. But a man or woman that hath felt the wrath of God upon their ſouls, in the wounds of Conſcience for ſin, ſuch a one hath a little intimation of what things the Lord Chriſt indured for them, ſuch a one can tell what Chriſt indured, and ſo can price Chriſt, and love Chriſt, ſuch a one can Reaſon thus, What? is one ſpark of the wrath of God upon the ſoul ſo terrible? and the tortures ſo ſore? What then did the flame of Gods wrath that was let out upon the ſoul of Jeſus Chriſt? For ſo it was. If thou haſt a little trouble of ſoul under the ſence of ſin now; know it is but as a ſpark of that fire that did blaze out upon Chriſt; if thou haſt one drop upon thee, it is but as one drop of thoſe flood gates let out upon the ſoul of Jeſus Chriſt; the floud gates of Gods diſpleaſure were let out upon the ſoul of Chriſt. This certainly is one Reaſon, why God will have ſinners that be ſaved eternally, to feel trouble of ſoul for ſin, that they may know how to priſe Chriſt, and love Chriſt more, and underſtand what the ſufferings of the ſoul of Chriſt were for ſin. As (brethren) Chriſt did ſuffer in his ſoul, that he might be a merciful high Prieſt, and have compaſſion upon us, and help us, when we need, as tis a comfort to one that ſuffers in ſoul, that Chriſt ſuffered in his ſoul, and ſo knows how to compaſſionate ſuch: So, on the other ſide, God cauſeth poor ſouls to ſuffer trouble, that they might be ſenſible of Chriſts ſufferings, and ſo praiſe and love him the more.
Fourthly, Thou that haſt ſlight thoughts of trouble of Conſcience for Sin; certainly whoſoever thou art, this is a moſt certain truth, Theſe thoughts of thy heart ſhall certainly be altered one day, though they be ſlight now: This I dare affirm of every one that have ſlight thoughts of Sin, and the troubl for it; theſe thoughts of their hearts ſhall be altered. You muſt come to know Sin in another manner than now you do; you muſt come to feel what Sin is, in another manner than now you do. I remember I once heard a credible Relation of a Scholler, that was in jovial Company, and very merry, and yet one that had ſome inlightnings of Conſcience, and being very prophane, there was occaſionally, one in the Company, ſpeaking of a wounded Conſcience, he preſently claps his hand upon his breſt, Well, ſaith he, One day this breaſt of mine muſt know what a wounded Conſcience means: He being Conſcious to himſelf of abundance of guilt in him, for he had light, and yet was prophane, and his Conſcience told him, though now he was merry, yet one day that breaſt of mine, muſt know what a wounded Spirit means. So I ſay to you, is there any prophane perſon this day before the Lord, that hath had, or ſtil hath, ſlight thoughts of the evil of Sin, and trouble of Conſcience for Sin: Well, Go thy waies, and lay thy hand upon thy breaſt, and ſay to thy ſelf, One day this breaſt of mine muſt know what a wounded Spirit is, and muſt have other manner of thoughts about a troubled Conſcience for Sin. If thy heart be not yet troubled for ſin, if thou feeleſt not the weight of ſin now, it is a dangerous ſign, that thou art reſerved to feel the weight of ſin in torment, to know what the meaning of ſin is, in the burthen of it in torment. If now thou haſt ſlight thoughts concerning trouble for ſin; I ſay, take it as from the Lord this day as ſpoken to thee, it is a fearful ſign, a brand upon thee, that thou art reſerved to feel trouble for ſin eternally. God hath time enough to trouble you for Sin hereafter, and therefore it may be he lets you go on in theſe ſlight thoughts for the preſent, and you do bleſs your ſelves in your own conceits; and God doth not now convince you, becauſe he hath time enough hereafter.
A Fifth thing I would ſay to thoſe that have ſlight thoughts about trouble for ſin, is this, That if ever God ſhould in this world come to awaken your Conſcience, and lay the weight of ſin upon your ſouls: it were juſt with God then to let you ſink under the burthen. I ſay it were juſt with God ſo to wound you for ſin, as to ſee you ſweltring in your wounds, and deny compaſſion. Why? Becauſe you have had ſlight thoughts of ſuch a wound. Certainlie brethren (obſerve what I ſay unto you) the very Reaſon why men and women are ſo long in anguiſh of Spirit for their ſin, and under ſuch ſore troubles, and diſtreſs of Conſcience, by reaſon of their ſin, and can have no comfort; it is becauſe heretofore they have had ſuch ſlight thoughts of trouble of Conſcience. Perhaps when they were in their jollitie and mirth, they made a mock of it, made nothing of it; heard dreadful threats againſt ſin, and made light of it, and thought people were troubled more than needs. Well, you once had ſuch ſlight thoughts of trouble of Concience for ſin; now God comes upon you for it, and this hand of God lies upon you, and it is juſt with God you ſhould feel it to purpoſe, that you ſhould have ſmart enough; that God might inſtruct you, and convince you, of your error, and might now come and teach you after another manner. What do you think now of trouble of Conſcience for ſin? you had ſuch and ſuch thoughts of it heretofore, what be your thoughts of it now? I remember there was one not far from the place where I ordinarily lived, and it was a yong Maid, hearing of many troubled in Conſcience for Sin, ſhe in a kind of ſcorn and contempt of it, would feign her ſelf troubled in Conſcience for ſin, and ô, ſhe was mightily troubled, and in ſcorn of the Miniſters, Oh theſe and theſe Miniſters muſt be ſent for to comfort her, meerly out of contempt and ſcorn; but afterward God laid on in good earneſt upon her Conſcience, and then ſhe was troubled to purpoſe; and ſo, that ſhe was at the very brink of making away her ſelf, and it was very much feared by al her friends; indeed ſhe would have made away her ſelf, and atempted it many ways, if God had not wonderfully hindred it. So thoſe that have light thoughts of perplexities of conſcience for ſin, when it comes indeed, it may be juſt with God it ſhould be ſo heavy, that they ſhould not be able to bear it, but ſink under it; then it will be ſo ſtrange a thing, to ſuch as have ſlight thoughts of it, that the very ſtrangneſs of trouble of Conſcience for ſin, will amaze them, that they, wil not know what in the world to do. This is a Fifth thing, When trouble comes upon them, God may juſtly leave them under trouble.
A Sixth thing, I would ſay to ſuch that have ſlight thoughts about trouble of Conſcience for ſin, is this. Theſe thoughts of yours do take away a chief reſtraint of ſin, and cauſes you to diſregard all the Authority of the Word: There be theſe Two fearful Evils that do, follow upon your ſlight thoughts of trouble of CONSCIENCE, for SIN.
1 They take away that which is the chief Reſtraint of Sin. There are many outward reſtraints to keep men and women from ſin, but all outward reſtraints from ſin are nothing to the reſtraints of Conſcience; a man that hath a tender Conſcience, hath the greateſt reſtraint of ſin that can be, no reſtraint like to that; but one that is ſo far from a tender Conſcience; that he thinks trouble of Conſcience is a melancholly conceit, ſuch a man hath no reſtraint (to purpoſe) from ſin: he may have reſtraints from outward and groſs ſins, but from cloſe, ſecret ſins, he hath none. Now it is a great evil to a man, that the hinderances to ſecret ſins be taken away, and he gives himſelf liberty in ſecret ſins.
2 And then for the Authority of the Word: It is a great mercy for men and women, to be in ſuch a condition, that their heart ſhould be continually under the authority of the Word; howſoever you think it a brave thing that you can get your hearts above the Word: but certainly it is one of the greateſt mercies of God upon the earth, for God to keep the hearts of men and women under the authority of the Word. But that man or woman that thinks lightly of troubles of Conſcience, ſuch a one can ſlight the Word, regards it not, let what will be ſpoken, he can eaſily put it off, becauſe the main hold that the Word hath, upon the heart of a man or woman, it is upon their Conſcience, the Word takes hold upon their Conſcience, and brings down the heart under the power of it: but if the Word take not hold upon conſcience, it takes not hold at all. But let a man or woman come to know what trouble of conſcience for ſin is, and what the power and authority of the word is, and how then doth the ſoul priſe the word? no man or woman ever comes to priſe the word tell they have felt the pow…er of the word troubling their conſcience; then they come to priſe the word. You have a famous place for this, Job 33. 16. Then he opens the, ears of man, and ſeals their inſtruction. That is, God coming upon men, in times of affliction, opens their ears, and ſeals their inſtructions; that is, makes the word come with power and authority. As a thing ſealed, comes with more authority, than a blank, or a writing not ſealed; Sealed, that is when the word comes with power; That, I may with-draw man from his purpoſe, and hide pride from man: That is, Having Sealed inſtruction, …he humbles the heart; Firſt, he cauſeth the word to come with power, and then he humbles the heart, He keepeth back his, ſoul from the pit, and his life from periſhing, he is chaſtened alſo with paine upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with ſtrong pains, (and ſo forth) And in verſ. 23. If there be a meſſenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thouſand, to ſhew unto man his uprightneſs: Then he is gracious unto him, and ſaith, Deliver him from going down unto the pit. That is, when God comes to …eal Inſtruction, and to humble the heart, …and to cauſe pains to be upon the man, and ſo make them ſenſible of their ſin; then let a meſſenger, an Interpreter be found▪ one of a thouſand: ſuch a one doth account a Meſſenger and Interpreter that ſhal be able to declare the way of Righteouſneſs, and ſhew him a ranſom how to be delivered from ſin; he accounts him a man of a thouſand; Oh he is a man of a thouſand: wheras, if he ſhould come thus before, …he were no body, and the Word nothing, a meer ſilly buſineſs; but now he is a man of a thouſand, Oh ſuch a Meſſenger, let ſuch a one come and welcome: And therefore you ſhall have many men ſlight a conſciencious Miniſter in their health, and priſe thoſe that preach ſlightly; but in their ſickneſs, when conſcience is open, they will not ſend to a ſlight vain Miniſter, that preach and never touch conſcience; but they will have thoſe that have preached moſt to Conſcience, they ſhall be moſt priſed by them upon their ſick and death beds; when Conſcience is awake, ſuch a one will be one of a thouſand then. This is the Sixt.
Seventhly and laſtly, and indeed one of the Principalleſt; and I deſire all thoſe that have had ſlight thoughts of trouble of conſcience for ſin to attend to it; & it is this: Thoſe ſlight thoughts of thine about trouble of conſcience for ſin, they are a high degree of blaſphemy againſt the Holy Ghoſt. If I make this plain, that they be guilty of a high degree of Blaſphemie againſt the Holy Ghoſt, (this ſhould …we the hearts of men and women, and make them take heed… what they do, in giving way to theſe vain thoughts, about trouble of Conſcience) yea, ſuch a degree I will not ſay it reacheth the higheſt degree of blaſphemie, yet I ſhall make it out to you, that they come neer it. It is a high degree of blaſphemie againſt the Holy Ghoſt: it appeareth thus; Becauſe trouble of Conſcience for ſin, it is an eſpecial work of the Spirit of God upon the Soul of a man or woman, whereſoever it is: ſuch a work of the Spirit of God, as from thence, the Spirit of God, the Holy Ghoſt, hath the denomination, ſo as he is called the Spirit of Bondage: no, God hath no denomination from any light and ſlight work, there muſt be ſome eſpecial, and great work of God, in which God doth much glorie, that he hath a denomination from it; now Rom. 8. 15. the Spirit of God hath this denomination, it is called the Spirit of Bondage: For you have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of Adoption, crying Abba Father: Ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear; as if the Holy Ghoſt ſhould ſay, there was a time when you had the Spirit of Bondage; and what was this Spirit of Bondage? It was no other but the Spirit of God, diſcovering unto, and ſetting upon the heart of a man or woman, that bondage that they be in under the Law, and corrupttion, and Satan: This is the Spirit of Bondage; when Gods Spirit ſhall come to enlighten a man, and convince the Conſcience, and ſo lay this upon the conſcience of any man or woman; thou art by reaſon of ſin, a bond-ſlave to the Devil; under bondage of all the Curſes of the Law, by reaſon of ſin; yea, a bond-ſlave to thy Luſts: this the Spirit diſcovering, and making the Soul ſenſible of this bondage, is that which cauſeth this denomination to the Spirit of God, to be called the Spirit of Bondage. Now for thee to attribute that to fooliſh melancholly conceits, that is one of the eſpecial works of the HOLY GHOST in the SOUL, and is the Spirit of Bondage: Is not this Blaſphemie againſt God? This is Gods work, and it is a work of Gods glory; for all the works of God be his glory; and that which the Spirit of God glories in, as that work proper to him, thou ſaieſt it is but folly, and melancholly conceits, and the like; is not this blaſphemie and reproach to the Spirit God? Certainly it is no other but reproach and blaſphemy againſt the Holy Ghoſt, in attributing the trouble of conſcience to theſe conceits.
2 Nay further, It is a great degree towards the unpardonable ſin, if ye do it out of malice and knowledg, by it you come to the unpardonable ſin; Take for that this one place of Scripture, Mark 3. compare the 22. verſe with the 24. 30. Verſe 22. when Chriſt caſt out Devils, the Text ſaith of the Scribs and Phariſees that came from Jeruſalem, that they ſaid, he hath Belzebub; and by the Prince of the Devils, caſts he out Devils: they attributed the work of Chriſts caſting out Devils, to the power of the Devil; he caſts out Devils by the Devil. But now it was by the Finger of God: well, Chriſt calls them to him, and ſaid, How can Satan caſt out Satan? There he convinceth them, Satan could not caſt out Satan; and told them it was by the Spirit of God they were caſt out: Mark how he goeth on in the 28. verſe, Verily I ſay unto you, all ſins ſhall be forgiven unto the ſons of men, and Blaſphemies, wherewith ſoever they ſhall blaſpheme: But he that ſhall blaſpheme againſt the Holy Ghoſt, hath never forgiveneſs, but is in danger of Eternal Damnation. Becauſe they ſaid, he hath an unclean Spirit, Chriſt tells them, other blaſphemies ſhall be forgiven, but the blaſphemies againſt the Spirit of God ſhall never be forgiven. Why doth Chriſt ſpeak of this, how comes it in? (Mark) the Text ſaith, Chriſt ſpake it, becauſe they ſaid he hath an unclean Spirit: Mark, Chriſt caſting out Devils, the Scribes and the Phariſees attribute this to an unclean Spirit, and therfore they ſinned againſt the Holy Ghoſt, meerly becauſe they attributed that which Chriſt did by the Finger of God, to an unclean Spirit; and therefore Chriſt tels them they ſinned againſt the Holy Ghoſt, and they ſhall never be forgiven. Now Brethren, ſee how neer you come to this ſin, for the Scribes and Phariſees ſaw Chriſt caſt out Devils; they did it out of malice, they could not but know, and yet they ſay it was by the Devil. You ſee one troubled in Conſcience, which is by the Holy Ghoſt, and you ſay it is a fooliſh and a mad ſpirit, and ſomtimes. 'tis an unclean ſpirit; but it is worſe when you ſay it is a fooliſh and melancholly ſpirit, you do more blaſpheme the Holy Ghoſt, and come neerer this ſin. Oh take heed, and be humbled, your condition is dangerous, that have had, or have any ſuch low thoughts about trouble of Conſcience for Sin.
Object. But we ſee by experience men and women troubled for Sin, be very melancholly, and heavy.
Anſw. To ſpeak to this: True, ſometimes God may be pleaſed to ſanctifie, even that humor of melanchollineſs, ſo as to further ſuch a work as this; yea, God may cauſe a work on Conſcience to be furthered by melancholly, and yet a great deal of difference between melancholly and this.
1 As firſt, God may make uſe of melancholly to bring in trouble of conſcience: as thus; If it be not too prevailing, to beſot men and women, as ſomtimes it doth; but if it be no more prevailing but thus, to make men ſeriouſly conſider, and ponder, and weigh things, then God makes uſe of a degree of melancholly, to make men and women to know themſelves; and ſin, and the things of their Eternal Eſtate, and ſuch a melancholly is a bleſſed melancholly, and you have cauſe to bleſs God for it. Melancholly in ſome inferior things is very uſeful; and the Phyloſophers ſay, That the moſt Eminent men in the world for great matters, were melancholly, becauſe they were ſerious in their thoughts; whereas othermen be of ſlight, vain, frothy Spirits. Many that never had melancholly, they conceive of things, and it paſſeth, and they never …ay any thing to heart, they never knew what it was for one half hour to be ſerious in their thoughts all their lives: Many that be Sanguine, be of a light, vain ſpirit, and it is a heavy Judgment of God to be given over to a light vain Spirit, that conſiders nothing. Now when God makes uſe of this Particular degree of melancholly, to make men and women ſerious, to conſider what ſhall become of them another day, what the terms between God and they are; what if I were now to die? and what if I were now to ſtand before God? then it is a good help to this work: But yet becauſe this work is a work beyond any melancholly conceit, we ſhal give you in the Differences.
But yet further, it muſt be acknowledged, when God comes with trouble of Conſcience, it may be ſo mighty, and ſtrong, that it may alter the body, and conſume the very Spirits in the Bodies of men and women, and alter the temper of blood, it may be ſo ſtrong and powerful, and ſo there may come melancholly in afterward; but yet there is abundance of difference between melancholly and trouble of Conſcience, and that will appear in theſe Six Particulars.