Many are the calamities that sin imposeth upon the wicked: but above all other plagues, the wound of Conscience is most heavy. Touching which, the holy Scripture affords divers examples, both of the wicked that have mourned without hope, and the righteous that have sorrowed & sought comfort. The sweetest of sins pleasure is not without a sharp sting, that piercing the Conscience, beginneth hell in the harts of the ungodly, and prepareth Gods Children to seek heaven by unfeigned repentance. I can not here number all of either sort the Scripture mentioneth: I vvil only touch some, that it may appear how sorrow and vexation of mind, are sins hourly companions. Pharaohs contempt of ⟨image 4⟩God, brought him to hardness of hart, hardness of hart to headlong destruction: Balaam sinned thorough greedy covetousness, and perished among the uncircumcised: the sons of Heli sinned, & fell before their enemies: Saul sinned and ended his life on his own sword: Antiochus and Herod blasphemed, and were smitten deservedly: Judas betrayed, and died despairingly. All these with many other (wanting comfort for their wounded consciences) perished lamentably: where on the other side, Job, David, Hezekiah, Peter, Zach•us, &c. confessed their faults, sought mercy & were comforted. Their consciences bring […] assured, they were strong confident and unremovable, as app••• in Job, who so ⟨image 4⟩confidently believed, that for all his misery, he crieth, Though the Lord kill me, yet will I trust in him. David also, though his soul were poured out as water, yet he commanded it to praise the lord. The sick saith our Saviour, need the Physician: no mortal man but hath been soul sick, and therefore all men need comfort. It is necessary that he which ministereth to the diseased should know the cause of the sickness, that being removed the medicine may more effectually work: & they that minister the word, ought to have a feeling of their brethren's infirmities, that they may be able to comfort the cast down conscience, stir the secure soul, and weaken the proud thought. That the Author of this treatise was such a one, appeareth ⟨image 5⟩(were there no other proof) by it, containing such heavenly consolation, meeting so with all temptations, that for evil there can be no evasion.
MAny are the calamities that sinne imposeth vpon the wicked: but aboue all other plagues, the wound of Conscience is most heauie. Touching which, the holie Scripture affoords diuers examples, both of the wicked that haue mourned without hope, and the righteous that haue sorrovved & sought comfort. The svvetest of sinnes plesure is not vvithout a sharp sting, that piercing the Conscience, beginneth hell in the harts of the vngodlie, and prepareth Gods Children to seeke heauen by vnfained repentance. I can not here number all of either sort the Scripture mentioneth: I vvil onely touch some, that it may appeare how sorrovv and vexation of minde, are sinnes hourelie companions. Pharaohs contempt of ⟨image 4⟩God, brought him to hardnesse of hart, hardnes of hart to headlong destruction: Balaam sinned thorough greedie couetousnes, and perished among the vncircumcised: the sonnes of Heli sinned, & fell before their enemies: Saul sinned and ended his life on his ovvne svvord: Antiochus and Herod blasphemed, and vvere smitten deseruedly: Iudas betrated, and died despairingly. All these vvith manie other (vvanting comfort for their woūded consciences) perished lamentablie: vvher on the other side, Iob, Dauid, Hezekiali, Peter, Zach•us, &c. confessed their faults, sought mercie & vvere comforted. Their conscienences bring 〈…〉 assured, they wer strong confident and vnremoueable, as app••• in Iob, vvho so ⟨image 4⟩confidentlie beleeued, that for all his miserie, he crieth, Thogh the Lord kill me, yet will I trust in him. Dauid also, though his soul were powred out as water, yet hee commanded it to praise the lord. The sicke saith our Sauior, neede the Phisition: no mortall mā but hath been soule sicke, and therfore all men need comfort. It is necessarie that he which ministreth to the diseased shuld know the cause of the sicknes, that being remoued the medicine may more effectually worke: & they that minister the woord, ought to haue a feeling of their brethrens infirmities, that they may bee able to comfort the cast downe conscience, stirre the secure soul, and weaken the proud thought. That the Author of this treatise was such a one, appeareth ⟨image 5⟩(were there no other proofe) by it, containing such heauenly consolation, meeting so with al temptations, that for euill there can be no euasion.
