3. It is efficacious in healing the wounded Spirit: When God takes the Sword of the Spirit into his own Hand, and wields it with his own Arm, it makes work, it makes wounds to purpose in the consciences of men; the sleepy Soul is now awakened, the secure Soul is now affrighted, the senseless Soul is now affected with his sins and misery, (Acts 2.37.) the man tasteth the bitterness ⟨p. 180⟩of his original and actual corruptions, feeleth the weight of Divine fury and indignation, findeth the Poison to work in his Bowels, and wracking him with extremity of pain;1 There is no rest in his Flesh, because of God's anger; nor quiet in his Bones, because of his sins: The arrows of the Almighty are within him, and his terrors set themselves in array against him. The unquenchable fire flasheth in his face, and destruction (in his thoughts) is ready to lay hold of him; in this condition he knoweth not what to do,2 for a wounded Spirit who can bear? He trieth Creatures, but they can afford him no ease; Miserable Comforters are they all to him, and Physicians of no value: It's the same hand that wounded, that alone can cure him; it's the same word that bruised him, that must bind him up; let God but speak to this Soul that is thus sunk down into Hell, and it will be lifted up to Heaven: Fools, because of their Iniquities and Transgressions, are afflicted, their Soul abhoreth all manner of meat (they are so sick, that they can relish, take down nothing,) and they draw near to the gates of Death, (they are almost in, they are on the brink of Hell;) what course must be used for their cure? truly this, He sent his word ⟨p. 181⟩and healed them, and delivered them from their Destruction, Psal. 107.17, 18, 19, 20. No Herb in the Garden of the whole World can do these distressed Creatures the least good. Friends may speak, & Ministers may speak; yea, Angels may speak, and yet all in vain; the wounds are incurable for all their words: But if God please to speak, the dying Soul reviveth. His word is the only Balm that can cure the wounded conscience; he sendeth his Word and healeth them. Conscience is God's Prisoner, he claps it in hold, he layeth it in fetters, that the iron enters the very Soul; this he doth by his word, and truly he only who shuts up, can let out; all the World cannot open the iron Gate, knock off the shackles, and set the poor Prisoner at liberty, till God speak the word.
3. It is efficacious in healing the wounded Spirit: When God takes the Sword of the Spirit into his own Hand, and wields it with his own Arm, it makes work, it makes wounds to purpose in the consciences of men; the sleepy Soul is now awakened, the secure Soul is now affrighted, the sensless Soul is now affected with his sins and misery, (Acts 2.37.) the man tasteth the bitterness ⟨p. 180⟩of his original and actual corruptions, feeleth the weight of Divine fury and indignation, findeth the Poyson to work in his Bowels, and wracking him with extremity of pain;1 There is no rest in his Flesh, because of God's anger; nor quiet in his Bones, because of his sins: The arrows of the Almighty are within him, and his terrors set themselves in array against him. The unquenchable fire flasheth in his face, and destruction (in his thoughts) is ready to lay hold of him; in this condition he knoweth not what to do,2 for a wounded Spirit who can bear? He tryeth Creatures, but they can afford him no ease; Miserable Comforters are they all to him, and Pyhsicians of no value: It's the same hand that wounded, that alone can cure him; it's the same word that bruised him, that must bind him up; let God but speak to this Soul that is thus sunk down into Hell, and it will be lifted up to Heaven: Fools, because of their Iniquities and Transgressions, are afflicted, their Soul abhoreth all manner of meat (they are so sick, that they can relish, take down nothing,) and they draw near to the gates of Death, (they are almost in, they are on the brink of Hell;) what course must be used for their cure? truly this, He sent his word ⟨p. 181⟩and healed them, and delivered them from their Destruction, Psal. 107.17, 18, 19, 20. No Herb in the Garden of the whole World can do these distress'd Creatures the least good. Friends may speak, & Ministers may speak; yea, Angels may speak, and yet all in vain; the wounds are incurable for all their words: But if God please to speak, the dying Soul reviveth. His word is the onely Balm that can cure the wounded conscience; he sendeth his Word and healeth them. Conscience is God's Prisoner, he claps it in hold, he layeth it in fetters, that the iron enters the very Soul; this he doth by his word, and truly he onely who shuts up, can let out; all the World cannot open the iron Gate, knock off the shackles, and set the poor Prisoner at liberty, till God speak the word.
- 1Psal. 38.4. Job 6.10
- 2Prov. 18.14.
