A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

;AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES. 55fidences of every carnal man or religious counterfeit, as thereal possession of gold surpasses an imaginary dream ofgold ; as the true natural lively grape which glads the heart,excels a painted juiceless grape, which only feeds the eye ;or as a strong and mighty oak rooted deeply in the earth,which no storm or tempest can displant or overthrow, is superiorto ^ stake in a dead hedge, or staff stuck lightly intothe ground, which every hand may snatch away, or blast ofwind supplant and overthrow.SECT. I. PART 11.CHAP. I.Tlie doctrine of the Intolerableness of a Wounded Conscience proved.Secondly, the trouble of a wounded conscience is fartheramplifiefl by its attribute, intolerableness. " But a woundedspirit who can bear 1 " Whence note,Doctr. That the torture of a troubled conseience is intolerable.Keas. 1. In all other afflictions, only the arm of flesh isour adversary : we contend but with creatures at most ; wehave to do but with man, or at worst with devils ; but inthis transcendent misery, we conflict immediately with Godhimself. Frail man with Almighty God : sinful man withthat most holy God, whose eyes are purer than to beholdevil, and who cannot look upon iniquity (Habak. i, 13)." Who, then, can stand before his indignation'? who canibide in the fierceness of his anger, when his fury is pouredo