A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

Yea,and;60 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGby the space of five years, that neither almost any brookinc:of meat, quietness of sleep, pleasure of life ;yea, antlalmost no kind of senses, was left in him. Upon apprehensionof some backsliding he was so perplexed, that if hehad been in the deepest pit of hell, he could almost havedespaired no more of his salvation,'' saith the same author." In which intolerable griefs of mind," saith he, " althoughhe neither had, nor could have any joy of his meat ; yetwas he compelled to eat against his appetite, to the end todefer the time of his damnation so long as he might, thinkingwith himself no less, but that he must needs be thrown intohell, the breath being once out of his body."I dare not pass out of this point, lest some child of Godshould be here discouraged, before I tell you that every oneof these three last named was at length blessedly recovered,and did rise most gloriously out of their several depths ofextremest spiritual misery, before their end. Hear, therefore,also ]NIrs. Brettergh's triumphant songs and raptures ofspirit after the return of her weli-beloved: " O l-ord Jesu,dost thou pray for mel O blessed and sweet Saviour, howwonderful, how wonderful, how wonderful are thy mercies !Oh, thy love is unspeakable, that hast dealt so graciouslywith me. Oh my Lord and my God. blessed be thy namefor evermore, which hast showed me the path of life. Thoudidst, O Lord, hide thy face from me for a little season, butwith everlasting mercy thou hast had compassion on me.And now, blessed Lord, thy comfortable presence is come ;yea, Lord, thou hast had respect unto thy handmaid, andart come with fulness of joy and abundance of consolations.Oh blessed be thy name, my Lord and my God. Oh, thejoys, the joys, the joys that I feel in my soul ! Oh, they bewonderful, they be wonderful, they be wonderful ! OFather, how merciful and marvellous gracious art thou untome ! Lord, I ieel thy mercy and I am assured of thylove ; and so certain am I thereof, as thou art the God oftruth, even so sure do I know myself to be thine, () Lordmy God : this my soul knoweth right well. Oh blessedbe the Lord : oh blessed be the Lord that hath thus comfortedme, and hath brought me now to a place, more sweetunto me than the garden of Eden. Oh the joy, the joy, thedelightsome joy that 1 feel!— Oh praise the Lord for hismercies, and for this joy which my soul feeleth full wellpraise his name for evermore."Hear with v.hat heavenly calmness and sweet comfortsMr, Peacock's heart was refreshed and ravished when thestorm was over. "Truly, my heart and soul (saith he,when the tempest was something allayed) have been far led