A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

66 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGplot and provide for them, and that with great variety andcuriosity, fresh successions and supplies continually of pleasures,contentments, the countenance and favours of thetimes, serisual satisfactions, all earthly prosperities. If hecan help it, and have h.'s will, they shall wallow still in allworldly felicity, and be attended upon with all the delightstheir hearts can desire. And all this to continue themwith more easiness and irresistance in the broad way ; andlest otherwise they should grow weary of his slavery, sensibleof their gilded fetters, and so labour after liberty andenlargement from his hellish bondage ; for he knows fullwell, that if they endured much hardship in his service,they might perhaps think of seeking after a new master ;that want of comfort in the world, might draw their heartsto delight in the word ; not finding happiness upon earth,might make them inquire after that which is in heaven ;that crosses and crossing their courses being sanctified forthat purpose, may haply help to break their heaits andbring them to remorse for sin, which he mainly fears, andopposeth with all the craft and power he can possibly, lestthereupon they break out of his fool's paradise into thegarden of grace ; out of the warm sun into God's blessing.In managing this main policy for the more secure detainmentof his vassals in the invisible chains of darkness anddamnation, and in an everlasting distaste and disaffectionto the good way ; by holding up their hearts in his sinfulservice, and wooing them to go on quietly towards hell withoutany grumbling, he works many ways —:(1.) He plots all he can to procure them success in theirwicked enterprises and unlawful attempts, especially againstthe faithful ministers and people of God ; for that doth infinitelyconfirm, harden, and encourage them in their profanecourses and opposition to grace. Herein he doth manytimes mightily prevail by improving the opportunities andpressing the advantages which he gains by the executionsof God's justice and rebellions of his children. The sinseven of his own people do many times provoke God's justindignation against them, and enforce him to raise up theiradversaries as scourges, and to give them success for thehumiliation and chastisement of his chosen. See PsalmIxxxi, 12— 15; Isa. x, 5, 6 ; Ezek. xxii, 19, 20. WhereuponSatan fills the hearts of the wicked so prevailing and conqueringwith a great deal of pride, self-applause, insolence,contempt of godliness, self-conceitedness of their own righteousnessand worth, and so hardens them extraordinarily,and holds them with much obstinate resolution in the waysof death, and prejudice against the holy path. He helps