A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

80 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGsecond death, he is never the nearer to satisfaction for sin.Not all those hellish flames through all eternity can possiblyexpiate the stain or extinguish the sting of the least sin :nay, the very destruction of all the creatures in the world,of men and angels, heaven and earth, is a great deal less illthan to offend (Jod with the least transgression of his laws.For all the creatures of ten thousand worlds, were they allextant, come infinitely short in excellency of worth of theheart's blood of Jesus Christ ; and yet without the effusionof it, no sin could ever have been pardoned, nor any soulsaved. A man would think it a lesser evil to tell a lie thanto lie in hell ; but hear Chrysostom : "Although many thinkhell to be the supreme and sorest of all evils, yet I thinkthus, and thus will I daily preach, that it is far more bitterand more grievous to offend Christ than to be tormentedwith the pains of hell.6. It is full of most fearful effects.First; it deprives every impenitent (1.) Of the favourand love of God, the only fountain of all comfort, peace,and happiness, which is incomparably the most invaluableloss that can be imagined. (2.) Of his portion in Christ'sblood, of which though the drops, weight, and quantity benumbered, finite, and measurable, yet the person that shedit hatb stamped upon it such height of price, excellency ofmerit, invaluableness of worth, that he hnd infinitely betterhave his portion in that sweetest well-spring of life and immortality,than enjoy the riches, pleasures, and glory ofthe whole world everlastingly ; for a bitter-sweet taste ofwhich for an inch of time, he villanously trampleth underfoot, as it were, that blessed blood, by wilfully cleaving tohis own ways, and furiously following the swing of his ownsensual heart, even against the check and contradiction ofhis grumbling conscience. (3.) Of the most blissful presence,freedom, and communication of the Holy Ghost, andall those divine illuminations, spiritual feastings, suddenand secret glimpses and glances of heavenly light, sweeterthan sweetness itself, wherewith that good Spirit is wont tovisit and refresh the humbled hearts of holy men. (4.)Of the fatherly providence and protection of the blessedTrinity, the glorious guards of angels, the comfortable communionwith the people of God, and all the happy consequentsof safety, deliverance, and delight that flov/eththence. (5.) Of the unknown pleasures of an appeasedconscience, a jewel of dearest price, to which all humanglory is but dust in the balance. Not the most exquisiteextraction of all manner of music, vocal or instrumental,can possibly convey so delicious a touch and taste to the