A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES.'81outward ear of a man as the sound and sense of acertiiicatebrought from the throne of mercy by the blessed Spirit,sealed with Christ's blood, to the ear of the soul, even amidstthe most desperate confusions in the evil day, when comfortwill be worth a world, and a good conscience more valuablethan ten thousand earthly crowns. (6.) Of all true contentmentin this life of all Christian right and religious;interest to any of the creatures. For never was any soundjoy or sanct hed enjoynieni of any thing in the world foundin that man's heart which gives allowance to any lust, orlies delightfully in any sin. (7.) Of an immortal crown,the unsp^^akable joys of heaven, that immeasurable andendless comfort wliich there shall be fully and for ever enjoyedwith all the children of God, patriarchs, prophets,apostles, martyrs. Christian friends, yea, with the Lord himself,and all his angels ; with Christ our Saviour, that Lambslain for us, the Piince of glory, the glory of heaven andearth, the brightness of the everlasting light ; in a word, ofall those inexplicable, nay, inconceivable excellences, pleasures,perfections, felicities, sweetnesses, beauties, glories,eternities above.Secondly. It doth every hour expose him to all those evilswhich a man destitute of divine grace may commit, and,unprotected from above, endure. It brings all plagues,(1.) Internal . blindness of mind, hardness of heart, deadnessof affection, searedness of conscience, a reprobate sense,strong delusions, the spirit of slumber, slavery to lust, estrangednessfrom God, bondage under the devil, desperatethoughts, horror of heart, confusion of spirit,