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A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

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122 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGof heaven ; for he is a " merciful God, gracious, l<strong>on</strong>g-suifering,abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy forthousands, forgiving iniquity, transgressi<strong>on</strong>, and sin." Andthen, not <strong>on</strong>ly peradventure, but most certainly, they shallbe received to mercy, and he will save the life of theirsouls ; for this point of preaching mercy <strong>on</strong>ly to heartenmen to come in, and to nourish in them a hope of pard<strong>on</strong> incase of penitency, &c., see my Discourse of True Happiness.And I will <strong>on</strong>ly add and advise at this time this <strong>on</strong>ething of great importance in the point, that after a plentifulmagnifying and amplifying the merqy of God, by itsinfiniteness, eternity, freeness, and incomparable excellencyevery way, <strong>on</strong>ly up<strong>on</strong> purpose to assure the greatest sinneisof most certain acceptati<strong>on</strong> and pard<strong>on</strong> if they will presentlyturn with truth of heart from Satan to the living God,from all sin to his holy service ; I say, that we then takeheed and make sure as much as in us lies, that no impenitentunbelieving wretch, n<strong>on</strong>e that goes <strong>on</strong> in his trespassesand sins, willingly and delightfully in any <strong>on</strong>e sin, receiveany comfort by any such discourse, as though as yet he hadany part or interest at all in any <strong>on</strong>e drop of all that boundlessand bottomless sea of mercy ;that were a means t<strong>on</strong>ail him fast to his natural estate for ever. But <strong>on</strong>ly thencec<strong>on</strong>ceive, that if he will presently lay down arms againstthe INJajesty of heaven, and come in with a truly penitent,humbled soul, thirsting heartily for Jesus Clnist, and resolveunfeignedly to take his yoke up<strong>on</strong> him, there is n<strong>on</strong>umber or notoriousness of sins that can possibly hinder hisgracious entertainment at God's mercy seat. For this end,let us tell all such, that though the mercies of God be infinite,yet they are dispensed according to his truth. Nowthe oracles of divine truth tell us, that those who shall findmercy are such as c<strong>on</strong>fess and forsake their sins. " Whosoc<strong>on</strong>fesseth and forsaketh his sins shall have mercy" (Prov.xxviii, 13). Those men who do not c<strong>on</strong>fess and forsakethem shall have no mercy. That the parties to whom goodtidings of mercy and comfort are to be preached, are the"poor, the broken- hearted, them that are bruised, thosethat labour and are heavy laden, all that mourn," &c.(Luke iv, 18 ; Matt, xi, 28 ; Isa. Ixi, 2, 3). J hat the manto whom the Lord looks graciously, is " even he that ispoor, and of a c<strong>on</strong>trite spirit, and trembleth at his word"(Isa. Ixvi, 2). That whosoever by his free mercy throughChrist "is born of God, doth not commit sin" (1 John iii,9) ; I mean with allowance, purpose, perseverance. Nosin reigns in such a <strong>on</strong>e, &:c. And yet, alas ! how manymiserable men will needs most falsely persuade themselves

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