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A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

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;130 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGf^hines savingly to n<strong>on</strong>e but such as " deny uni^odliness andworldly lusts ; and live soberly, righteously, and godly, inthis present world" Tlit. ii, 11,12). That those, whosesouls are cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ from all sin,are <strong>on</strong>ly such as walk in the light, as God is in the lightwho make c<strong>on</strong>science of detesting and declining all sins andworks of darkness discovered to them by the light of God'sholy book, and sincerely set their hearts and hands withlove and careful endeavour to every duty enjoined therein.In a word, that as that fountain opened to the house ofDavid for sin and for uncleanness (1 mean the blood of thatimmaculate lamb, Jesus Christ, the holy and the righteous)doth turn all the sins, even the very scarlet and crims<strong>on</strong>,of a truly broken heart, and every true mourner in Zi<strong>on</strong>,into snow and wool, so it will never wash away theleast sinful stain from the proud heart of any unhumbledpharisee.That hereby no strangers unto the love and life of godlinessmay be deceived by appropriating unto themselves anyof these glorious things, which are <strong>on</strong>ly proper to the sealedfountain, but <strong>on</strong>ly c<strong>on</strong>ceive of them as excellent motives tocause them to come in, I would have the preaching ofChrist fill the soul of every true hearted Nathanael everytime with " unspeakable and glorious joy," with all thoseevangelical pleasures, which neither "eye hath seen, norear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man."But I would have it <strong>on</strong>ly make every unregenerate man sensibleof what infinite blessedness he bereaves himself byc<strong>on</strong>tinuing a rebel ; that thereup<strong>on</strong> he may be moved tomake liaste out of his present hell into this new heaven, sofairly opened and freely offered unto him.IV. Besides pressing the law, promising mercy, proposingChrist, &c. to stir iiien in their natural states, to make thementertain thoughts of coming in, to humble them in thesight of the Lord under the heavy burthen of all their sins,assure them also of pard<strong>on</strong>, in case they will leave Satan'sservice, and so prepare them for Christ ; let God's ministerslay hold up<strong>on</strong> all warrantable ways which they shall findand feel out of their ministerial experience and holy wisdomto be available and prevail for that purpose : so that thework be d<strong>on</strong>e in truth, and that they do not, like the devil'sdaubers, deceive them to the eternal ruin and damnati<strong>on</strong> oftheir souls, by telling them that they have Christ already,and are safe enough for salvati<strong>on</strong>, whereas indeed as yetthere is no such matter.Such points as these are w<strong>on</strong>t to make attentive naturalmen to startle in their seats, to look about them something

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