A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan
Share Embed Flag
Download ePaper

A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

digitalpuritan.net
from digitalpuritan.net More from this publisher
13.07.2015 Views

;130 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGf^hines savingly to none 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 only such as walk in the light, as God is in the lightwho make conscience 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 crimson,of a truly broken heart, and every true mourner in Zion,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 only proper to the sealedfountain, but only conceive 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 only make every unregenerate man sensibleof what infinite blessedness he bereaves himself bycontinuing a rebel ; that thereupon 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 pardon, in case they will leave Satan'sservice, and so prepare them for Christ ; let God's ministerslay hold upon 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 done in truth, and that they do not, like the devil'sdaubers, deceive them to the eternal ruin and damnation oftheir souls, by telling them that they have Christ already,and are safe enough for salvation, whereas indeed as yetthere is no such matter.Such points as these are wont to make attentive naturalmen to startle in their seats, to look about them something

AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES. 131moie than ordinarily,—to wit, to divide the precious fromthe vile ; to distinguish that one true happy state of gracefrom all states of unregenerateness, and all kinds of hypocrisy;to tell them out of the book of (Jod, how far a manmay go in general graces and doing many things, and yetcome short of heaven; to deliver marks of sincere professors,of a saving faith, of true repentance, of a sound conversion.But I would have this done with a great deal of spiritualwisdom and heavenly understanding, with much godly discretionand caution ; lest thereby, either the formal professormay be encouraged, or the weakest Christian disheartened.To discourse of the fewness and scarcity ofthose which shall be saved, and that even under tlie lightand within the sound of the gospel ; "many are called, butfew chosen " (Matt, xx, 16). Consider the parable of thesower. Matt. xiii. There is but one good soil upon whichthe word falls prosperously ; but three reprobate grounds,as it were, upon which it is lost as water upon the ground.Thus let the men of God acquaint tliemselves with suchpoints as they conceive the likeliest and most pregnant topierce their hearers' hearts, and come closest to their consciences,that so by the help of God they may pull themout of hell.And there are some places also in the book of God, whiclibeing rightly handled and powerfully applied, seem to havea special keenness to strike at and cut asunder the ironsinews of the most obstinate heart, and of more aptness toserve for the rousing and awaking of mere civil men, formalprofessors, pharisees, and foolish virgins out of their desperateslumber of spiritual self deceit. Such as these :" And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of thiscurse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, 1 shallhave peace, though 1 walk in the imagination of mine heart,to add drunkenness to thirst : the Lord v/ill not spare him,but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smokeagainst that man, and all tiie curses that are written in thisbook shall lie upon him, and tiie Lord shall blot out hisname from under heaven" (Deut. xxix, 19, 20). " Godshall wound the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on stillin his trespasses" (Psalm Ixviii, 21). "Because 1 havecalled and ye refused, 1 have stretched out my hand, andno man regarded, ixc. Then shall they call upon me, butI will not answer : they shall seek me early, but they shallnot find me " '-'(Prov.'i, 24, 28). He that being oftenreproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed,and that without remedy " (Prov. xxix, 1). " In thy filthinessis lewdness ; because I have purged thee, and thou

AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES. 131moie than ordinarily,—to wit, to divide the precious fromthe vile ; to distinguish that <strong>on</strong>e true happy state of gracefrom all states of unregenerateness, and all kinds of hypocrisy;to tell them out of the book of (Jod, how far a manmay go in general graces and doing many things, and yetcome short of heaven; to deliver marks of sincere professors,of a saving faith, of true repentance, of a sound c<strong>on</strong>versi<strong>on</strong>.But I would have this d<strong>on</strong>e with a great deal of spiritualwisdom and heavenly understanding, with much godly discreti<strong>on</strong>and cauti<strong>on</strong> ; lest thereby, either the formal professormay be encouraged, or the weakest Christian disheartened.To discourse of the fewness and scarcity ofthose which shall be saved, and that even under tlie lightand within the sound of the gospel ; "many are called, butfew chosen " (Matt, xx, 16). C<strong>on</strong>sider the parable of thesower. Matt. xiii. <strong>The</strong>re is but <strong>on</strong>e good soil up<strong>on</strong> whichthe word falls prosperously ; but three reprobate grounds,as it were, up<strong>on</strong> which it is lost as water up<strong>on</strong> the ground.Thus let the men of God acquaint tliemselves with suchpoints as they c<strong>on</strong>ceive the likeliest and most pregnant topierce their hearers' hearts, and come closest to their c<strong>on</strong>sciences,that so by the help of God they may pull themout of hell.And there are some places also in the book of God, whiclibeing rightly handled and powerfully applied, seem to havea special keenness to strike at and cut asunder the ir<strong>on</strong>sinews of the most obstinate heart, and of more aptness toserve for the rousing and awaking of mere civil men, formalprofessors, pharisees, and foolish virgins out of their desperateslumber of spiritual self deceit. Such as these :" And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of thiscurse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, 1 shallhave peace, though 1 walk in the imaginati<strong>on</strong> of mine heart,to add drunkenness to thirst : the Lord v/ill not spare him,but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smokeagainst that man, and all tiie curses that are written in thisbook shall lie up<strong>on</strong> him, and tiie Lord shall blot out hisname from under heaven" (Deut. xxix, 19, 20). " Godshall wound the hairy scalp of such a <strong>on</strong>e as goeth <strong>on</strong> stillin his trespasses" (Psalm Ixviii, 21). "Because 1 havecalled and ye refused, 1 have stretched out my hand, andno man regarded, ixc. <strong>The</strong>n shall they call up<strong>on</strong> me, butI will not answer : they shall seek me early, but they shallnot find me " '-'(Prov.'i, 24, 28). He that being oftenreproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed,and that without remedy " (Prov. xxix, 1). " In thy filthinessis lewdness ; because I have purged thee, and thou

logo

products

Resources

Company

Terms of service
Privacy policy
Cookie policy
Cookie settings
Imprint
Change language
Made with love in Switzerland
© 2024 Yumpu.com all rights reserved

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!