A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

:AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES. 141•may so speak, when it pleasethGod to sanctify for that purpose and set on work the spirit of bondage, by reason oftheir sad dispositions and fearful spirits, to be sooner affrightedand dejected by comminations of judgmentagainst sin, more feelingly to take to heart the miseriesand dangers of their natural state ; more easily to trembleand stoop under the mighty hand of God and hammer ofhis law. Guiltiness and horror, damnation and hell, begetin their timorous natures stronger impressions of fearwhereupon they are wont to taste deeper of legal contritionand remorse, and so proportionably to feel and acknowledgea greater necessity of Jesus Christ ; to thirst after himmore greedily ; to prize him more highly, and at length tothrow their trembling souls into his blessed bosom withmore eagerness and importunity. And having once enteredinto the holy path, their native fearfulness being rectified,and turned the right way, they many times walk on afterwardwith more fear to offend (and " happy is the man thatfeareth alway"), more watchfulness over their ways, tendernessof conscience, impatiency of losing spiritual peace,sensibleness of infirmities and failings, reverence of God'sword, &c. (2.) And because of all others such men havemost need of lightsomeness and refreshing, which whencarnal counsellors and flattering mountebanks of the ministrylabour to introduce into their dark heads and heavyhearts by the arm of flesh, outward mirth, and such othermeans, they only palliate and daub, and are so far fromdoing any true good, that thereby they drown them manytimes deeper and more desperately in the dungeon of melancholyafterward. So that a melancholic man, let himturn him which way he will, is likely, without the light ofgrace, to live a very miserable life upon earth, and as itwere in some part of hellish darkness, to which also atlength shall be added the torment, if he die impenitently.But now let them address themselves to the " book of life,"and thence only they may " suck and be satisfied with thebreasts of consolation." Let them lean their sorrowfulsouls (improving natural sadness to mourn more heartilyfor sin) upon the promises there, and every several one willshine upon them with a particular heavenly and healinglight, with sound and lasting joy. All those then are starkmad, either with ignorant or learned malice, who wouldpersuade the world that reading the scriptures, attending apowerful ministry, taking sin to heart, ixc. will make melancholicmen mad.If you desire to know before 1 pass out of this point, thedifferences between the heaviness of a melancholic humour