A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES. 169paradise. " They are exalted for a little while," saith Job," but are sone and brouu;lit low ; they are taken out of theway as all other, and cut off as the tops of the ears ot" corn''(Job xxiv,24). Fifthly, a long continued custom is notwont to be shaken off in an instant. Is it likely that a blackmoorshould chani^e his skin and a leopard his spots in threeor four days, wliich they have contracted in forty or threescoreyears ? Therefore I marvel that any should be soblindfolded and baffled by the devil as to embolden himselfto drive off' until the last, by that passage of scripture —"At what time soever a sinner doth repent him of his sinfrom the bottom of his heart, I will put all his wickednessout of my remembrance, saith the Lord " ; especially if helook upon the text from whence it is taken, which methinksbeing rightly understood, and the conditions well considered,is most punctual and precise to fright any fromthat desperate folly. The words run thus ": But if thewicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed,and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful andright, he shallsurely live, he shall not die. All his trnnsgressions,"&cc. ( Ezek. xviii, 21, 22). Hence it appears,that if any man expect upon good ground any portion inthis precious promise of mercy and grace, he must " leaveall his sins, and keep all God's statutes.'' Now, how performestthou the condition of leaving all thy sins, when, asin this last extremity, having received the sentence of deathagainst thyself, thy sins leave thee, and not thou thy sins,that I may speak in the phrase of an ancient father! Andwhat space is left to come to comfort by keeping all God'sstatutes, when thou art presently to pass to that highestand dreadful tribunal, to give an exact and strict account forthe continual breach of all God's laws all thy life long?Sixthly, many seem to be very penitent and promise exceedingfair in the evil day and upon their sick beds, who beingrecovered and restored to their former state are the verysame they were before, if not worse. I never knew, norheard of any unwrought upon under conscionable means,who after recovery performed the vows and promises of anev/ life, which he made in his sickness and times of extremity.For if he will not be moved with the ministry,God will never give that honour unto the cross to do thedeed. " Nay, Father Abraham," saith the rich glutton," but if one went unto them from the dead they will repent.And he said unto him, If they hear not iNIoses andthe prophets, neither will they be persuaded though onerose from the dead" (Luke xvi, 30, 31). It would amazethee much if one of thy good-fellow companions should nowQ