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

200 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGand prevent a scruple which may trouble true hearts indeed,who hold truth of heart in their repentances, services, andduties towards God to be their peculiar and a special touchstoneto try and testify tlie soundness of their sanctification,the truth of their spiritual states, and a distinctive characterfrom all sorts of unregeuerate men, and all kinds of hypocrisy;— i say, purposes and promises made from the heartin the sense 1 have stated, with earnest eager protestationwhile they are in anguish and extremity, and yet after deliveranceand ease melt away " as a morning cloud andlike the early dew," proceed from hearts rather affectedonly with sting of present horror, natural desire of happiness,misconceit that it is a light thing to leave sin, and thelike, than truly broken and burthened with sight of theirown viieness, sense of God's displeasure, hatred of wickednessand former sensual ways ; or enamoured with thesweetness of Jesus Christ, amiableness of grace, and goodnessof God, 6cc. Howsoever for my purpose certain it is,and too manifest by many woful experiences, that as itoften falls out and fares with men in their corporal visitationsand outward crosses, to wit, that while the storm andtempest beats sore upon them they run unto God as " theirrock, and inquire early after him," as it is said of theIsraelites, Psalm Ixxviii, 34 ; but when once a hot gleam offormer health and prosperity shines upon them again, theyhie as fast out of God's blessing into the warm sun ; fromsorrow for sin to delight of sense ; from seeking God tosecurity in their old ways : 1 say, even so it is sometimesalso with men in afflictions of soul and troubles of conscience.While the agony and extremity is upon them, theygrieve as though they would become true converts ; bothpromise and purpose many excellent things for the time tocome, and a remarkable change ; but if once the fit be over,they " start aside like a broken bow," and fearfully fall awayfrom what they have vowed, with horrible ingratitude andexecrable villany, having been extraordinarily schooled andscorched, as it were, in the flames of horror, and warnedto take heed by the very vengeance of hell. For the former,hear the experience of reverend divines. " jMany seeming,"saith one, " to repent affectionately in dangerous sickness,when they have recovered have been rather worse thanbefore." " 1 would have thought myself," saith another," that many monstrous persons whom 1 have visited, whenGod's hand upon them caused them to cry out and promiseamendment, would have proved rare examples to otiicrs oftrue conversion unto God. But to my great grief, and to

AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES*2Mteach me experience what becometh of such untimely fruits,they have turned back again as an arrow from a stone wall,and as the dog to his own vomit."For the latter, 1 could here make it good also by toomany experiences, were it convenient ; but I forbear forsome reasons to report them at this time.I publish this point and speak thus, not to trouble anytrue converts about the truth of their hearts in their troublesof conscience : consciousness unto themselves of their newbirth, already happily past; their prizing and cleaving tothe Lord Jesus invaluably, invincibly ;their present newobedience, new courses, new company, new conversation,

AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES*2Mteach me experience what becometh of such untimely fruits,they have turned back again as an arrow from a st<strong>on</strong>e wall,and as the dog to his own vomit."For the latter, 1 could here make it good also by toomany experiences, were it c<strong>on</strong>venient ; but I forbear forsome reas<strong>on</strong>s to report them at this time.I publish this point and speak thus, not to trouble anytrue c<strong>on</strong>verts about the truth of their hearts in their troublesof c<strong>on</strong>science : c<strong>on</strong>sciousness unto themselves of their newbirth, already happily past; their prizing and cleaving tothe Lord Jesus invaluably, invincibly ;their present newobedience, new courses, new company, new c<strong>on</strong>versati<strong>on</strong>,

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!