A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES. 211% But if it fall out by God's blessing that the word oncel>egin to get within a man, and to work terror and troubleof mind for sin ; so that he sees him grow sensible of hisslavery, weary of his former ways, and like enough to breakthe prison and be gone ; then doth he seriously observeand attend which way the party inclines, and how he maybe most easily diverted, that he may thereafter proportionhis plots and attempts against him the more prosperously.(1.) If he find him to have been a horrible sinner, of a sadand melancholic disposition, much artlicted with outwardcrosses, &c., he then lays load upon his affrighted soul withall his cunning and cruelty, that if it be possible he maydrive him to despair. For this purpose he makes keen thesting of the guilty conscience itself all he can, sharpens theempoisoned points of his own fiery darts ; adds more grislinessto his many hateful transgressions, more horror tothe already flaming vengeance against sin, i\c.; that, ifGod so permit, he may be sure to strike desperately home,and sink him deep enough into that abhorred duneenn.(2.) But if he perceive him not to have been infamousand noted for any notorious sins, by natural constitution tobe merrily disposed, impatient of heavy-heartedness, andformerly much addicted to good-fellowship ; if he spy himto strive and struggle for disentanglement out of these uncouthterrors, and re-enjoyment of his former worldly delightsand jovial companions ;— I say, then he is most forwardto follow and feed his humour this way also, that sohe may stifle and utterly extinguish the work of the spiritof bondage in the very beginning. And to this end heblunts with all the cunning he can the sting of a man's ownconscience, and quite removes his own : he procures andoffers all occasions of outward contentment, he furnisheshis fellows in iniquity and the devil's proctors with perniciouseloquence and store of enticements to bring himback again to their bent and beastly courses ; he ministershis own delicious potions of carnal pleasure to cast his conscienceasleep again. In brief, he leaves no policy, plot,or practice unassayed, unattempted, to make the power ofthe law unprofitable unto him, and to drown all his sorrowfor sin in sensual drunkenness.This, then, I make the second pestilent passage out ofpangs of conscience ; to wit, when a man to decline themis driven by the subtlety of Satan and perverseness of hisown flesh, if not to wizards and fortune-tellers, as they callthem, and other such oracles of the devil, yet at best tohuman helps, lo worldly wisdom, to outward mirth, goodfellowship,pleasant company, his hea' s of gold, hoards of