A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

220 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGof the world to come," &c. (lleb. vi, 5) ; so that the spiritof special sanctification be wanting still, and that somedarling deliglit be maintained in heart, life, or calling ;which the man by no means would have meddled with ormortified. On that (which is a notable depth of the devil,of which take special notice), wheieas a man hears manytimesout of the ministry of the word, that the abandoningof his bosom sin is a good token of a true conversion, andthe embracing of it still is too sure a sign that he is Satan'sstill ; to the end he may blind him in this important point,he will suffer him to exchange the visible form and outwardexercise even of his beloved sin. For example: a man'scaptain and commanding sin is covetousness, and it is outwardlyexercised in usury, bribery, sacrilege, &c. He iswell enough content in this case to let him be frighted bythe terror of the ministry from those grosser acts of crueltyfor which the world cries shame on him (especially notrestoring), so that he insensibly fall into and secretly practisesome other cunning invisible oppressions, or any unlawfulways of getting. His sweet sin is voluptuousness ;he hunts after it in the horrible villanies of adultery or fornication; but at some sermon or other, he is told and terrified,that by such sins he doth not only damn himself,but also even draw another to hell with him ; whereuponhe may grow into a slavish distaste and discontinuance fromthem, and Satan will not say much, so that there succeedin their rooms some other kinds of sins of the same class.Nay, he will yet yield further, and endure an utter cessationfrom the external acts and visible practice of a man's predominantand reigning sin, so that he delightfully feedupon it still in his' heart with speculative greediness, andspend the strength of his affections and the most of histhoughts that way. He will give him leave to leave off" hisusury, and to call in his money (but ordinarily ever withoutrestitution), so that he may hold his heart still "exercisedwith covetousness." He can well enough abide abandoningthe gross acts of uncleanness ; so that he lie frying inthe flames of his own scorching concupiscence, and consumehis thoughts in the adulteries of the heart and contemplativefilth. O the endless mazes, unfathomed depths, anddeepest malice of that old red dragon ! He will yield untoany thing, rake in the very darkest nook of hell for somecunning device, rather than part with a precious soul outof his hellish paw. If a man be so haunted with horror ofconscience that he dare not for his life lie any longer innotoriousness, but will needs get into som.e new course, hecan put him into many new fashions, and yet no new birth,