A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

AFFLICTED CONSCIEMCES. 237ceived no hurt by the fall, she was there by a most extraordinarymercy strangely preserved for the space of twohours at the least, though all the while she laboured industriouslyto destroy herself. Afterwards drawn out withmuch ado, and recovered, she yet did conflict with thatextremest desperate horror almost a whole year ; but byGod's good providence, which sweetly and wisely orderethall things, listening on a time, though very unwillingly atfirst, to her husband, reading amongst other places Isa. Ivii,15, 16, Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth'eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holyplace ; with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit,to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart ofthe contrite ones. For 1 will not contend for ever, neitherwill I be always wroth : for the spirit should fail beforeme, and the souls which I have made '—I ; say, listening tothese words, the Holy Ghost drawing her heart, she beganto reason thus with herself: God doth here promise torevive and comfort the heart of the contrite and spirit ofthe humble, and that he will not contend for ever, neitherbe always wroth. But I have a very contrite heart, and aspirit humbled even unto the dust, out of the acknowledgmentand sense of my sins and divine vengeance againstthem; therefore, peradventure, God will vouchsafe to reviveand comfort my heart and spirit ; and not contendwith me for ever, nor be wroth against me still."Hereupon by little and little there flowed by God'sblessing into her dark and heavy heart abundance of life,lightsomeness, spiritual strength, and assurance. In whichshe continued with constancy and comfort many a yearafter, crowned those happy days and a blessed old agewith a glorious and triumphant death, and went to heavenin the year 1595."What heart now but hers that felt it can possibly conceivethe depth of that extraordinary unutterable refreshing,which sprung out of that promise upon her forlorn andfearful soul ; or the excess of that love which she bore everafter to those blessed lines, to the mercy that made them,and to the blood that sealed them 1" Another, terrified in conscience for sin, resolves to turnon God's side ; but the cry of his good-fellow companions,strength of corruption, and cunning of Satan, carry himback to his former courses. A good number of years afterhe was so thoroughly wounded, that whatsoever came ofhim he would never return again unto folly. Then comesinto his mind the first of the Proverbs, whence he reasonedagainst himself: — So many years ago God called and