A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES. 24!tliough truly humbled, yet thou art tempted not to takeChrist, because thou art but even now come out of helland horrible courses, and as yet hast no good thing in theeat all ; or after some progress in Christianity, reflecting intime of temptation upon thy whole carriage since conversion,and finding it to have been so fruitless and full offailings, thou concludest thyself in thy present feeling tobe extremely vile ; of a very doubtful state for thy soul, ifnot altogether naught ; that no professor upon earth walksso unworthily, and if ministers knew thy heart, and weakperformance of holy duties, they would not be so forwardto press comfort upon thee. I say in these two cases andthe like, it is a great happiness and sweetest comfort thatthe mighty Lord of heaven and earth hath proclaimed himselfto be gracious, which imports thus much, — to pour outabundance of extraordinary bounty upon a most undeservingparty ; to place dearest affection and desire of doinggood there, where there is no desert at all. As if a king,to make his royal favours more illustrious, should raise aworthless wretch, a most contemptible vassal, to be hisworthiest favourite and highest in his love. And thereforebring unto the throne of grace but a true sense of thy misery,a sincere thirst for mercy, a humble acknowledgmentof thine unworthiness ; and God hereupon, for Christ's sake,will think thee worthy of the " riches of his grace," therighteousness of his Son ; all the promises in his book, allthe comforts of his Spirit, a crown of immortality and bliss ;for he is gracious, and an universal glorious confluence ofblessedness in all kinds is promised to poverty in spirit, andshall most certainly to the utmost be made good unto it forever.(3.) But, alas ! I, saith another, have most wretchedlymispent the flower and strength of mine age in vanity andpleasure ; in lewdness and lust. The best of my time hathbeen wofully wasted in Satan's notorious service, and sensualserving myself ; and therefore, though I be nowweary of my former ways, and look back upon them with atrembling heart and grieved spirit ;yet I am afraid thatGod hath given over looking after me ; that his patiencetowards me is expired, and my day of visitation outstood ;and that he will not vouchsafe to cast his eye of compassionupon such a Blackmoor and leopard as I am ; so overgrownwith corruption, and grown old in sin ; especiallyhaving so long neglected so great salvation, forsaken mineown mercy so long, and so unthankfuUy " despised the richesof his goodness and forbearance leading me to repentance."I confess, it is something rare to see men gone on so long,