A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES. 2459, 10). Nay, but yet say not so, though it be with thee asthou hast said ; for our gracious God " keepeth mercy forthousands." Here you must know that a Jinite number isput for an infinite, and an infinite indeed. And thereforeif thou now be in earnest, and willing to come in, in truth ;and those thine other brethren in good-fellowship, andhundreds, thousands, millions more, or any whosoever tothe world's end, God hath mercy in store for you all ; andbeing all weary of all your sins, unfeignedly thirsting forthe well of life, resolving for the time to come upon newcourses, company, and conversation, you shall all be mostwelcome to Jesus Christ. Even the last man upon earth,bringing a truly broken heart to the throne of grace, shallbe crowned as richly and with as large a portion of God'sinfinite mercy and Christ's invaluable merit as Adam andEve, or whosoever laid first hold of that first promise," The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head."(7.) Yea, but, alas ! I have been no ordinary sinner. Mycorruptions have carried me beyond the villanies of thevilest you can name. Not only the variety, but the notoriousnessalso, and enormity of my wicked ways have set aninfamous brand upon me, even in the sight of the world ;beside those secret pollutions and sinful practices which noeye but that which is ten thousand times brighter than thesun ever beheld. Had I not been extremely outrageous,stained with abominations of deepest dye, and gone on thuswith a high hand, I might have had some hope ; but now 1know not what to say ! Take notice, then, to the end thatnothing at all may possibly hinder or any way discourageany poor soul that sincerely seeks for mercy and desires toturn truly on God's side, from assurance of gracious acceptationand entertainment at his throne of grace ; that it isnatural also to his name " to forgive iniquity, transgression,and sin ;" that is, sins of all sorts, kinds, and degreeswhatsoever. There is none so hateful and heinous, whethernatural corruption, or ordinary outward transgression,or highest presumption, but, upon repentance, God is mostable, ready, and willing to remit it.7. God the Father's compassionate pangs of infinite afifection,and forwardness to entertain in his arms of mercy alltrue penitents. " As I live, saith the Lord God, I have nopleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wickedturn from his way and live : turn ye, turn ye from yourevil ways : for why will ye die, O house of Israel 1 " (Ezek.xxxiii, 11.) " Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem, wilt thou notbe made clean? when shall it once be?" ( Jer. xiii, 27.)" They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go fromY^