A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

;AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES. 251inch from it. It hath no props nor pillars to uphold it ; nobars nor beams to fasten it ; nothing to stay and support it,but the bare word of God alone. " He upholdeth all thingsby the word of his power," saith the apostle, Heb. i, 3and yet not all the creatures in the world can shake it, ormake it tremble. Be it so then that thy faith hath lost itsholdfast ; that for the present thou findest no feeling ; noencouragements of " joy and peace in believing," no sensiblepawns and pledges of God's wonted favour ;yet for allthis, cast thyself upon the sure word of that mighty Godwho hath established all the ends of the earth ; and rearedsucli a great and goodly building where there was no foundation; and doubtless thou slialt be more than infinitely,everlastingly safe, and settled like " mount Zion, which cannotbe removed, but abidetn for ever."3. In failings of new obedience.Thou puttest thy son in employment, settest him aboutthy business, he improves the utmost of his skill, strength,and endeavour to do thee the best service he can, andplease thee, if it were possible, to perfection ; but yet comesshort of what thou desirest, and fails in many particulars ;and therefore he weeps and grieves, and is much troubledthat he can give no better contentment. Now tell me, thouwhose heart is warmed with the tenderness of a father'saffection, whether thou wouldst not be most ready and willingto pardon and pass by all defects and failings in this kind"?Nay, I know thou wouldst rejoice and bless (iod that he hadgiven thee a child so obedient, willing, and affectionate.In like manner thy heavenly Father sets thee on work, tobelieve, repent, pray, read the Scriptures, hear the word,confer, meditate, love the brethren, sanctity his sabbaths,humble thyself in days of fasting and prayer, pour out thysoul day and night (as the times require) in compassion,fellow-feeling, and strong cries for the afflictions of Joseph,the destruction of the churches, and those brethren ofthine which have so long lain in blood and tears ; to be industriousand serious in all works of justice, mercy, andtruth. And thou goest about these blessed tasks with anupright heart and obedience unto God, but the several performancescome far short of what his word requires and thyheart desires ; and thereupon thou mournest and grievest,and afflictest thy soul in secret, because thou canst not comeoff with more power and life ; nor bring that glory unto Godin thy Christian walking, which so many mercies, means,and such a ministry may exact at thy hands. In this casenow, of these involuntary failings and humble dispositionof thy heart, therefore be most assured thy All-suffiicient