A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan
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A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

digitalpuritan.net
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13.07.2015 Views

252 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGFather " will spare thee as a man spareth his own son, thatserveth him." Nay, and with so much more kindness andlove, " as the heavens are higher than the earth," and Godgreater than man.4. In case of spiritual desertion.A father solacing himself with his little child, and delightingin its pretty and pleasing behaviour, is wont sometimesto step aside into a corner or behind a door, uponpurpose to quicken yet more its love and longing after him,and try the impatiency and eagerness of its affections. Inthe mean time he hears it cry, run about, and call uponhim, and yet he stirs not, but forbears to appear; not forwant of compassion and kindness, which the more it grievesthe more abounds ; but that it may prize more dearly thefather's presence, that they may meet more merrily, and rejoice in the enjoyment of each other more heartily. Conceivethen, and consider to thine own exceeding comfort, thatIhy heavenly Father deals just so with thee in a spiritualdesertion. He sometimes hides his face from thee, andwithdraws his quickening and refreshing presence for 3 time,not for want of love, for he loves thee freely ; he loves theew^ith an everlasting love ; he loves thee with the very samelove with which he loves Jesus Christ ; and that dear Sonof his loves thee with the same love his Father loves him.But to put more heat and life into thine affections towardshim and heavenly things ; to cause thee to relish communionwith Jesus Christ, when thou enjoyest it, more sweetly ;to preserve it more carefully ; to joy in it more thankfully ;and to shun more watchfully whatsoever might rob thee ofit ; to stir up all the powers of thy soul and all the gracesof God in thee ; to seek his face and favour again with moreextraordinary and* universal seriousness and industry. Forwe find with pleasure, possess with singular contentment,and keep with special care, what we have sought with pain.We may see this in the spouse. Cant, iii, 1,6, under thepressure of a grievous desertion.Ponder every particular." By night on my bed I sought him. whom my soul loveth :I sought him, but I found him not. I will rise now, and goabout the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I willseek him whom my soul loveth : I sought him, but I foundhim not. The watchmen that go about the city found me :to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth ? It wasbut a little that I passed from them, but 1 found him whommy soul loveth : 1 held him, and would not let him go, untilI had brought him into my mother's house, and into thechamber of her that conceived me. I charge you, O yedaughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of

AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES. 253the field, that ye stir not up nor awake my love till heplease." And lastly, that when the comfortable beams ofGod's lightsome countenance shall break out again uponthy soul, and thy beloved is returned, thou mayest singthat triumphant song of faith most joyfully ;" I am mybeloved's, and my beloved is mine." i)esertions then anddelays of this nature are fruits of thy heavenly Father'slove, and ought to be no discouragements unto thee at all,holding thy integrity. His love thereby is intended towardsthee by the restraint of the influence and sense of itfrom thy soul, as a brook grows big by damming it up for awhile ; and thy love is more inflamed towards him, whenthou feelest by the want of it what a heaven upon earth itis to have his face shine upon thee with its quickening, refreshingpresence ; and that a sensible embracement ofJesus Christ in the arms of thy faith is the very life of thesoul, as the soul is the life of the body, the crown of allsweet contentment in this vale of tears, and a piece, as itwere, of everlasting pleasures.CHAP. V.Eight Conclusions more drawn from the afore-mentioned places.5. In times of trial.Thou seest sometimes a father setting down his little oneupon its feet to try its strength, and whether it be yet ableto stand by itself or no ; but withal he holds his arms onboth sides to uphold it, if he see it incline either way, andto preserve it from hurt. Assure thyself thy heavenlyFather takes care of thee with infinitely more tenderness inall thy trials, either by outward afflictions or inwardtemptations. "Though thou shouldst fall, yet shalt thounot be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholdeth thee withhis hand" (Psalm xxxvii, 24). Never did goldsmithattend so curiously and punctually upon those preciousmetals he casts into the fire, to observe the very first season,and be sure that they tarry no longer in the furnace thanthe dross be wasted, and they be thoroughly purified andfitted for some excellent use, as our gracious God lovinglywaits to take thee out of trouble and temptation when therust is removed from thy spiritual armour, thy graces shineout, and thou art heartily humbled and happily fitted to dohim more glorious service for the time to come ; 1 meanwhen he hath attained the end which he mercifully intendedin love and for thy good.Z

AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES. 253the field, that ye stir not up nor awake my love till heplease." And lastly, that when the comfortable beams ofGod's lightsome countenance shall break out again up<strong>on</strong>thy soul, and thy beloved is returned, thou mayest singthat triumphant s<strong>on</strong>g of faith most joyfully ;" I am mybeloved's, and my beloved is mine." i)eserti<strong>on</strong>s then anddelays of this nature are fruits of thy heavenly Father'slove, and ought to be no discouragements unto thee at all,holding thy integrity. His love thereby is intended towardsthee by the restraint of the influence and sense of itfrom thy soul, as a brook grows big by damming it up for awhile ; and thy love is more inflamed towards him, whenthou feelest by the want of it what a heaven up<strong>on</strong> earth itis to have his face shine up<strong>on</strong> thee with its quickening, refreshingpresence ; and that a sensible embracement ofJesus Christ in the arms of thy faith is the very life of thesoul, as the soul is the life of the body, the crown of allsweet c<strong>on</strong>tentment in this vale of tears, and a piece, as itwere, of everlasting pleasures.CHAP. V.Eight C<strong>on</strong>clusi<strong>on</strong>s more drawn from the afore-menti<strong>on</strong>ed places.5. In times of trial.Thou seest sometimes a father setting down his little <strong>on</strong>eup<strong>on</strong> its feet to try its strength, and whether it be yet ableto stand by itself or no ; but withal he holds his arms <strong>on</strong>both sides to uphold it, if he see it incline either way, andto preserve it from hurt. Assure thyself thy heavenlyFather takes care of thee with infinitely more tenderness inall thy trials, either by outward afflicti<strong>on</strong>s or inwardtemptati<strong>on</strong>s. "Though thou shouldst fall, yet shalt thounot be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholdeth thee withhis hand" (Psalm xxxvii, 24). Never did goldsmithattend so curiously and punctually up<strong>on</strong> those preciousmetals he casts into the fire, to observe the very first seas<strong>on</strong>,and be sure that they tarry no l<strong>on</strong>ger in the furnace thanthe dross be wasted, and they be thoroughly purified andfitted for some excellent use, as our gracious God lovinglywaits to take thee out of trouble and temptati<strong>on</strong> when therust is removed from thy spiritual armour, thy graces shineout, and thou art heartily humbled and happily fitted to dohim more glorious service for the time to come ; 1 meanwhen he hath attained the end which he mercifully intendedin love and for thy good.Z

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