A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

AFFLICTED COjS SCIENCES. 293something in himself. He ever did, and ever will give himto every poor soul that is vile in his own eyes, nothing inhimself "; labours and is heavy laden," and willing to takehim as a Saviour and a Lord. A full hand can hold nothing.Either it must be empty, or we cannot receive Christ. Firstthirst, and then " buy without money and without price."Methinks Chrysostom doth somewhere set out sweetly theadmirable and adored frankness of this Divine bounty —:" If thou wilt be adorned with my comeliness, or be armedwith my weapons, or put on my garments, or be fed withmy dainties, or finish my journey, or come into that citywhose builder and maker I am, or build a house in mycountry, thou mayest so do all these things, that I will notonly not exact of thee any price or payment for any of thesethings, but 1 myself would be a debtor unto thee of a greatreward, so that thou wouldst not disdain to use my things,my strength, gifts, graces. What can be ever found equalto this bounty *."If God, then, be so infinitely good as to oifer his Son sofreely ; and thou so fitted to receive him by sensibleness ofthy spiritual misery, thirsting for his blood, resolving uponhis service for the time to come, &c. ; how unadvisedlycruel art thou to thine own conscience, and how beyondmeasure proud, that wilt needs stand off still from takingthe Lord Jesus ; and suffer still thy poor trembling soul tolie unnecessarily upon the rack of terror ? Since thougettest and gainest nothing thereby ; but first, God's dishonour; secondly, thine own wilful torture ; thirdly, gratificationof Satan's malicious cruelty.Object. 1. But were it not fitter for me, mayest thou say,first to amend my life to do some good works ; to have experienceof the change of my conversation ;;to grieve legallylonger, before I be so bold as to lay hold upon Christ, andapply the promises 1Answer. Thou must first be alive before thou canst work.Thou must have spiritual ability inspired before thou canstwalk in the "good way;" thou must be justified beforethou be sanctified. Now spiritual life is only then, andnever before or by any other means infused, but when wereach out an empty hand, and take Jesus Christ into ourhumbled souls. When a poor soul weary of all sin, accordingto his call, commandment, and counsel, rolls itself as itwere and leans upon the Lord Jesus, then is spiritual lifefirst breathed into it. The vital operations of grace in altholy duties, good deeds, amendment of life, holy walking,* On Mat. xxiv, horn. 77.2C 3