A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

";AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES; 297presseth this argument of power for some such purposeOrion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning ;and nothing hath no disposition to any being at all, muchless to any particular existence ; but a soul sensible andweary of its spiritual darkness is in the nearest and mostimmediate passive disposition, if I may so speak, to receivethe whole sun of righteousness. Reach but out thy hand inthis case to Jesus Christ offering himself freely unto theeas a Saviour and Lord, and thou shalt presently take possessionof the kingdom of grace, and undoubted right to iheeverlasting kingdom of glory. The prophet (Amos v, 8)and it may serve excellently against all pretences andcounter-pleas, for a supposed impossibility of being enlightenedand refreshed in the depth of spiritual darkness anddistress. It may be thou mayest say unto me, You adviseme indeed to seek God's face and favour ; but, alas ! mineis not an ordinary heart, it is so full of guilty sadness andhorror for sin, that I have little hope. Yea, but consider,He that 1 counsel thee to seek, " made the seven stars andand will do far greater wonders for thy soul if thou wilt**believe the prophets that thou mayest prosper." If thouwilt trust in him, he will quickly turn the tumultuous roaringsof thy conscience into perfect peace. " Thou wiltkeep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee ;because he trusteth in thee " (Isa. xxvi, 3). The prophet,therefore, to prevent all scruples and exceptions in thiskind, calls upon them thus :" Seek him that maketh theseven stars and Orion," 6cc.[2.] Lay these two together: "To bring honey out ofthe rock and oil out of the flinty rock " (Deut. xxxii, 13) ;and to mollify thine heart, even to thine own heart's desire ;in which there is already some softness, else thou couldstnot sensibly and sincerely complain of its hardness. Andthou must needs acknowledge that they are both equallyeasy to the same Almighty arm.[3.] Thou mayest well consider that it is a far greaterwork " to make heaven and earth," than to put spirituallife and lightsomeness into thy truly humbled and thirstysoul, to which so many precious promises are made. AndHe, with whom thou hast to do, and from whom thou expectesthelp, is He " that made heaven and earth, the sea,and all that therein is; which keepeth truth for ever"(Psalm cxlvi, 6) ; which openeth the eyes of the blind,and raiseth them that are bowed down ;" which healeththe broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds; whotaketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hopein his mercy " (Psalm cxlvii, 3, 11).