A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES. 301intercept and hinder the comfortable influence and currentof God's favours and mercies from being showered downso frankly and plentifully upon his people 1 And he is morelikely to be the more provoked in this case, because thousufferest thine heart to be locked up and thy tongue tied, bySatan's cunning and cruel malice, from praising the gloryof God's free grace, for such a work of wonder ; I meanthat mighty change of thine from nature to grace, in extollingof which, were all the hearts and tongues of all themen and angels in heaven and earth set on work industriouslythrough all eternity, they would still come infinitelyshort of that which is due and deserved.(2.) Or it may be, when some one of a thousand, uponthy complaint that no comfort comes, doth seriously labourto settle thine heart in peace, pressing upon thee for thatpurpose invincible and unanswerable arguments out of theword of truth ; to open it wide, that overflowing rivers ofevangelical joys, which may spring (to him that is advisedand believes the Prophets) abundantly even from theweakest faith to refresh and comfort it ; telling thee, thatas thine humbled soul, leaning upon Christ, draws muchheavenly virtue, mortifying power, and sanctifying gracefrom him, so it may and ought also to draw abundance ofspiritual-lightsomeness from that ever-springing fountain oflife, &c. ;— yet notwithstanding all this, thou sufferest somemalicious counter-blasts and contrary suggestions of thedevil to disperse and frustrate all these well-grounded andglorious messages ; and therefore it is just with God thatthou fare the worse at his hands, and fall short of thineexpectation, because thou givest more credit to the fatherof lies than to the Lord of truth. Since thou spillest allthe cordials that are tendered unto thee in the name ofChrist by his faithful physicians, thou art deservedly destituteof comfort still. Many in such cases, while God'smessenger, who can rightly declare his ways unto them,stands by, opening and applying the rich treasures of God'sfree mercy in the mystery of the gospel, and with presentreplies repelling Satan's cavils, are reasonably well cheeredand revived ; but when he is gone they very weakly andunworthily give way again to that foul lying fiend, to casta discomfortable mist over the tender eye of their weakfaith, and to domineer as he did before.Tell me true, if thou wert in doubt and distress aboutthy temporal state, tenure of thy lands, soundness of thytitle-deeds, wouldst thou advise with and take counsel froma fool, a knave, and an enemy ; or wouldst thou makeclwice of an honest, wise, understanding friend 1 I doubt2 D