A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES. 303patient dependence upon God in this kind, we may mightilyincrease and multiply our comfort when his time is come.For he is wont to recompense abundantly at last his longertarrying with excess of joy, and overflowing expressions ofhis love. Thirdly, we must ever remember, that all thewhile he exerciseth us with waiting, that season is not yetcome, which in his merciful wisdom he holds the meetestto magnify the glory of his mercy most, and most wiselyto advance our spiritual good. Fourthly, and that whichis best of all, if the true convert, resting his weary soulupon the Lord Jesus and promises of life, should be takenaway before he attain his desired comfort, he shall becertainly saved, and undoubtedly crowned with everlastingblessedness; for " blessed are all they that wait for him"(Isa. XXX, 18). A man is saved by believing ;and not by"joy and peace in believing." Salvation is an inseparablecompanion of faith ; but joy and peace accompany it as aseparable accident ; as that which may be removed fromit ; yea, there is cause why it should be removed. Thelight would never be so acceptable, were it not for theusual intercourse of darkness.Take here notice upon this occasion, that as a trulyhumbled soul receiving Christ in the sense I have said,hath power given him thereby to become the Son of God ;so he doth draw also from that glorious object of faith, sofull of all amiableness, excellency, and sweetness—L Sometimes, by the mercy of God, a very sensible,stirring, and ravishing joy, " unspeakable and full of glory ;"which though it be many times very short, yet is unutterablysweet.2. If not so, yet an habitual calmness of conscience, ifI may so call it ; which though we do not mark it so much,or magnify God's mercy for it as we ought, yet it makes usdiffer as far by a comfortable freedom from many slavish,guilty twitches, and an universal contentedness in all ourcourses and passages through this vale of tears, from theworld's dearest and most admired favourite, as the highestregion of the air from the restless and raging sea : especiallyif that unhappily happy wretch have a waking conscience.3. Or at least ever a secret heavenly vigour, whereby thesoul is savingly supported in what state soever, though itbe under the continued pressures of most hideous temptations; the tithe of the terror whereof would make manya worldling make way with himself, because he wants thisstay. And suppose they should continue unto the last gaspieven unto thine ending hour, nay entrance into heaven j