A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

—314 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGbeing by virtue of this absolution made contrite and justified: that is to say, he that was led only by a servile fear,and consequently was to be ranked among disordered andevil persons, being by this means put in as good a case forthe matter of the forgiveness of his sins as he that lovethGod sincerely. For they themselves do grant, that such ashave this servile fear, from whence attrition issueth, are tobe accounted evil and disordered men," &c.But leaving these blind pharisees in the endless maze oftheir inextricable errors, until it please the Lord to enlightenthem and by a strong hand pull them out, which 1 heartilydesire and will ever pray, I come to prosecute mine ownpoint.2. If you ask me when trouble for sin is saving, I wouldanswer, when it is true. If you further demand when is ittrue ; I would say, when it drives thee utterly out of thyself, and to sdl all in the sense 1 have said before ; andbrings thee with a sincere thirst and settled resolution toJesus Christ, to live and die with him as a Saviour and aLord, and is accompanied with an universal change in body,soul, and spirit.CHAP. VIII.The Third Way of Curing ttie former Malady. One thing to be consideredto that purpose.In the third place, take notice of such considerations asthese :1. God, being a most free agent, doth not tie himself constantlyand invariably to ordinary, expected, set, and thesame forms, measures, times, proportions of his ways, andworkings upon his children. For he is wise without limitand above measure ; and therefore hath many secret andglorious ends and aims, which, according to his good pleasure,much diversify the means serviceable and subordinatethereunto. From whence may spring these three conclusions—:(1.) He may for the most part create in the heart of thetrue convert terrors and troubles of conscience, amazementsand mourning, answerable in some good measure to thevariety, vanity, and villany of his former wicked ways andlewd life. As appears before in Manasseh, the sinful woman,idolatrous Israelites, hearers of Peter, and many inthese days, if it were convenient to name them. " For the