A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

;AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES. 317•their own trial. This was the end, as it may seem, whyJob was sei up as a mark for the envenomed arrows of theAlmighty to aim at, and whole armies of terrors to fightagainst. He approved himself to be steel to the back as tlieysay, by that victorious ejaculation, "Though he slay me,yet will I trust in him " (Job xiii, 15) ; whereby God wasmightily honoured, Satan utterly confounded, and that controversy," wlielher Job feared God for nought or no "1gloriously ended on God's side. 6thly. That they may growinto greater conformity with their blessed Saviour in spiritualsufferings. 7thly. That, tasting again sometimes thebitterness of divine wrath for sin, they may be the morefrighted and flee further from it. 8thly. That thereby theincomprehensible love of Christ toward them may sinkdeeper into their hearts, who for their sakes and salvationdrunk deep and large, and the very dregs of that cup, theleast drop whereof is to them so bitter and intolerable.9thly. That by sense of the contrary, their joy in the favourand light of God's countenance may be more joyful, theirspiritual peace more pleasant, the pleasure of grace moreprecious, the comforts of godliness more comfortable, &c.lOihly. For admonition to others ; to draw duller anddrowsy Christians to more strictness, watchfulness, and zeal,by observing the spiritual troubles and terrors of those whoare far more holy and righteous than themselves. To intimateunto formal professors that all is certainly noughtwith them, who ordinarily are mere strangers to all afflictionsof soul and sorrow for sin. llthly. For terror to many,who going on securely in their sensual courses, are wont tocry down all they can the power of preaching, by crying totheir companions thus, or in the like manner — "Well, forall this, we hope hell is not so hot, nor sin so heavy, northe devil so black, nor God so unmerciful, as these precisepreachers would make them." How may such as these beaffrighted and terrified upon this occasion, with ponderingupon that terrible place, 1 Pet. iv, 17, 18. " If judgmentbegin at the house of God, what shall the end be of themthat obey not the gospel of God \ And if the righteousscarcely be saved;" if God's children have their consciencesscorched, as it were, with the flames of hell" where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear," but evenin the bottom of that fiery lake, and amidst the unquenchablerage of those endless flames ? 12thly. For the justhardening of such as hate to be reformed, and are desperatelyresolved against the saving preciseness of the saints.It may be in this manner : A godly man hath lived longamongst rebels, thorns, and scorpions, scorners, railers, per-2 E 3