A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

—324 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGdevices he practised to discourage, divert, and disable themfrom discovering their minds as they purposed, even whenthey were come with much ado into the presence of thespiritual physician.3. The ends to which God prepares and fits some bytheir sore travail in the new birth and longer languishingunder his visiting hand in this kind. God may purposesometimes in such cases ;(1.) To employ them as Christ's most resolute and undauntedchampions in more worthy services. In managingwhereof, remembrance of their having been once, as itwere, in the mouth of hell and scorched with flames ofterror, serves as a continual spur and incentive unto themto do nobly, and to supply them from time to time withmightiness of courage, height of resolution, and eminencyof zeal in those glorious ways. As we may see in thoserenowned pillars of the church, Austin, Luther, &c. Thehigher and greater the building is, the deeper must thefoundation be laid in the earth.(2.) To make them afterwards of excellent use and specialdexterity, out of their former experience, to speakunto the hearts of their brethren ready to sink into thesame gulf of horror and danger of despair, out of which thegood hand of God's gracious providence hath by such andsuch means so mercifully pulled and preserved them. 1 hesame keys which did open the locks and loose the fettersvi^hich Satan hung upon their heavy hearts, may happilyundo those also which he hath fastened upon the soulsof others.(3.) To render them to the church as remarkable precedentsand mirrors of mortification, self-denial, heavenlymindedness, and holy walking with God, for others to lookupon and imitate. Mindfulness of their former wrestlingwith the wrath of God, despair, and the horrors of hell,makes them for ever after more mindless of eaithly things,weaned from the world, startling at every appearance ofevil, greedy of godliness, conversing in heaven, excellentChristians indeed. Mr. John Glover, after five years horribleafflictions of soul, was framed thereby, saith Mr. Fox,to such mortification of life, as the like perhaps hath notbeen seen ; in such sort, as he, being like one placed inheaven already and dead in this world, led a life altogethercelestial*.* See Acts and Monuments.