A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan
A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan
—352 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGtreachery of Ahithophel, no grappling with a lion, no fightingwith a bear, no threatening of a vaunting Goliah, couldso much discourage him. But when at any time he sufferedimmediately in his soul under the wrath of God, oh !then his very bones, the master- timbers of his body, arebroken in pieces. " He roars all the day, and his moistureis turned into the drought of summer." Then he speaksthus unto God: "When thou with rebukes dost correctman for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume awaylike a moth."CHAP. XV.Two Helps for the curing of a Man troubled with the former Malady.Thus having discovered the cases and causes of spiritualdesertion, I come now to the comforts and the cure.I. And let us first take notice of a double desertion :First. Passive, when God withdraws himself from us.Secondly. Active, when we withdraw ourselves from God.And they are both twofold: — 1. Temporary; and 2.Final.1. Passive desertion temporary : as in David (PsalmIxxvii) ; Heman the Kzrahite (Psalm Ixxxviii) ; Job ; boththe Glovers ; Mrs. Breltergh ; Mr. Peacock ; and manymore of God's children.2. Final : in many after a woful and wilful abuse ofmany mercies, means of salvation, and general graces. AsSaul, Judas, tkc. ; such as have outstood all opportunitiesand seasons of grace ; and all those, Prov. i, 24.(1.) Active desertion temporary ; as Solomon, &c.(2.) Final; as in those, Heb. x.Now in the present point 1 understand only a passivetemporary desertion ; and therefore in that man who istruly engrafted into Christ by a justifying faiih, and regenerated,who can never possibly either forsake finally, orbe finally forsaken of God. Of whom Hooker thus speaks * :" Blessed for ever and ever be that mother's chdd whosefaith hath made him the child of God. The earth mayshake ; the pillars of the world may tremble under us ; thecountenance of the heaven may be appalled ; the sun maylose his light, the stars their glory ;but concerning the man* In his Sermon on Habac. i, 4: " Of the certainty and perpetuityof the Faith in the Elect.
AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES. 353that trusteth in God, if the fire hath proclaimed itself unableas much as to singe ;i luiir of his head ; if lions, beastsravenous by nature and keen with hunger, being set todevour, have, as it were, religiously adored the very fleshof the faithful man ; what is there in the world that shallchange his heart, overthrow his faith, alter his affectiontowards (Jod, or the affection o; God to him 1" Nay, andbesides, since I only understand a temporary passive desertion,1 must suppose it in him also, who sees full welland doth acknowledge from whence he is fallen, is veryseusible of his spiritual loss, afflicted much with the absenceof the quickening and comforting influence of grace,and grieved at the heart-root that lie cannot do God service,and perform holy duties with that life, power, and lightsomenessas he was wont ; and thereupon resolves to giveno rest unto his discontented soul from cries, complaints,and groans, until God's face and favour be turned towardshim again, and bring with it former feelings and fruitfulness,now so highly prized and heartily prayed for ; uhichblessed behaviour cloth clearly show him to differ from thebackslider, a truly miserable and right woful creature indeed,who insensibly falls from his forvi'ardness, first love,intimate fellowship with the saints, all lively use and exerciseof the ordinances and divine duties, and yet is nevertroubled to any purpose, neither doth challenge nor judgehimseJf for it at all. For we are to know, that the presenceof spiritual weaknesses, decays, and wants, and absence ofdue dispositions, accustomed feelings, and former abilitiesof grace, only then argue a backslider, and are evil signs ofa dangerously declining soul, when they are willingly carriedwithout remorse, or taking much to heart without anyeager desire or earnest endeavour after more heat and heavenly-mindedness.A Christian may be without God's graciouspresence and comtbrtable exercise of grace in presentfeeling, and yet no forsaker of God ; but rather left of him fora time (his heavenly wisdom for some secret holy ends sodisposing), while by grieving, striving, and strong desires,he unfeignedly thirsts after and seriously pursues his formeracceptation and forwardness. Here then is comfort : Godhath hid his face from thee for a season, and thou art leftto the darkness and discomforts of thine own spirit, andthereupon art grievously dejected, thinkest thyself utterlyundone ;yet take notice, that in a spiritual desertion properlyso called, thou dost not willingly forsake God, but Godlorsakes thee ; or rather, as divines truly speak, seems to forsakethee ; for he deals with thee in this case as a father2H 3
- Page 354 and 355: 302 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGnot
- Page 356 and 357: 304 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGyet
- Page 358 and 359: 306 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGthem
- Page 360 and 361: 308 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORtI^TG'ne
- Page 362 and 363: 310 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTING6),
- Page 364 and 365: •of312 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTIN
- Page 366 and 367: —314 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGb
- Page 368 and 369: 316 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGhein
- Page 370 and 371: 318 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGsecu
- Page 372 and 373: 320 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGwere
- Page 374 and 375: 322 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGtrem
- Page 376 and 377: —324 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGd
- Page 378 and 379: '326 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGthe
- Page 380 and 381: 328 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGand
- Page 382 and 383: 330 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGwalk
- Page 384 and 385: :332 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGJ^a
- Page 386 and 387: 334 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGlife
- Page 388 and 389: n36INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGenjoy
- Page 390 and 391: 338 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGaffa
- Page 392 and 393: 340 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGand
- Page 394 and 395: 342 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGtion
- Page 396 and 397: 344 INSTia;CTIONS FOR COMFORTINGdea
- Page 398 and 399: 346 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGown
- Page 400 and 401: 348 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGvict
- Page 402 and 403: 350 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COiMFORTINGexp
- Page 406 and 407: 354 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGwith
- Page 408 and 409: 356 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGmove
- Page 410 and 411: 358 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTING2. L
- Page 412 and 413: How360 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGa
- Page 414 and 415: 362 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGCHAP
- Page 416 and 417: 364 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGhis
- Page 418 and 419: :366 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGbea
- Page 420 and 421: 368 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGing
- Page 422 and 423: :370 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGthe
- Page 424 and 425: 372 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGfoul
- Page 426 and 427: 374 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGby d
- Page 428 and 429: 376 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGclea
- Page 430 and 431: 378 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGprot
- Page 432 and 433: 380 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGsing
- Page 434 and 435: !;382 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGaw
- Page 436 and 437: !384 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGrel
- Page 438 and 439: 386 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGpard
- Page 440 and 441: 388 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGsuch
- Page 442: 390 AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES.from thy
—352 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGtreachery of Ahithophel, no grappling with a li<strong>on</strong>, no fightingwith a bear, no threatening of a vaunting Goliah, couldso much discourage him. But when at any time he sufferedimmediately in his soul under the wrath of God, oh !then his very b<strong>on</strong>es, the master- timbers of his body, arebroken in pieces. " He roars all the day, and his moistureis turned into the drought of summer." <strong>The</strong>n he speaksthus unto God: "When thou with rebukes dost correctman for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to c<strong>on</strong>sume awaylike a moth."CHAP. XV.Two Helps for the curing of a Man troubled with the former Malady.Thus having discovered the cases and causes of spiritualdeserti<strong>on</strong>, I come now to the comforts and the cure.I. And let us first take notice of a double deserti<strong>on</strong> :First. Passive, when God withdraws himself from us.Sec<strong>on</strong>dly. Active, when we withdraw ourselves from God.And they are both twofold: — 1. Temporary; and 2.Final.1. Passive deserti<strong>on</strong> temporary : as in David (PsalmIxxvii) ; Heman the Kzrahite (Psalm Ixxxviii) ; Job ; boththe Glovers ; Mrs. Breltergh ; Mr. Peacock ; and manymore of God's children.2. Final : in many after a woful and wilful abuse ofmany mercies, means of salvati<strong>on</strong>, and general graces. AsSaul, Judas, tkc. ; such as have outstood all opportunitiesand seas<strong>on</strong>s of grace ; and all those, Prov. i, 24.(1.) Active deserti<strong>on</strong> temporary ; as Solom<strong>on</strong>, &c.(2.) Final; as in those, Heb. x.Now in the present point 1 understand <strong>on</strong>ly a passivetemporary deserti<strong>on</strong> ; and therefore in that man who istruly engrafted into Christ by a justifying faiih, and regenerated,who can never possibly either forsake finally, orbe finally forsaken of God. Of whom Hooker thus speaks * :" Blessed for ever and ever be that mother's chdd whosefaith hath made him the child of God. <strong>The</strong> earth mayshake ; the pillars of the world may tremble under us ; thecountenance of the heaven may be appalled ; the sun maylose his light, the stars their glory ;but c<strong>on</strong>cerning the man* In his Serm<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> Habac. i, 4: " Of the certainty and perpetuityof the Faith in the Elect.