A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES. 5unquenchable wrath in the conception, which once on footwould " burn unto the lowest hell, and set on fire the foundationsof the mountains,''— I mean that most precious, andalmost, if not altogether, omnipotent grace of Prayer. Thisgreat master of miracles hath wrought from time to timemany and very remarkable wonders, both in heaven andearth. It made the sun, that mighty creatuie. the princeof all the lights in heaven, to stay and stand still upun thesudden in the heat of his swiftest course (Josh, x, 12, 13) ;it landed Jonah safely upon the shore out of the belly of thewhale and bowels of the sea (Jonah ii, 1, 10); it drewrefreshing streams out of a dry bone ibr the saving ofSamson's life (Judges xv, 18, 19) ; it turned the heaven intobrass for three years and a half, and afterward turned theself-same brass into fruitful clouds and fountains of rain(James v, 17, 18) ; it killed a hundred fourscore and fivethousand of the enemies of God's people in one night(2 Kings xix, 15—35) ; for the freeing of Elisha from astrait and dangerous siege it filled a mountain in a moment,as it were, "full of horses and chariots of fire" (2 Kingsvi, 17) ; it turned the swords of a mighty army into thebowels of one another, when Jehoshaphat knew not whichway to turn himself, but was so helpless and hopeless thathe cried unto the Lord, " We know not what to do, onlyour eyes are upon tliee (2 Chron. xx, 5—23); it loosedPeter out of prison, shook his chains off from his hands,and made an iron gate to open of its own accord (Acts xii,5, 7, 10) ; it enraged and enlarged the P^nglish seas toswallow up the Spanish invincible armada ; and, which isnone of the least wonders, it brought prince Charles out ofSpain.But you instance, may some say, in extraordinary examplesof extraordinary men, endowed with an extraordinaryspirit.Yet sure I am they are registered by the Holy Ghost torepresent unto us and to all generations of the church tothe world's end the almighty and wonder-working power ofprayer ; and I am as sure that the petitioners were men" subject to like passions as we are " (James v. 17). Perhapsif thou be a true hearted Nathanael, since thy newbirth ihou wast never so extraordinarily passionate as Jonahwas, when out of a pang of strange distemper he thusanswered the mighty Lord of heaven and earth, " I do wellto be angry, even unto death " (Jonah iv, 9).IV. God's favourite is further furnished with anotherspiritual weapon of impregnable temper and incrediblemight : I mean faith, the very power and arm of God forJ3 3