A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

—14 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGCHAP. IV.A first use of the former doctrine, for exhortation to store up heavenlycomforts in our hearts. Two considerations which press this exhortationupon us.If it be so, then, that a heavenly hoard of grace, goodcoiiscience, God's favour, &c., happily treasured up whileit is called to-day, hatli the sole and sacred property andprivilege to hold up our hearts in times of horror, enablingus in the mean time patiently and profitably to master allmiseries, pass through all persecutions, conquer all comers,and at length, by the help of God, to pull the very heart,as it were, out of hell ; with confidence and triumph tolook even death and the devil in the face, and to stand withboldness before the terror of the last day like an immovablerock, when the sons and daughters of confusion, whohave slept in harvest and mispent the gracious day of theirvisitation, shall entreat the mountains and rocks to fall uponthem ;— 1 say, it being thus, let every one of us, like sonsand daughters of wisdom, in this short summer's day of ourabode upon earth, and in this glorious sun-shine of thegospel and precious seasons of grace, employ all means,improve all opportunities to gather in with all holy greedinessand treasure up abundantly much spiritual strengthand lasting comfort against the evil day. To which let usbe quickened by such considerations as these :1. This wise and happy treasuring up of heavenly hoardsand comforts of holiness beforehand, will sweetly mollilyand allay the bitterness and smart of that heavine s ai.dsorrow, of those fearful amazements and oppressions ofspirit, naturally incident to times of trouble and fear, whichordinarily do very grievously sting and strike through theheart of carnal and secure worldlings with full rage andthe very flashes and foretastes of hell. Of all other passionsof the soul, sadness and grief grates most upon tlie vitalspirits, dries up soonest the freshest marrow in the bones,and most sensibly sucks out the purest and most refined bloodin the heart. All the objects of lightsomeness and joy aredrowned in a heavy heart, even as the beauty of a pearl isdissolved in vinegar. Now the only cordial and counterpoisonagainst this damp of light-heartedness and destroyerof life, is the secret sweetness and shining pleasure of that"one pearl of great price" (Matt, xiii, 46), three orientrays whereof are " righteousness, and peace, and joy in theHoly Ghost " (Rom. xiv, 17), treasured up in the cabinet of