A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES. 17admiration, as appears chap, xxix, 9, 10, was now contemnedof the most contemptible. " 'J he children of foolsand the children of base men," that were " viler than theearth," make him their song and their bye-word (chap.XXX, 8, 9). For when true nobleness and worth is down,and any one of the Lord's champions dejected, it is ordinarywith all those cowardly dispositions, to whom hissincerity was an eye-sore, his power and authority a restraintto their lewdness, the glory of his virtues fuel to theirenvy, to run as a raven to the fallen sheep to pick out hiseyes ; I mean (which yet tastes of a truly cowardly andmerciless constitution), to wound his very wounds, and tovex his vexations. This was J ob's case.But what now ministers comfort to Job's heart againstthese corrosives ? Even consciousness of his graces andintegrities, treasured up and exercised in the days of hispeace. He reckons up fourteen of them, chap. xxxi. Fromconsideration hereof he gathers towards the end this triumphantresolution against the sorest of his sufferings, " Iwould even crown mine head with the bitterest invective ofmy greatest adversary." Whence it is clear, that the twopotent pillars of Job's strong and strange patience, whichgenerations will admire to the world's end, were a soundfaith and the sanctified fruits thereof, prepared and practisedin the time of his prosperity.CHAP. V.A third consideration, pressine the former exhortation, defendedagainst Machiavel's position.3. By previous provision of God's favour, grace, good conscience,and such spiritual store, we shall be able worthilyto adorn and honour our profession, truly to ennoble andwin a great deal of glory and reputation to the state ofChristianity, when the ambitious rufflers and boisterousNirarods of the world shall see and observe that there is agracious invisible vigour and strength of heaven, whichmightily supports the heart of the true Christian in thosetimes of confusion and fear, when theirs shall be like theheart of a woman in her pangs, and fall asunder in theirbreast>, even like drops of water. That he is as bold as alion, and immovable like Mount Zion in the day of distressand visitations of God, when they shall tremble at the shakingof a leaf, and call upon the mountainsC 3to cover them ;