A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

!AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES. 25from the creation until the coming of Christ in the flesh,when all without the pale and partition wall were withoutthe oracles and ordinances of God, and all ordinarymeans of salvation : or, since the gospel revealed under thereign of Antichrist, and then a thousand to one thou hadstbeen choked and for ever perished in the mists of his devilishdoctrines. What a high honour was this, to have thybirth and abode here upon earth appointed from all eternityin the very best and most blessed time, upon the fairest dayof peace, and, which is infinitely more, in the most gloriouslight of grace that ever shone from heaven upon the childrenof menAnd so of the place : be it so, that thou must needs be inthis golden age of the gospel and gracious day ;yet thy lot ofliving in the world at this time might have lighted ( for any partof the earth might have received thee where thou couldsthave set but thy two feet) amongst Turks, Pagans, Infidels;a whole world to Christendom. Or if thine appearing uponearth must necessarily be within the confines of Christendom,yet thou mightest have sprung up in the popish partsof it, or in the schismatical or persecuted places of the truechurch in it. It was a very singular favour that thoushouldst be born and bred and brought up in this littleneglected nook of the world, yet very illustrious by the presenceof Christ in a mighty ministry, where thou hast ormightest have enjoyed in many parts thereof the gloriousgospel of our blessed God, and all saving truth, with muchpurity and power.Now put all these together and tell me coolly, and after asensible and serious pondering thereon, dost thou think thatall this ado was about thee, all this honour done unto thee ;and, when all is done, thou art to do nothing but seek thyself,serve thine own turn, and live sensually ? Camestthou out of nothing into this world to do just nothing buteat and drink and sleep ; to game, walk in the fashion,and play the good-fellow ; to laugh and be merry ; to growrich and leave tokens of thy pleasure in every place ? Ifany, after so much enlightening, be so prodigiously mad asto continue in such a conceit, I have nothing to say to him,but leave him as an everlasting madman abandoned to thatfolly which wants a name to express it. Turn then thycourse for shame ; nay, as thou hast any care to be savedand to see the glory of the New Jerusalem, as thou desirestto look the Lord Jesus in the face with comfort at that greatday, as thou fearest to receive thy portion in hell fire withthe devil and his angels, even most intolerable and bittertorments for ever and ever,—at least in this thv dav, in thisD