A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

32 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMFORTINGgood-fellowship, and infinite love and admiration of theholy path. Having given to the good-feilovv his heart'sdesire all the day long in all kinds of voluptuousness anddelight, yet for all this, " Who is he," saith he, " that is inh s right mind, that would not choose rather to die a thousanddeaths, than spend one day sol" This peremptorypassage would be held a strange paradox from the mouthof any modern minister, and so appears to the carnal apprehensionof all those miserable men who are blindfoldedaad baffled by the devil to the eternal loss of their souls.But besides that it might be made good many other ways,it is more than manifest by comparing that three-fold stingthat follows at the heels of every sinful delight, &c. (seemy Book of Walking with God), with the com.ortable contentmentand secret sweetness which might and shouldattend all weil-doing and every holy duty done with uprightnessof heart. The very philosophers do tell us of acongratulation, a pleased contentedness and satisfaction indoing virtuously according to their moral rules. W^hattrue, solid, and singular comfort then, do you think, maybe lound in those godly actions v\hich spring from faith,are guided by God's word, directed to his glory, and whosebewailed defects and failings are most certainly pardonedby the blood of his Son? Now what an extreme madnessis this, for a man to sell his salvation for a life of pleasures jabhorring the ways of God's children as too piecise andpainful ; whereas, besides hell for the one, and heaven forthe ether hereafter, in the mean time every day spent sosensually is a true purgatory, and every day passed in thecontrary Christian course is an earthly paradise !The second and thirdC^AP. IX.cousiieration for the reformation of thesensualist.2. Let them mark well the different ends of these men.Though the one now carries away the credit and current ofthe times, and with all bravery and triumph rolls himself inthe pleasures, riches, and glory of the world, and the otheris kept under hatches, neglected and contemptible to carnaleyes, trampled upon with the feet of pride and malice bythe prouder Pharisees, and hunted with much cruelty andhate by men of this world : yet watch but a while, and youshall see the end of this upright man, whatsoever his sorrowsand sutierings, troubles and temptations have been in this