A treatise on comforting afflicted consciences - The Digital Puritan

AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES. 33life, to be most certainly peace at the last. " Mark theperfect man, and behold the upright ; for the end of thatman is peace." (Psalm xxxvii, 37). He either passethfairly and calmly through the port of death to the land oteverlasting rest and rejoicing; or else, if a tempest of extraordinarytemptation seize upon him in the haven, wheahe is ready to set foot into heaven, which is the lot of manyof God's dearest ones, for ends seeming best to the everblessedr\Iajesty, as perhaps to harden those about him thathate to be reformed ; yet all the hurt he hath thereby is,besides serving God's secret holy pleasure, an addition tohis happiness ; for an immediate translation from the depthof temporary horror, as in the case of Mr. Peacock and Mrs.Brettergh, to the height of endless joy, makes even the joysof heaven something more joyful. He feels those neveijending pleasures at the first entrance more delicious andravi:,hing, by reason of the sudden change from that bitternessof spirit in the last combat to the excellency andeternity of heavenly bliss. His soul, in this case, after ashort eclipse of spiritual darkness upon his bed of death,enters more lightsomely into the full sun of immortal glory.But what do you think shall be the end of the other man ?He is in the mean time, it may be, " in great power, andspreading himself like a green bay tree," revelling in theabundance of all worldly jollity and wealth; wallowingdissolutely in the ciioicest delights and vainest pleasures;yet wait but a while, and you shall see him quickly "cutdown like grass, and wither as the gieen herb." For Godshall suddenly shoot at hiro with a swift arrow. It isalready in the bow, even a bow of steel shall send forth anarrow that shall strike him through, and shall shine on hisgall. His power aod his pride shall be overthrown in theturn of a hand. All his imperious boisterousness shall meltaway as a vain foam. "The eye which saw him shall seehim no more ; neither shall his place any more behold him."He must descend into the grave, naked and stripped of allpower and pomp, all beauty and strength ; a weaker andpoorer worm than when he first came out of the womb.Hear further for this purpose, and fuller expression of mymeaning in this point, how a worthy friend of mine, instanciagin the exemplary and dreadful downfalsof Haman,Shebna, and others, labours to fright graceless great onesout of their luxury and pride, security and smful pleasures,by consideration of their ends. " Oh then," saith he, " yerich and great, ye proud and cruel, ambitious and honourable,take from their woful examples the true estimate ofyour riches and your power, your pleasure and your honour.