Glorious CONSOLATION
After a Sharp and Temptatious
AFLICTION;
Or, th[e]
Religious Virgins Recovery.
Printed for R. Kell, and R. Shuter, at the White-
Hart in West-Smithfield, [near Pye-Corner. 1692]
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The Reasons for the two Doctrines are these.
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1. The Righteous and Upright Men
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are Gods Chosen, whom the Lord will
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defend.
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2. They are predestinated unto the A-
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doption of Sons by Jesus Christ.
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3. They are made accepted in the Be-
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loved.
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4. They have a through Redempti[o]n
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by the Bl[o]od of Jesus.
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5. They have the abundance of the
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Riches of Gods grace, and in all, Spiri-
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tual Wisdom a[n]d Prudence.
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6. To these he hath revealed the Mystery
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of his Will, The secrets of the Lord are
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with those that fear him.
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7. For such Christ hath purchased and
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prepared an Everlasting Inheritance.
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8. And lastly are Sealed, and have set
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too their Seal by the holy Spirits witness,
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that God is true.
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Now to prosecute the Subject, that
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which Relates to the Person, and the oc-
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casion of the [fall] [?]
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A Conference of Friends about this Afflicted
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Condition.
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SIster, what manner of Conversation be-
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fore this Trouble befell you?
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Friends, I had a Zeal for performance
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of Duties and was, as I thought, a per-
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fect Observer o[f] Forms according to the
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Letter; but reading those Sacred words,
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of having a form of Godliness, and denying
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the Power thereof, this put me upon an
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enquiry what this power of Godliness was.
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At this rate of enquiry when poor heart
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do you think to be setled, and to mind that
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you must live by another day when you shall
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change your Condition.
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My Dear, your Discourse is good, as
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to the World and worldly wise, but as
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me you are but miserable Comforters. I
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must not conceal my better part; Mar-
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tha was cumbered, I with Mary have
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chosen the better part. Swines husks
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would not satisfie a returned considering
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Prodigal. I and you are commanded to
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give all diligence to make our Calling
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[?]
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10. The Holy Spirit blows where and
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when he pleaseth, let us therefore cherish
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all his motions, till grace attain to its per-
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fection; to that end consider the uncertain
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continuance of Life, 'tis but a span long,
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we have a great work to do, Death is un-
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certain, he spares none, great, and finall,
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poor, or rich, strong, or weak; the Bells
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call to us, the Graves, Bones, and Sculs
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shew us what we must shortly be, Death
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puts another kind of face upon the things
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we now see; Sin delightful, then dreadful,
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Satan now still, then a terrible accuser;
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thoughts of Hell frightful, t[he] eyes fail,
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the Tongue flatters, the Throat rattles,
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Friends fail, Hearts fail, Judgement is
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next, where [S]inners receive Sentence, and
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Believers a Glorious Inheritance;[S]alva-
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tion is the reward of Perseverance. Thus
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Piety hath the Promise, and Faithfulness
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the Crown, which is the Portion wisht of
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the Author to the Reader.
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