The Government of the Thoughts, Chapter 30
CHAP. XXX. Divine Considerations of our Repentance, forgiving Enemies, and the Love of God.
CONSIDER why Christ came into the World: The beloved Disciple informs you, John 3.16. Because he so loved it. God sent him to save Sinners; not only them who had broken some of his Commandments: But as St. Paul saith, He came into the World to save Sinners, of whom I am chief, 1 Tim. 1.15. He came to call, (as himself professeth) Not the Righteous, but Sinners to Repentance, Mat. 9.13. Mark 2.17. He called the heavy laden not fallaciously, but indeed to ease and disburthen them of their Sins, Mat. 11.28. He saved the Publicans and notorious Sinners, and to manifest the same in contempt of Pharisaical Calumnies, conversed with them.
2. CONSIDER, that God who commanded us to forgive, not only seventy times, but oftner, would not enjoin us that which himself could not, or would not perform. He is essentially, and so infinitely gracious, that his Mercy is more than thousands of Oceans, which can never be exhausted. Man hath but a slender Stock, a finite Mercy at the best, and such as may be diminished and vanquished by Injuries. He that enjoineth Man to forgive without Exception, could not in his Justice command and require Man to forgive more than himself in his abundant Mercy could or was willing to assent to. Add to this a Consideration of his tender Love; He hath planted a Paternal Love and Care, not only in Parents for their Children, but (lest we should suppose it rather habitual than natural, taught by Precept or Example, rather implanted by the Almighty in their Natures) in the very brute Beasts of the Field, and Birds of the Air, for the Preservation of their Young; All this Love in the Creature is but momentany, but in God it is Essential, Infinite, and Unchangeable.
3. NOW consider, did God give Man (suppose David) so much Love and Mercy, as that upon the Mediation of the Tekoite, he could presently be reconciled to a Rebellious Absolom; hath he given thee Bowels of Compassion, and an ardent Zeal for thy Childrens Good and Safety, to mourn for their Transgressions, and to be ready upon the least appearance, or signs of amendment, to enter into a Reconciliation with them, and canst thou conceive that God will not be much more ready to Pardon thee, if thou canst heartily Repent and Implore Forgiveness, through the Merits of a Crucified JESVS, the Son of his Love, and in whom he hath proclaimed from Heaven, He is well pleased, Matt. 3.17.
4. THE Custom among the Molossians was, whom Plutarch mentions, that the Petitioner should take up the King's Son in his Arms, and so kneeling before the Altar, nothing was denied for the Protection and Safety of the Suppliant. So Themistocles found favour with King Admetus. So likewise will our Heavenly King give Audience to our Petitions, if we present him in the Arms of Faith, his Beloved Son Christ Jesus with the Merits of his Death and Passion. A wounded Spirit, a broken and a contrite Heart, is an acceptable Sacrifice to God, and that which he will not despise, Psalm 51.19. Thou canst not reasonably think thy Case detestable, for that which God approveth and loveth in thee, and hath so mercifully Cherished in those he dearly loved. The Royal Psalmist, the Man after his own Heart, felt this which thou art afraid of, My Heart, saith he, is Wounded within me, Psalm 109.22.
5. CONSIDER seriously, that a calm Conscience is not always the best, nor a Tempestuous the worst: There is a Lethargy and Stupidity of an evil Conscience in a Carnal Security: This Calm is such a Storm, wherein the Soul, (like the Men of Laish) is quiet and secure, until some Spiritual Danites awake it, and the Sinner goeth on like Agag, thinking surely that the Bitterness of Death is past: As some Heart-sick Patient, in whom Nature's strength is so far decayed, that he is insensible of the undiscovered approaches of Death now imminent; even such is the calm Conscience of a secure Sinner.
6. NOW, if that Angel Guardian, the Conscience, which God and Nature has placed within the Breast of a Righteous Person, be sometimes at Variance and upon the seasonable point of Admonition for some Sin Unrepented; we may infer it to be like the Ship in which Jonah fled, followed with Storms, untill he was cast forth, whereby his Happiness might be the greater: But the danger is desperate with those, when the Mind is Drowsie and will not be awakened from its Guilt and Impenitency; but are given up to the Spirit of Slumber; those I say, if at any time their Conscience within 'em whispers and severely Checks 'em, then are they ready to cry out as Ahab to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine Enemy? If we are not sensible of our Wounds, the sign is Mortal; therefore let us not our selves remove from that wholesome Discipline, or fly that Chirurgion, whose Lancet threatens none but the imposthumated Parts; but rather chuse wisely that main skill of knowing, whether our Consciences thus lull'd up in treacherous sleep, or disturbed by that Voice within us; which of these two, I say prognosticates the most Danger.