A Discourse of the Judgments of God, Chapter 14 – Chapter 15
CHAP. XIV. Of Senſe of particular Sins effected by by Judgments.
2. UNder Judgments there is a ſenſe of particular ſins, which reverberated upon the Soul by it ſelf, thus incouraged and inlivened by the preſence of a divine Juſtice aſſiſting it, is of all things moſt aſtoniſhing, proſtrates the Soul, and ſubmits it to any terms of obedience in hope of Grace.
A man thus affected, feels the deadly ſtroke in that ſtrength of his Soul, that is to bear him up in every infirmity (that is) the ſpirit of a man, which when it is wounded, what can uphold it, that it ſelf carried all?
This is the power that poiſes every evil, and judges of the ſpring from which it riſes, the extent of its virtue, the effects and ends it is to reach: And then compares with the evil the ſtrength that is neceſſary to oppoſe it, the means of prevention, the proper allays in enduring it, if it cannot be avoided, the efficacies of removal; according to all which, that native courage and reſolution keeps it ſelf upright, and ſinks not under the evil. But what can it do? when the evil is ſo great, that there is no match between all that the Soul can find either to protect or reſcue it, and that this very ſpirit of it falls ſplit, as with a ſhaft of Thunder, is ſo diſſolved and melted, that it is ready to take any new ſhape, having no further conſiſtency in that, formerly its own.
Now it is moſt evident, an infinite wrath is too great for allay or remedy, too conſtant for removal; all valour and reſolution againſt an infinite evil, is firſt madneſs and fooliſh hardineſs, before it comes, and when it is felt, either ſoftens into extream deſpondency, or rages into deſpair.
That which breaks the ſpirit of a man thus, is not yet ſimply the evil, or the infiniteneſs of it, but its failure in that which is its ſtrength, viz. innocency and freedom from guilt; without which it can never be truly great, and when it finds the want of this, it ſinks oppreſſed with its own weight.
Judgments are like the Rack to the Soul, which work it to unboſom it ſelf within it ſelf, as men are tortured into the confeſſions that they would elſe moſt earneſtly have ſuppreſſed. Joſephs brethren at ſuch a time confeſſed among themſelves the ſin they had ſo long hid from their own Souls as well as others.
Thus riſe up particular ſins, leading into the univerſal foulneſs and obnoxiouſneſs of the whole ſtate, ſo that if a man ſhould offer to retire into himſelf, he feels he is purſued into his very heart, and yet finds no Sanctuary there, when he would be quiet in his innocency, and that is gone; this is the profoundeſt abaſement of a man.
Thus God girds us with our ſins, and fills our bowels with our guilt, and even ſoaks our bones with our wickedneſs, as with oyl, till all we endure is no leſs our own Juſtice upon our ſelves then Gods.
This begets in a man earneſteſt deſires of mercy from him, without whom we cannot be merciful to our ſelves: This makes repentance and returns to goodneſs, as neceſſary to the Soul for its peace with it ſelf, as it is for its peace with God.
For all the ſentences of God, when ever they come into execution, propagate themſelves, and beget the very ſame in the ſinner himſelf; who if he could but comfort himſelf with his integrity, would with far more eaſe ſuffer from a power above him, though injuſt to him.
A virtuous man conſcious of nothing, but rectitude and ſincerity, ſtands unſhaken in that, and values his untainted mind above the Tyrants ſpotted greatneſs, however he lye at the power of it. But whither ſhould he flye, that feels ſo great a ſeverity from himſelf, but out of himſelf into the arms of mercy, and to the re-innocency of repentance?
Into the arms of that mercy which is ſuperior to the natural compaſſion of a man to himſelf, and to that re-innocency of repentance, the only refuge of the Soul when vexed, and purſued with its guilt, and the ſelf-abhorrencies ſpringing from it, which make it intolerably weary of its own thoughts, and retorted looks upon its ſtate.
That ſupreme Goodneſs, that firſt drives a man out of his ſins by theſe interior perplexities into the neceſſities of repentance (for who can endure himſelf in that foulneſs his eye is continually upon?) hath alſo prepared the ſame repentance to be the pleaſant and conſolatory retirement of it, in which it returns into a reconciliation with it ſelf, even as with God through Jeſus Chriſt.
CHAP. XV. Of Judgments exciting Prayer.
3. ALL anguiſhes of the Soul, either from its outward trouble, or thoſe internal afflictions from the ſenſe of ſin, do moſt naturally run out into Prayer and addreſs to God. Whoſo gives them not that vent, reſtrains and forcibly impriſons ſo free and inclinable a motion of his own Soul. Theſe deſires towards God and his mercy, when they are cloiſtered in ſullen and irreligious breaſts, like ſtrong liquors confined againſt their will, or like the earneſt winds that cannot endure their priſon, find ſome out-let to themſelves, ſo that ſometimes unawares, ſomtimes extorted invocations of higheſt goodneſs, have come from them who have ſtudiouſly compreſſed thoſe their moſt genuine ſentiments; but not only from the truly humble and religious breaſt, but even from unprejudiced Nature they have much a greater liberty, and take their free courſe. Now no mans Soul goes out to God for relief in miſery, but it hath ſome conſiderations of thoſe great Principles that make ſuch a motion reaſonable, and of ſuch attendants of theſe deſires that may make the addreſs to God decent and honourable: All which concenter in the neceſſary change of the heart and life. If he that wrought a miracle in Chriſts Name could not lightly ſpeak evil of him, with how great an impropriety doth that man approach God and his Goodneſs, who intends a continued defiance to him by his ſins? How doth he bran down that ſenſe of divine mercy leading to repentance, the conſideration of which gives him leave to hope well from God?
This then ſhews the advantage of affliction, in which theſe motions of the Soul to God are as natural as the very deſires of relief ſimply conſidered; all are ready to viſit God in affliction, and to pour out a prayer when his chaſtning is upon them. God makes no doubt of a very bad ſort of men, that in their affliction they will ſeek him early: It being the higheſt act of impenitency Daniel complains of in his time, and the ſeventh ſeal of their Judgment, that they made not their prayer to God, that they might turn from iniquity, and underſtand his truth. The powers of mens Souls are never in a more fading condition, nor their ſins in greater violence then when they call not upon God, nor ſtir up themſelves to take hold of him.