The Sinners Last Sentence, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. The Properties of the Sinners loſs.
Secondly, I Shall ſpeak to the Properties of this departure from Chriſt, or loſs therein.
1. It is ſpiritual. It is a loſs peculiar to the Soul or Spirit of Man, and a loſs of that good that is moſt ſuitable to the Soul or Spirit of Man. No mercies are like Soul-mercies, Epheſ. 1.3. and Job 6.4. No miſeries are like Soul-miſeries. For the nobler any Being is, the better that is which advantageth it, and the worſe that is that injureth it. It's one thing to relieve or abuſe a diſtreſſed Prince, and another thing to relieve or abuſe a diſtreſſed Subject. The Soul of man is the Prince, the chief and nobleſt part of man, and it is principally the ſubject (as chiefly ſenſible) of this departure. It's true, the Soul cannot depart from God locally, but it can and doth morally here, in its affections and converſation; But that which is now its practice and pleaſure, will then be their torment and puniſhment. Other loſſes pinch the Fleſh, but this pierceth the Spirit. Other loſſes are caſtigatory, and the portion of Children; but this is damnatory, and the portion of Devils. Ah how will the Soul pine and wither away, when it ſhall take its farewel of that Sun, who alone could revive and refreſh it? What a diſmal, doleful death muſt it undergo, when it ſhall depart from him, who is its only Life? Such a wounded Spirit who can bear? The Soul hath more exquiſite ſenſe, and more curious feeling than the Body; therefore its loſs of its own peculiar ſuitable ſatisfying good will cut deep, and fill it with bitter horrour.
2. It will be a total departure. Here they depart in part from God, but then totally. Here Cain complains, if not allowed God's preſence in Ordinances, though he had his preſence in many ways of ordinary Favour; Behold, thou hast driven me this day from the face of the Earth, and from thy face ſhall I be hid, Gen. 4.14. But alas how doth he complain there? where he is wholly deprived of the Divine preſence in any way of Favour; where he hath not the leaſt glimpſe of the light of his Countenance. The partial departures of God have forced ſad Complaints from them that are godly, Job 13.24. Why hideſt thou thy face, and holdeſt me for thine enemy? ſaith Job. I can bear the withdrawings of men, and their abſence: I can bear the ſtrangeneſs of my Friends, and the unkindneſs of Relations, but I cannot bear thy ſtrangeneſs to me, thy with-drawings from me? Why hideſt thou thy face? Job though a ſtrong ſtout man, able to overcome the ſtrong One, the Devil; yet was ready to faint away and die at this. David crieth out mournfully at it, Pſal. 10.1. Why ſtandeſt thou afar off, O Lord? why hidest thou thy ſelf in time of trouble. Poor Heman is diſtracted, and almoſt dead with it, Pſal. 88.14, 15. Lord, why hideſt thou thy face? I am afflicted and ready to die: while I ſuffer thy terrors, I am diſtracted. If theſe partial departures, which had much love in them, and with them, caſt down the Friends of God ſo heavily, O what will his total departures out of pure Wrath cauſe to his Enemies. That world muſt needs be doleſome and darkſome indeed, to whom this Sun is wholly ſet, and totally ecclipſed.
…. It will be an eternal departure. They muſt leave God for ever; though it had been ſpiritual and total, yet if but temporal, there had been ſomewhat to have allay'd their Sorrows; but to ſuffer ſo great a loſs, and that wholly, and for ever too, muſt needs pierce to the quick. The Sinner ſhall ſee the bleſſed Jeſus no more for ever. He muſt depart from the tendereſt Father, lovingeſt Friend, richeſt Treaſure, choiceſt Good, greateſt Glory, ſweeteſt Pleaſure, and that for ever, Jude, verſ. 13. To whom is reſerved blackneſs of darkneſs for ever. The Sentence one denounced, Depart from me, will be like the Law of the Medes and Perſians, which cannot be altered: 2 Theſſ. 1.8, 9. Who ſhall be puniſhed with everlasting deſtruction, from the preſence of the Lord. The Anchor of Hope will then be broken, the Bridge of Grace will then be drawn, the Gate of Mercy will then be ſhut, and the Gulph between Chriſt and the Wicked never to be paſſed over. They may cry out in truth, what the Pſalmiſt in unbelief, Will the Lord cast off for ever? will he be favourable no more? Is is mercy clean gone for ever? Pſal. 77.7, 8. Alas, they are caſt off for ever, he will be favourable to them no more. They may roar out in vain, How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord, ſhall I never me remembred? Pſal. 13.1.
4. It is an irreparable loſs, ſuch a loſs as nothing can make up. There are many good things which we may do well without, becauſe the want of them may be ſupplied by other things. But Chriſt is the one thing neceſſary, the one thing excellent; the want of whom no good thing in Heaven or Earth can make up. When the Soul departs from Chriſt, it departs from all good; becauſe nothing is good without him, and nothing can be had in the room of him. If ſome kind of Food be wanting, another kind may poſſibly do as well; ſo if ſome ſort of Drugs or Herbs for Phyſick be wanting, there may be others found of the ſame Virtue and Operation; but if once the Soul be ſentenced to depart from Chriſt, there is nothing to compenſate this loſs. He is the Saviour, and indeed the only Saviour, Act. 4.12. He is the Mediator between a Righteous God and a guilty Creature, and indeed the only Mediator, 1 Tim. 2.5. For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and man, the man Chriſt Jeſus.