Mary Magdalenes Tears Wiped Off, Objection 24
OBJECTION XXIV.
But in all my Actions I endeavour to skrien my ſelf from the wrath of God, and to prevent his Juſtice upon my perſon for Sin already committed, perfectly indeed abhorring it as the cauſe of all my Troubles, but not truly enamoured of Vertue (me thinks) becauſe it yields me no ſuch. Harveſt of Content, and felicity as the Heathens themſelves could boast of.
SOLUTION.
30. THat your ſelf ſhould be your end, aſwell as God, is not contrary to Piety; but your ſelf muſt be put in a ſecond and ſubordinate place, and God in the firſt and chiefeſt: becauſe God, being the chiefeſt good, and our Salvation ſubordinate to his Glory, as he is in this the prime mover of our Wills, (both objectively, and efficiently) ſo conſequently muſt he be the ultimate end of our Actions.
But in this caſe we muſt diſtinguiſh betwixt what God is, and what we apprehend him to be: a Sinner is not preſently brought to lay aſide the fear of Gods revengefull hand, and to imbrace, and depend upon him, for the merciemercy that is offered to him. Ordinarily (I conceive God doth manifeſt his love, goodneſs, and mercy to penitent Sinners, gradually; and with proportion to future experience, of the truth and ſincerity of their Repentance. I mean ſuch a manifeſtation of himſelf, in theſe Attributes of complacency and benignity to Mankind; which one may term the overſhadowing of the Spirit of Love upon the Soul, inlightning, refreſhing, and comforting her, againſt the terrors of the Divine Juſtice due to Sin without a Propitiation by Chriſt.
Let me therefore adviſe you, to wait with patience till the day break, and the ſhadows flee away; Cant. 1.17. till this Sun of Righteouſneſs ariſe upon your Soul with healing in his wings, Mal. 4.2. and to endeavour to be perſwaded (as of other mens ſo) of your own filiation, and that you may the better believe it, to bleſs God moſt frequently for the ineſtimable gift of his Son Jeſus Chriſt, by whom alone a Reconciliation was wrought betwixt. God and mankind; by the Faith whereof holy Men and Women look for the inheritance of Sons and Daughters, and do not ſtand in fear of ſtripes as vaſſals, and Bond-ſlaves: being emancipated from the Spirit of Bondage, through the freedom they have by the Spirit of Adoption, whereby they cry Abba Father: Rom. 8 15. meditating upon the greatneſs, and excellency of that love, the ever-bleſſed and glorious Trinitie, hath expreſt unto our Souls, engraven before our eyes in eternal Characters of Blood; even the Blood of the only Son of God largely deſcribed by all four Evangeliſts in their Hiſtories of the Goſpel; though ſundry, yea innumerable other paſſages of our Saviours life are omitted S. Jo. 21 (yea even the birth of Christ by two of them) intimating unto us, not only the certain truth of his Paſſion (which had been unqueſtionable if but recorded by one of them) and the great concernment of it to all mankinde, as well in the example as neceſſity thereof; but likewiſe recommending by that variety of deſcribing the laſt tragical Act of his Bleſſed Life, the frequent peruſal of it in all times, and kindes of Trial, and Temptations.
What therefore you want of felicity (at preſent) and content in your New life, do not deſpair of, but expect; aſſuring your ſelf, that you ſhall one day know, and feel, that the Kingdom of God is Righteouſneſs, Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghoſt, Rom. 14.17. God alone knowes how much of Heaven 'tis beſt to give you in this Life: that Angelical state which you aim at, might be much more dangerous for you then you imagine. When St. Paul had been rapt up into the third Heaven, and heard things impoſſible to be uttered, becauſe he ſhould not be elated by the abundance of Revelations, there was given unto him a thorn in the fleſh, the meſſenger of Satan, 2 Cor. 12.7. ſome humiliating Temptation, that might make him know, that as yet he was lock't up in an earthly Tabernacle, as lyable to the Aſſaults and Invaſions of Satan, and his Complices, as to a final diſſolution by death.