The Soul's Preparation for Christ

It is ordinary with every carnal heart more or less,¹ to reason as Eliphaz with Job; How doth God know? can he judge through the dark? thick clouds are a covering to him that he seeth not, he walketh in the circuits of heaven. It is the guise of wicked men to say so; Nay, it is that which the hearts of Gods people are driven to a stand withal, when they consider the passages of wicked men, now God seeth them and doth not punish them, they say, How doth God know? and, Is there knowledge in the Almighty? When the Prophet saw the way of the wicked to prosper, their eyes to start out with fatness, he saith, Doth God see this, and not punish it? as if he had said, Did God care for all that is done here below, could he brook such strange oppositions of his word and his gospel and his members? I doubt not, but that there is many an adulterous heart, that thinks a dark night shall cover all his abominations; and the malicious man that contrives evil against Gods children he thinks that God considers not his course; or else that God will not trouble himself to execute Judgement upon him for all his sins. As the Prophet saith, The Lord will not do Good nor Evil; he is marvellous quiet, ⟨p. 49⟩he will not trouble himself neither for the good that doth befall, nor for the evil that is deserved by us; Nay, this is the bane of our ministry, when people hear of many Judgements denounced against sin and sinners. (I tell you what they think of all this) they think they are words of course. If the adulterer or drunkard did consider that no such person should inherit the kingdom of heaven, durst they go on? surely no. But they think they are but the words of some hot spirited minister, to awe, and scare men and keep them in compass, and they will not be persuaded, but God is more merciful then so, that he should punish for every small sin, they think this is more then reasonable; Let him make speed (saith the wicked) that we may see it, ²and let the Counsel of the most High draw nigh, that we may know it. As if they had said, You ministers tell us much of Gods wrath against Jerusalem, ³let us see those enemies, and let the word of the Lord come to pass now, all these words are but wind, &c. These are the carnal cavils of graceless persons. To which I answer;