The real Christian, or, A treatise of effectual calling wherein the work of God…

I could not but pity her, and with some relenting I asked her, How wilt thou be able to bear the wrath of God? She answered me roundly, I will bear it as well as I can; and this was all. But this sight of God will cure this Atheism.

I could not but pity her, and with some relenting I asked her, How wilt thou be able to bear the wrath of God? She answered me roundly, I will bear it as well as I can; and this was all. But this sight of God will cure this Atheisme.

Sixth Position. This light or knowledge which God letteth in of himself, maketh the Soul see sin in the evil nature of it, as well as in the evil effects of it.

It is true, these latter do most affect, trouble, and wound the Soul at first, especially in those upon whom God works when they are adult or grown up in years, and have before lived in darkness, and under the power of lusts. As for others, where God wrought in Infancy, or while young and tender, we shall find in their youth they are more troubled about the power of their lusts, and their fears of hypocrisy unsound bottoming, then they are with fears of Hell: but though in the first working, the effects of sin, the wrath of God, hell, damnation, loss of heaven, &c. do most afflict, yet not these only; there is other evils in sin, besides these, which this sight of God discovers. For look what it is in sin, which makes the Soul sick, so far it will desire, and accept of Christ the Physician to heal it. If a man looks on his lusts as good things, were it not for Hell, then he cares for a Christ no further ⟨p. 43⟩then as he delivers him from hell, let Christ but do that and he will thank him, he will trouble him no further; this is enough to serve his turn. The term properly from which the Soul is called, is sin; then sin in the nature of it must be discovered by this light, else the Soul will never turn from it: but if sin be really to the Soul evil, as well as hell, (though at present, in this first work, hell may most affect and trouble) then the heart is prepared to turn from it. But what doth make sin better appear in its nature, then the sight of God, against whom sin is? Now the Soul must have a plaster as broad as the sore, redemption from sin as well as from hell, still remembering, that this last is that which most wounds and sinks the Soul in its first awakening.