While then your own hearts tell you, you delight not in God, Do not your Consciences begin to accuse and judg you, that you deal not righteously in this matter? And ought it not to fill your Souls with horror, when you consider, you take no delight in the best and sovereign Good? Yea, when you look into your disaffected hearts and find, that you not only do not delight in God, but you cannot; ⟨p. 247⟩and not for the want of the natural power, but a right inclination? Should you not with astonishment bethink your selves, every one for himself, what is this that's befallen me; I am convinced, this is the best Good, every way most worthy of my highest delight and love, and yet my heart savours it not! You can have no pretence to say, That because your heart is disinclined, therefore you are excused, for you only do not what through an invincible disinclination you apprehend you cannot do. But you should bethink your self, What a wretch am I, that am so ill-inclined? For is not any one more wicked according as he is more strongly inclined to wickedness and averse to what is good? But how vincible or invincible your disinclination is, you do not yet know, not having yet made due trial. That you cannot of your selves overcome, it is out of question: But have you tried what help might be got from Heaven, in the use of Gods own prescribed means? If that course bring you in no help, then may you understand how much you have provoked the Lord. For though he have promised, that for such as turn at his reproof, he will pour out his Spirit to them; 1yet they who when he calls refuse, and when he stretches out his hand regard not, but set at naught all his counsel, &c. may call and not be answered, may seek him early and not find him. And that wickedness may somewhat be estimated by this effect, that thus it makes the Spirit of Grace retire, that free, benign, merciful Spirit, the Author ⟨p. 248⟩of all love, sweetness and goodness, become to a forlorn soul a resolved stranger. If you are so given up, you have first given up your selves; You have wilfully cast him out of your thoughts, and hardened your own hearts against him, who was the Spring of your Life and Being, and in whom is all your Hope:
While then your own hearts tell you, you delight not in God, Do not your Consciences begin to accuse and judg you, that you deal not righteously in this matter? And ought it not to fill your Souls with horror, when you consider, you take no delight in the best and sovereign Good? Yea, when you look into your disaffected hearts and find, that you not only do not delight in God, but you cannot; ⟨p. 247⟩and not for the want of the natural power, but a right inclination? Should you not with astonishment bethink your selves, every one for himself, what is this that's befal'n me; I am convinced, this is the best Good, every way most worthy of my highest delight and love, and yet my heart savours it not! You can have no pretence to say, That because your heart is disinclin'd, therefore you are excused, for you only do not what through an invincible disinclination you apprehend you cannot do. But you should bethink your self, What a wretch am I, that am so ill-inclin'd? For is not any one more wicked according as he is more strongly inclin'd to wickedness and averse to what is good? But how vincible or invincible your disinclination is, you do not yet know, not having yet made due trial. That you cannot of your selves overcome, it is out of question: But have you tried what help might be got from Heaven, in the use of Gods own prescribed means? If that course bring you in no help, then may you understand how much you have provoked the Lord. For though he have promised, that for such as turn at his reproof, he will pour out his Spirit to them; 1yet they who when he calls refuse, and when he stretches out his hand regard not, but set at naught all his counsel, &c. may call and not be answered, may seek him early and not find him. And that wickedness may somewhat be estimated by this effect, that thus it makes the Spirit of Grace retire, that free, benign, merciful Spirit, the Author ⟨p. 248⟩of all love, sweetness and goodness, become to a forlorn soul a resolved stranger. If you are so given up, you have first given up your selves; You have wilfully cast him out of your thoughts, and hardened your own hearts against him, who was the Spring of your Life and Being, and in whom is all your Hope:
- 1Prov. 1.
