2. The second cause of the suspension of the favour of God it is this, spiritual security, and indulging and harbouring in the heart any known sin; there is nothing in the world that will so much hinder him of, and keep the soul from the assurance of the favour of God, as the harbouring in the soul any known sin; for all the while David did harbour in his heart, and indulge and hide his sin from God, he did lose the light of Gods countenance, and he lost the shining of Gods face upon his soul, insomuch that he prayeth to God to restore unto him the joy of his salvation. It is true, the salvation of David was not lost, but the joys of his salvation; the comforts and consolation that he formerly enjoyed, that was lost; and for this he begs of God for to restore unto him, Psal. 51. 12. restore unto me the joys of thy salvation. Although that sin cannot make a child 1of God to lose salvation it self, yet sin may cause God to suspend the comforts, and the wonted joys of his salvation. I may say concerning this case, as Philosophers say of Earth-quakes, When the wind is in the Air, spread abroad and diffused in the Air, then it doth not throw down either hill or mountain; but when the wind is gathered together, and lies in the caverns of the Earth, then it causeth Earth-quakes, and over-turns all that is about it; so while that sin is not kept close in the soul, and while it is not indulged there, and whiles it is not hid and concealed, but confessed and repented of, and prayed against, it doth not much hurt; but when that sin is indulged and kept close, and not repented of, nor prayed against, but indulged in the soul, this will make a heart-quake, and a conscience-quake, and will fill thy heart with horror and amazement: Psal. 32. 3. When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day. When a man doth conceal his sin, it 2troubles his soul, and woundeth his heart, and breaketh his peace: if you will break Gods Law, it is but just and righteous with God to break your peace. God will not encourage any of his people, by giving them peace, and comforts, ⟨p. 52⟩and mercies in any sinful course; and however, the Antinomians hold us in hand, and would make us believe that our comforts have no dependence on our sinful actions, whereas God teacheth us no such thing;
2. The second cause of the suspension of the favour of God it is this, spiritual security, and indulging and harboring in the heart any known sin; there is nothing in the world that will so much hinder him of, and keep the soul from the assurance of the favour of God, as the harbouring in the soul any known sin; for all the while David did harbour in his heart, and indulge and hide his sin from God, he did lose the light of Gods countenance, and he lost the shining of Gods face upon his soul, insomuch that he prayeth to God to restore unto him the joy of his salvation. It is true, the salvation of David was not lost, but the joyes of his salvation; the comforts and consolation that he formerly enjoyed, that was lost; and for this he begs of God for to restore unto him, Psal. 51. 12. restore unto me the joyes of thy salvation. Although that sin cannot make a child 1of God to lose salvation it self, yet sin may cause God to suspend the comforts, and the wonted joyes of his salvation. I may say concerning this case, as Philosophers say of Earth-quakes, When the wind is in the Air, spread abroad and diffused in the Air, then it doth not throw down either hill or mountain; but when the wind is gathered together, and lies in the caverns of the Earth, then it causeth Earth-quakes, and over-turns all that is about it; so while that sin is not kept close in the soul, and while it is not indulged there, and whiles it is not hid and concealed, but confessed and repented of, and prayed against, it doth not much hurt; but when that sin is indulged and kept close, and not repented of, nor prayed against, but indulged in the soul, this will make a heart-quake, and a conscience-quake, and will fill thy heart with horror and amazement: Psal. 32. 3. When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day. When a man doth conceal his sin, it 2troubles his soul, and woundeth his heart, and breaketh his peace: if you will break Gods Law, it is but just and righteous with God to break your peace. God will not encourage any of his people, by giving them peace, and comforts, ⟨p. 52⟩and mercies in any sinful course; and however, the Antinomians hold us in hand, and would make us believe that our comforts have no dependance on our sinful actions, whereas God teacheth us no such thing;
- 1Psal. 51. 12.
- 2Psal. 32. 3.
