Labour to feel and mourn under thy whole corrupt principles,1 that have acted thee hitherto: For many men are sensible sometimes of some particular acts, and jarrings of their hearts and life with the rule; and then they seek forgiveness of, and grace against them, and then they hope all is well, then they do many things, and hear John gladly, and in plainness and integrity of their hearts think that all is well. But still they fall short of a Principle of life, because they never felt a whole corrupt Principle, and how in every thing it crosseth God, not only in the corrupt, but most glorious actions. For all men living naturally turn from being open, to secret enemies; and from being secret, to be subtle enemies, and to undermine the Lord in all they do. Now many see it but not the evil of it, nor mourn under it. Hence the Lord never sends another Spirit, because they have not the Spirit of heaviness for want of it. But when a man sees that in every thing he is carried and acted by a principle of bitterness against the Lord, and lives without the Spirit of the Lord to act him; the Lord is not far from that soul when he feels this, and mourns before the Lord, because of this, and the want of that, 1 Kings 8. 38. So Christ said, Because I said I go away, sorrow hath filled your hearts, John 16. 6, 7. This is the very reason why Saints have the Comforter, his absence fills their hearts with sorrow; because when he is gone, oh the straitness, vileness of a corrupt heart! you say it may be. If this be not a right Principle, what is? Answ. To undermine all false works; oh therefore, feel this plague! If ever God works this grace, feel you must the want of it, and if you do mourn then you are under it: And oh mourn, 1. By considering the evil of it, you can mourn after a dead father, and shall you not over a dead heart. 2. To think there should be so much Spirit in Christ, and not a drop for me. Is he so angry with me? See therefore I pray you that you are led by ill principles, or false principles. I pray, but self-love sets me a work; I profess, but praise of men acts me; I observe duties in secret, but natural Conscience only carries me. No surer sign of ruin then for the Lord to hide these things from you; nor of love then when he shows this, and gives you not only sense of some one act, but a spirit of heaviness under this.
Labour to feel and mourn under thy whole corrupt principles,1 that have acted thee hitherto: For many men are sensible sometimes of some particular acts, and jarrings of their hearts and life with the rule; and then they seek forgiveness of, and grace against them, and then they hope all is well, then they do many things, and hear Iohn gladly, and in plainness and integrity of their hearts think that all is well. But still they fall short of a Principle of life, because they never felt a whole corrupt Principle, and how in every thing it crosseth God, not only in the corrupt, but most glorious actions. For all men living naturally turn from being open, to secret enemies; and from being secret, to be subtil enemies, and to undermine the Lord in all they do. Now many see it but not the evil of it, nor mourn under it. Hence the Lord never sends another Spirit, because they have not the Spirit of heaviness for want of it. But when a man sees that in every thing he is carried and acted by a principle of bitterness against the Lord, and lives without the Spirit of the Lord to act him; the Lord is not far from that soul when he feels this, and mourns before the Lord, because of this, and the want of that, 1 Kings 8. 38. So Christ said, Because I said I go away, sorrow hath filled your hearts, John 16. 6, 7. This is the very reason why Saints have the Comforter, his absence fills their hearts with sorrow; because when he is gone, oh the straitness, vileness of a corrupt heart! you say it may be. If this be not a right Principle, what is? Answ. To undermine all false works; oh therefore, feel this plague! If ever God works this grace, feel you must the want of it, and if you do mourn then you are under it: And oh mourn, 1. By considering the evil of it, you can mourn after a dead father, and shall you not over a dead heart. 2. To think there should be so much Spirit in Christ, and not a drop for me. Is he so angry with me? See therefore I pray you that you are led by ill principles, or false principles. I pray, but self-love sets me a work; I profess, but praise of men acts me; I observe duties in secret, but natural Conscience only carries me. No surer sign of ruine then for the Lord to hide these things from you; nor of love then when he shews this, and gives you not only sense of some one act, but a spirit of heaviness under this.
- 1Means 1.
