I confess many other considerations of the evil of sin come now in, but this is the main channel where all the other rivulets empty themselves. And hence it is that the soul under this stroke is in a state of seeking only, yet finds nothing; it seeks God and Christ, and therefore feels a want, a loss of both by sin; for the end of all the fears, terrors, sorrows, &c. upon the elect, is to bring them back again to God, and into fellowship with God, the only blessedness of man. Now if the soul ordained and made for this end should not feel its present separation from God by sin, and the bitterness of the evil of it; it would never seek to return again to him as to his greatest good, nor desire ever to come into his bosom again; for look as sin wounds the soul, so the soul seeks for healing of it; if only the torment ⟨p. 93⟩of sin wound, ease of conscience from that anguish will heal it: So if separation from God wound the heart, only union and communion with God will heal it, and comfort it again. The Lord Christ therefore having laid his hand upon the soul to bring it back to himself first,1 and so to the Father, being designed to gather in all the out-casts of Israel,2 those he ever makes to feel themselves out-casts, as cast away out of Gods blessed sight and presence, that so they may desire at last to come home again: Reprobates not made for this end, have not this sense of sin, the means of their return. And hence it is that the souls of those God saves, are never quiet until they come to God, and communion with him; but they mourn for their distance from him, and the hiding of his face, until the Lord shine forth again: Whereas every one else though much troubled, yet sit down contented with any little odd thing that serves to quiet them for the time, before the Lord return to them, or they enter into their rest, in that ineffable communion with him.
I confesse many other considerations of the evill of sin come now in, but this is the maine channell where all the other rivelets empty themselves. And hence it is that the soule under this stroke is in a state of seeking onely, yet finds nothing; it seeks God and Christ, and therefore feeles a want, a losse of both by sinne; for the end of all the feares, terrours, sorrowes, &c. upon the elect, is to bring them back againe to God, and into fellowship with God, the onely blessednesse of man. Now if the soule ordained and made for this end should not feele its present separation from God by sinne, and the bitternes of the evil of it; it would never seek to return again to him as to his greatest good, nor desire ever to come into his bosome againe; for look as sinne wounds the soule, so the soule seeks for healing of it; if onely the torment ⟨p. 93⟩of sinne wound, ease of conscience from that anguish will heale it: So if separation from God wound the heart, onely union and communion with God will heale it, and comfort it againe. The Lord Christ therefore having laid his hand upon the soule to bring it back to himselfe first,1 and so to the Father, being designed to gather in all the out-casts of Israel,2 those he ever makes to feele themselves out-casts, as cast away out of Gods blessed sight and presence, that so they may desire at last to come home againe: Reprobates not made for this end, have not this sense of sin, the means of their return. And hence it is that the soules of those God saves, are never quiet untill they come to God, and communion with him; but they mourn for their distance from him, and the hiding of his face, untill the Lord shine forth againe: Whereas every one else though much troubled, yet sit down contented with any little odde thing that serves to quiet them for the time, before the Lord return to them, or they enter into their rest, in that ineffable communion with him.
- 1Heb 7.25.
- 2Isaiah 56.8.Esay 56.8.
