I confess many other Considerations of the Evil of sin now come 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 of sin wound, ease of Conscience from that Anguish will heal it: so if separation from God wounds 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, and so to the Father, being designed to gather in all the Outcasts of Israel, those he ever makes to feel themselves Out-casts, as cast ⟨p. 70⟩away out of God's 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 have 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 tho' much troubled, yet sits 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 confess many other Considerations of the Evil of sin now come 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 of sin wound, ease of Conscience from that Anguish will heal it: so if separation from God wounds 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, and so to the Father, being designed to gather in all the Outcasts of Israel, those he ever makes to feel themselves Out-casts, as cast ⟨p. 70⟩away out of God's 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 untill they come to God, and have 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 tho' much troubled, yet sits 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.
