N04855:606
Some select cases resolved. Specially, tending to the right ordering of the heart, that…
Some select cases resolved. Specially, tending to the right ordering of the heart, that we may comfortably walk with God in our general and particular callings: &c. In a letter to a pious friend in England. / By Thomas Shepard, M.A. Formerly of Emmanuel-College in Cambridge in England: afterward Minister of Cambridge in New-England. ; Corrected by four several editions.
Boston: printed by Rogers and Fowle, 1747
MEDITATIONS AND Spiritual Experiences OF Mr. THOMAS SHEPARD.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
April 30. I questioned, whether any Sin was a greater Evil than Unbelief? And I saw that Union to Christ was my greatest Good: Hence Unbelief is a greater Sin than any other Sin. And here I saw God's rich Grace that had not only made my Disunion from Christ by Unbelief a Misery, but also the greatest Sin, as being cross to his Command: And hereby ⟨p. 20⟩my Heart was affected. And I saw that whatever my Sin was, yet now there was no Sin like Disunion from Christ by Unbelief; and that I ought not to commit the greatest Sin in departing from Christ, because of less Sins against the Law. For it was an unspeakable Mercy to make my Union to Christ the greatest Good, my greatest Good. 1. Because I can never in this Life perfectly obey and cleave to the Will of Christ.
2. Because if that be Blessedness, then once blessed, always blessed: So once united ever united. So I saw the Gospel, in commanding me to believe, did command me to partake of the greatest Blessedness; and who would not be glad of that? Adam's Happiness was, to do God's Will; but ours to cleave to God in Christ.
May 5. I saw I was without all Sense, as well as Sight of God, estranged from the Life of God: For I saw I respected Man more than God, to please him rather than God. And why so? Because I was sensible of the Presence of Man. So if I had committed any Sin against Man, I should be ashamed; but I blush not before God. I was not sensible of his Glory, Majesty, Beauty and Love. And hence I had no Sense of Sin, because I had no Sense of God. —And hence with Sadness I saw my Widow-like Separation and Disunion from my Husband and my God, and that we two were now parted, who had been nearer together once. And I saw, (though not deeply) what my Iniquities are, to prefer the Creature above the Creator blessed for ever? And as the Life is, the Sense is.