Thirdly, No burden of sin lies upon any of God's elect so long as on the damned, who do, and must bear it : our troubles about sin are but short, though they should run parallel with the line of life ; but the troubles of the damned are parallel with the endless line of eternity.
Fourthly, Under these troubles, the soul hath hope, but there, all hope is cut off: all the gospel is full of hope, it breathes nothing but hope to sinners that are moving Christ- ward under their trou- bles ; but in hell the pangs of desperation rend their consciences for ever. So that, upon all accounts, the state of the damned is inexpressibly dreadful.
Inf. 5. If the burden of sin be so heavy, how sweet then must the pardon of sin be to a sin-bur de?ied soul ! Is it a refreshment to a pri- soner to have his chains knocked off? A comfort to a debtor to have his debts paid, and obligations cancelled ? What joy must it then be to a sin-burthened soul, to hear the voice of pardon and peace in his trembling conscience ! Is the light of the morning pleasant to a man after a weary, tiresome night ? the spring of the year pleasant after a hard and tedious winter ? They are so indeed ; but nothing so sweet as the favour, peace, and pardon of God, to a soul that hath been long restless, and anxious, under the terrors and fears of conscience. For, though after pardon and peace a man remem- bers sin still, yet it is as one that remembers the dangerous pits, and deep waters, from which he hath been wonderfully delivered, and had a narrow escape. O the inconceivable sweetness of a par- don ! Who can read it without tears of joy ? Are we glad when the grinding pain of the stone, or racking fits of the cholic are over ? And shall we not be transported, when the accusations and
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condemnations of conscience are over ? Tongue cannot express what these tilings are ; his joy is something that no words can convey to the understanding of another, that never felt the anguish of sin.
Inf. 6. Lastly, In how sad a case are those that never felt any bur- den in sin, thai never were kept waking and restless one night for sin?
There is a burdened conscience, and there is a benumbed conscience. The first is more painful, but the last more dangerous. O it is a fearful blow of God upon a man's soul, to strike it senseless and stupid, so that though mountains of guilt lie upon it, it feels no pain or pressure : and this is so much more sad, because it incapa- citates the soul for Christ, and is a presage and fore-runner of hell. It would grieve the heart of a man, to see a delirious person in the rage and height of a fever, to laugh at those that are weep- ing for him, call them fools, and telling them he is as well as any of them: much so is the case of many thousand souls; the God of mercy pity them.
Second use for counsel. The only further use I shall make of this point here, shall be to direct and counsel souls that are weary and heavy laden with the burden of sin, in order to their obtaining true rest and peace. And first,
First counsel. Satisfy not yourselves in fruitless complaints to men. Many do so, but they are never the nearer. I grant it is lawful in spiritual distresses to complain to men, yea, and it is a great mercy if we have any near us in times of trouble that are judicious, tender and faithful, into whose bosoms we may pour out our troubles ; but to rest in this, short of Christ, is no better than a snare of the devil to destroy us. Is there not a god to go to in trouble ? The best of men, in the neglect of Christ, are but physicians of no value. Be wise and wary in your choice of Christian friends, to whom you open your complaints ; some are not clear themselves in the doctrine of Christ and faith, others are of a dark and troubled spirit, as you are, and will but entangle you more. " As for me (saith Job) is " my complaint to man, and if it were so, why should not my " spirit be troubled ?" Job xxi. 4. One hour betwixt Christ and thy soul in secret, will do more to thy true relief than all other counsellors and comforters in the world can do. Second counsel. Beware of a false peace, which is more dangerous than your trouble for sin can be. Many men are afraid of their troubles, but I think they have more cause to fear their peace a great deal. There is a twofold peace that ruins most men, peace in sin, and peace with sin : O how glad are some persons when their troubles are gone ;
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but I dare not rejoice with them. It is like him that rejoices his ague is gone, that it hath left him in a deep consumption. You are got rid of your troubles, but God knows how you have left them ; your wounds are skinned over, better they were kept open. Surely they have much to answer for, that help on these delusions, healing the hurt of souls slightly, by crying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace. The false peace you beget in them, will be a real trouble to yourselves in the issue, Jer. vi. 14.
Third counsel. Let all that are under inward troubles for sin, tale heed of' draw- ing desperate conclusions against tltcmsclves, and the jinal state of their own souls. Though your case be sad, it is not desperate ; though the night be troublesome and tedious, keep on in the way to Christ, and light will spring up. To mourn for sin is your duty ; to conclude there is no hope for you in Christ, is your sin. You have wronged God enough already, do not add a further and greater abuse to all the rest, by an absolute despair of mercy. It was your sin formerly to presume beyond any promise, it is your sin now to despair against many commands. I would say as the apostle in another case, I would not have you mourn as men that have no hope : your condition is sad as it is, but yet it is much better than once it was. You were once full of sin and void of sense, now you have the sense of sin, which is no small mercy. You were once quite out of the way and method of mercy, now you are in that very path wherein mercy meets the elect of God. Keep hope, therefore, at the bottom of all your troubles.
Observe whether your troubles fir sin produce such fruits and effects in your soids as theirs do, which end at last in Christ and everktstmg peace.
First, One that is truly burdened with sin, will not allow himself to live in the secret practice of sin ; either your trouble will put an end to your course of sinning, or your sinning will put an end to your troubles. Consult 2 Cor. vii. 11.
Secondly, True sorrow for sin, will give you very low and vile thoughts of yourselves ; as you were covered with pride before, so you will be covered with shame after God hath convinced and hum- bled you, Rom. vi. 21.
Thirdly, A soul really burdened with sin will never stand in his own justification before God, nor extenuate and mince it in his con- fessions to him, Psal. li. 3, 4.