What was the cause of all this, that they were thus unrepentant, and that generally * no man said,'
' What have I done ?'
They did not say in their hearts and tongues, ' What have I done ?' They were inconsiderate, they did not examine, and search, and try their ways. Here we see,
First, That a man can return upon Jdmself ; he can search and try his own ways, and cite, and arrest, and arraign himself, ' What have I done ?' This is a prerogative that God hath given to the understanding creature. The reasonable soul, it can reflect upon itself, which is an act of judgment. The brute creatures look forward to present objects ; they are carried to present things, and cannot reflect. But man hath judgment to know what he hath done and spoken, to sit upon his own doings, to judge of his own actions. God hath erected a tribunal in every man ; he hath set up conscience for a register, and witness, and judge, &c. There are all the parts of judicial proceeding in the soul of man. This shews the dignity of man ; and considering that God hath set up a throne and seat of judgment in the heart, we should labour to exercise this judgment.
Secondly, God having given man this excellent prerogative to cite himself and to judge his own courses, tchen man doth not this, it is the cause of all mischief, of cdl sin and jniserij. Alas ! the vile heart of man is prone to think, it may be God hath decreed my damnation, and he might make me better if he would. But why dost thou speak thus ? 0 wicked man, the fault is in thj'self, because thou dost not what thou mightst do. Hath not God set up a judgment-seat in thy heart, to deliberate of thine own courses, whether thou dost well or ill ? And thy own conscience, if thou be not an atheist and besotted, tells thee thou dost ill, and accuseth thee for it. An ordinary swearer, that by atheistical acquaintance and poisonful breeding is accustomed to that sin, if he did consider. What good shall I get by this ? by provoking God, who hath threatened that I shall not go guiltless, and
216 god's inquisition.
that ' I shall give an account for every idle word,' much more of every idle oath ? the consideration of this would make him judge and condemn himself, and repent and amend his ways.
Tliirdhj. The exercising of this judgment, it makea a man's life lightsome. He knows who he is and whither he goes. It makes him able to answer for what he doth at the judgment-seat of God. It makes him do what he doth in confidence, it perfects the soul every way.
FourthJij, Again, Whatsoever we do without this consideration, it is not put upon our account for comfort. When we do things upon judgment, it is with examination whether it be according to the rule or no. Our service of God is especially in our affections, when we joy, and fear, and delight aright. Now how can a man do this without consideration ? For the affections, wheresoever they are ordinate and good, they are raised up by judgment. They are never good but when they are regular and according to judgment. When judgment raiscth up the affections, and wo see cause why we should delight in God, and love him and fear him more than any- thing in the world, they are then an effectual part of divine worship ; but else they are flat, and dead, and dull, if we waken them not with considera- tion. The heart follows the judgment. The brain and the heart sympathise, when we see cause and reason to love, and fear, and worship God. Wo must ' love God with all our mind,' that is, with our best understanding. W^e must see reason why we do so.
Therefore let us labour to use our understanding more this way. Is our understanding and judgment given us to plot for the world, to be judicious for the things of this life only ? No ; but to be wise for the main end, to glorify God, to save our souls, to get out of the corruption of nature, to maintain our communion with God every day mure and more. The end of our living in the world is to begin heaven upon earth ; so to live here as that we may live for ever in heaven. Whatsoever is done in order to this end is good ; but nothing can be done to this end but upon due con- sideration. Let us improve our judgments for that end. They are princi- pally given us, not for particular ends, to get this or that man's fiivour, to get wealth, &c., but to use all as they may serve the main. We know not how short a time we shall ergoy these things ; and further than they serve for the main, we shall have no comfort of them ere long. Our projects should be to gain glory to God, and to bring ourselves and others to heaven. There is excellent use of this consideration. This way it is one main wa}* to repentance. We see here, ' No man repenteth,' because ' no man said, What have I done ? '