Ver.1/2.] AGGRAVATIONS OF SINS. 345
into depths, and made tliem ciy out for deliverance. Let us con- sider some of them : —
1. Miscarriages under signal enjoyments of love and kindness from God are of this sort. When God hath given unto any one ex- pressive manifestations of his love, convinced him of it, made him say in the inmost parts of his heart, " This is undeserved love and kindness;" — then for him to be negligent in his walking with God, it cariieth an unkindness with it that shall not be forgotten. It is a remark upon the miscarriages of Solomon, that he fell into them after God had "appeared unto him twice." And all sins under or after especial mercies will meet, at one time or other, especial rebukes. Nothing doth more distress the conscience of a sinner than the re- membrance, in darkness, of abused light; in desertions, of neglected love. This God will make them sensible of " Though I have re- deemed them," saith God, " yet they have spoken lies against me," Hos. vii. 13: so chap. xiii. 4-7. When God hath in his providence dealt graciously with a person, — it may be delivered him from straits and troubles, set him in a large place, prevented him with many fruits and effects of his goodness, blessed him in his person, relations, and employments, dealt well with his soul, in giving him a gracious sense of his love in Chi'ist ; — for such a one to fall under sinful miscarriages, it goes to the heart of God, and shall not be passed over. Under- valuations of love are great provocations. " Hath Nabal thus re- quited my kindness?" saith David. " I cannot bear it." And the clearer the convictions of any in this kind were, the more severe will their reflections be upon themselves.
2. Sins under or after great afflictions are of this importance also. God doth not afflict willingly, or chasten us merely for his pleasure ; he doth it to make us partakers of his holiness. To take so little notice of his hand herein, as under it or after it not to watch against the workings and surprisals of sin, it hath unkindness in it : " I smote him," saith God, " and he went on frowardly in the way of his own heart." These provocations of his sons and daughters he cannot bear with. Hath God brought thee into the furnace, so that thou hast melted under his hand, and in pity and compassion hath given thee enlargement? — if thou hast soon forgotten his dealings with thee, is it any wonder if he mind thee again by troubles in thy soul ?
3. Breaking off from under strong convictions and daiunings of love before conversion, are oftentimes remembered upon the con- science afterward. When the Lord by his Spirit shall mightily con- vince the heart of sin, and make withal some discoveries of his love and the excellencies of Christ unto it, so that it begins to yield and be overpowered, being almost persuaded to be a Christian ; — if, then,
346 AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM CXXX. [Ver.1,2.
through the strength of lust or unbehef, it goes back to the world or self-righteousness, its folly hath unkindness with it that sometimes shall not be passed by. God can, and often doth, put forth the greatness of his power for the recovery of such a soul; but yet he will deal with him about this contempt of his love and the excellency of his Son, in the dawnings of them revealed unto him.
4. Sudden forgetfulness of endearing manifestations of special love. This God cautions his people against, as knowing their prone- ness thereunto : Ps. Ixxxv. 8, " God the Loed will speak peace to his people, and to his saints; but let them not turn again to folly." Let them take heed of their aptness to forget endearing manifestations of special love. When God at any time draws nigh to a soul by his Spirit, in his word, with gracious words of peace and love, giving a sense of his kindness upon the heart by the Holy Ghost, so that it is filled with joy unspeakable and glorious thereon; — for this soul, upon a temptation, a diversion, or by mere carelessness and neglect, which oftentimes falls out, to suffer this sense of love to be as it were ob- literated, and so to lose that influencing efficacy unto obedience which it is accompanied withal, this also is full of unkindness. An account hereof we have. Cant. v. 1-6. In the first verse the Lord Jesus draws nigh, with full provision of gospel mercies for his beloved : " I am come unto thee," saith he, " O my sister. I have brought myrrh and spice, honey and wine, with me : whatever is spiritually sweet and delightful, — mercy, grace, peace, consolation, joy, assurance, — they are all here in readiness for thee." Verse 2. The spouse, in her drowsy indisposition, takes little notice of this gracious visit; she is diverted by other matters, and knows not how to attend fully and wholly to the blessed communion offered unto her, but excuseth herself as otherwise engaged. But what is the issue? Christ with- draws, leaves her in the dark, in the midst of many disconsolations, and long it is before she obtain any recovery.