S. It is lyractical. It is not seated only in the speculative part of the mind, hovering in general notions, but it dwells in the practi- cal understanding, which effectually influenceth the will and affec- tions,— such an apprehension as from which sorrow and humiliation are inseparable. The acts of the practical understanding do so neces- sarily produce together with them suitable acts of the will and affec- tions, that some have concluded that those are indeed proper acts of the will which are usually ascribed to the understanding. It is so in the mind as that the whole soul is cast into the mould and likeness of it; humiliation, sorrow, self-abhorrency, do live and die with it.
4. (1.) It hath, in the first place, respect unto the law of God. There can be no due consideration of sin wherein the law hath not its place. The law calls for the sinner, and he willinglj'^ gives up his sin to be judged by it. There he sees it to be " exceeding sin- ful," Rom. vii, 13. Though a believer be less under the power of the law than others, yet he knows more of the authority and nature of it than others ; he sees more of its spirituality and holiness. And the more a man sees of the excellency of the law, the more he sees of the vileness of sin. This is done by a soul in its first endeavour of a recovery from the entanglements of sin. He labours thoroughly to know his disease, that he may be cured. It Avill do him no good, he knows, to be ignorant of his distemper or his danger. He knows that if his wounds be not searched to the bottom, they will stink and be corrupt. To the law, then, he brings himself and his sin. By that he sees the vileness of the one and the danger of the other. Most men lie still in their depths, because they would willingly escape the first step of their rising. From the bottom of their misery, they would fain at once be at the top of then- felicity. The soul managed in this work by the Holy Ghost doth not so. He converseth with the law, brings his sin unto it, and fully hears the sentence of it. When the sin is thoroughly condemned, then he farther takes care of the sinner. As ever you desire to come to rest, avoid not this en- trance of your passion unto it. Weigh it well, and attend unto what the law speaks of your sin and its desert, or you will never make a due application to God for forgiveness. As ever you would have your souls justified by grace, take care to have your sins judged by the law.
Ver.3.] EVANGELICAL CONVICTIONS OF SIN. 871
(2.) There is a respect in it to the love of God; and tliis breaks the heart of the poor returning sinner. Sorrow from the law shuts itself up in the soul, and strangieth it. Sorrow from the thoughts of the love of God opens it, and causeth it to flow forth. Thoughts of shining against the love of God, managed by the Holy Ghost ; — what shall I say? their effects in the heart are not to be expressed. This made Ezra cry out, " 0 my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up ray face to thee," chap. ix. 6; and verse 10, " What shall we say after this?" After what? Why, all the fruits of love and kindness they had been made partakers of. Thoughts of love and sin laid together make the soul blush, mourn, be ashamed, and confounded in itself. So Ezek. xxxvi. 31, "Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good." When shall they do so? W^hen thoughts and apprehensions of love shall be brought home to them ; and, saith he, " Then shall ye lothe yourselves in your o^vn sight," The soul now calls to mind what love, what kindness, and what mercy, what grace, what patience hath been exercised towards it, and whereof it hath been made partaker. The thoughts of all these now come in upon him as streams of water. Such mercy, such com- munion, such privileges, such hopes of glory, such tastes of heaven, such peace, such consolation, such joy, such communications of the Spirit, — all to a poor, wretched, cursed, lost, forlorn sinner; and all this despised, neglected ! the God of them all provoked, forsaken ! " Ah," saith the soul, "whither shall I cause my sorrow to go?" This fills him with shame and confusion of face, makes him mourn in secret, and sigh to the breaking of the loins. And then, —
(3.) The blood and cross of Christ is also brought to remem- brance by the Holy Ghost. "Ah," saith the soul, "have I thus requited the wonderful, astonishing love of my Redeemer? Is this the return, the requital, I have made unto him? Are not heaven and earth astonished at the despising of that love, at which they are astonish- ed?" This brake Peter's heart upon the look of Christ. Such words as these from Christ will, in this condition, sound in the ears of the soul : " Did I love thee, and leave my glory to become a scorn and reproach for thy sake ? Did I think my life, and all that was dear unto me, too good for thee, to save thee from the -s^Tath to come? Have I been a wilderness unto thee, or a land of darkness? What could I have done more for thee? When I had nothing left but my life, blood, and soul, they went all for thee, that thou mightst live by my death, be washed in my blood, and be saved through my soul's being made an offering for thee ! And hast thou thus requited my love, to prefer a lust before me, or by mere sloth and folly to be turned away from me? Go, unkind and unthankful soul, and see if thou canst find another Redeemer." This overwhelms the soul, and