JOwen
Puritan Board Junior
(Thomas Brooks, "The Unsearchable Riches of Christ" vol. 3. p.192)
I confess, the least sin should humble the soul, but certainly the greatest sin should never discourage the soul, much less should it work the soul to despair. Despairing Judas perished, but the the murderers of Christ (Acts 2), believing on Christ, were saved. Despair is a sin exceeding vile and contemptible; it is a word of eternal reproach, dishonor, and confusion; it declares the devil a conqueror; and what greater dishonor can be done to Christ, than for a soul to proclaim before all the world the devil a crowned conqueror? A despairing soul is a terror to himself; his heart a hell of horror; his conscience an aceldama, a field of black blood. He hath no rest at home nor abroad, at bed nor board, but is as if infernal devils followed him in fearful shapes, terrifying and tormenting his perplexed soul.
Take heed of taking encouragement to sin upon this account, that Christ is rich in grace and mercy. Christ is a lion as well as a lamb; he hath a sword as well as a scepter. To argue from the riches of mercy to sinful liberty is the devil's logic. A soul that thus reasons is a soul left of God, a soul that is upon the last step of the ladder, a soul that Satan hath by the hand ; and the eternal God knows whither he will lead him.
"My sin is greater than can be forgiven," saith Cain. "Thou liest, Cain", saith Augustine; "for God's mercy is greater than the sins of all men, and it is a great injury to God to distrust of his mercy."
I confess, the least sin should humble the soul, but certainly the greatest sin should never discourage the soul, much less should it work the soul to despair. Despairing Judas perished, but the the murderers of Christ (Acts 2), believing on Christ, were saved. Despair is a sin exceeding vile and contemptible; it is a word of eternal reproach, dishonor, and confusion; it declares the devil a conqueror; and what greater dishonor can be done to Christ, than for a soul to proclaim before all the world the devil a crowned conqueror? A despairing soul is a terror to himself; his heart a hell of horror; his conscience an aceldama, a field of black blood. He hath no rest at home nor abroad, at bed nor board, but is as if infernal devils followed him in fearful shapes, terrifying and tormenting his perplexed soul.
Take heed of taking encouragement to sin upon this account, that Christ is rich in grace and mercy. Christ is a lion as well as a lamb; he hath a sword as well as a scepter. To argue from the riches of mercy to sinful liberty is the devil's logic. A soul that thus reasons is a soul left of God, a soul that is upon the last step of the ladder, a soul that Satan hath by the hand ; and the eternal God knows whither he will lead him.
"My sin is greater than can be forgiven," saith Cain. "Thou liest, Cain", saith Augustine; "for God's mercy is greater than the sins of all men, and it is a great injury to God to distrust of his mercy."
