Chapter 4: The Sea Purges Its Filth — Graceless Souls Retain Their Sin

Seas purge themselves, and cast their filth ashore But Graceless Souls retain, and suck in more.

OBSERVATION.

Seas are in a continual motion and agitation; they have their Flux and Reflux, by which they are kept from putrefaction: like a Fountain it cleanses it self, Isai. 57. 20. It cannot rest, but cast up mire and dirt; whereas Lakes and ponds, whose Waters are standing, and dead, corrupt and stink. And it is observed by Seamen hat in the Southern parts of the World, where the Sea in more calm and setled, it is more corrupt and unfit for use; so is the Sea of Sodom called, The Dead Sea,

APPLICATION.

Thus do regnerate Souls purify themselves, and work out corruption that defiles them, they cannot suffer it to settle there, 1 Job 3. 3. He purifies himself, even as he is pure. Keeps himself, that the wicked one toucheth him not, 1 John 5. 18. scil. Tacta qualitativo, with a Qualitative Touch, as the Load-stone toucheth Iron, leaving an Impression of its Nature behind it. They are Doves delighting in cleanness, Isai. 33. 15. He dispiseth the gain of opression, he shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, stoppeth his ears from hearing blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil. See how all Senses and Members are guarded against sin: But it is quite contrary with the wicked; there no principle of Holiness in them, to oppose or expel corruption. It lies in their hearts as Mud in a Lake or Well, which settles and corrupts more and more. Hence Ezec. 47. 11. their Hearts are compared to myrie or marish places, which cannot be healed, but are given to Salt: The meaning is, that the purest streams of the Gospel. which cleanse others, make them worse than before, as abundance of Rain will a myrie place. The reason is, because it meets with an obstacle in their souls; so that it cannot run through them and be glorisied, as it does in gracious Souls. All the means and endeavours used to cleanse them, are in vain; all the grace of God they receive in vain: They hold fast deceit, they refuse to let it go, Jeremiah 8:5. Sin is not in them as floating Weeds upon the Sea, which it strives to expel and purge out, but as Spots in the Leopard's Skin, Ier. 13. 21. or Letters fashioned and engraven in the very substance of Marble or Brass, with a pen of Iron, and point of a Diamond, Ier. 17. 1, Or as Ivy in an old Wall, that has gotten rooting into its very intrails. Vvickedness is sweet in their mouths, they roul it under their tongues, Job 20. 12. No threats nor promises can divorcethem from it.

REFLECTION.

Lord! this is the very frame of my heart, may the graceless Soul say: My corruptions quietly settle in me, my heart labors not against it: I am a stranger to that conflict which is daily maintained in all the Faculties of the regenerate Soul. Glorified Souls have no such conflict, because Grace in them stands alone, and is perfectly triumphant over all its opposites; and graceless Souls can have no such conflict, because in them corruption stands alone, and has no other principle to make opposition to it. And this is my case, O Lord: I am full of vain hopes indeed, but had I a living and wellgrounded hope to dwell for ever with so holy a God, I could not but be daily purifying my self. But O! what will the end of this be? I have cause to tremble at that last and dreadfullest Curse in the Book of God, Revelation 22:11. Let him that is filthy be filthy still. Is it not as much as if God should say, Let them alone, I will spend no more rods upon them, no more means shall be used about them; but I will reckon with them for all together in another World; O my Soul! what a dismal reckoning will that be! Ponder with your self in the mean while, those terrible and awaking Texts, that if possible, this fatal issue may be prevented. See Isai. 1. 5. Hosea 4:14. Jeremiah 6:29, 30, Hebrews 6:8.

THE POEM.

My Heart's no Fountain, but a standing Lake

Of putrid Waters; if therin I rake,

By serious search, O! what a noysome smell,

Like Exhalations rising out of Hell;

The stinking Waters pump'd up from the Hole,

Are as perfumes to Sea-men: but my Soul

Vpon the same account that they are glad,

(Its long continuance there) is therefore sad.

The Scripture says, No Soul God's face shall see

Till from such filthy Lusts it cleansed be.

Yet though unclean, it may that way be rid,

As Hercules the Augean Stable did.

Lord turn into my Soul that cleansing Bloud,

Which from my Saviour's side flow'd us a Flood.

Flow, sacred, brim my Banks; and flow

Till you have made my Soul as white as Snow.