18 FORGIVENESS OF SIN. joy in the God of my salvation." Habak. 3: 17, 18. And this is that sense of love which the choicest believers may lose on account of sin. This is one step into their depths. They do not retain such gospel-apprehension of it, as to give them rest, peace, or consolation; to influence their souls with delight in duty, or to support in trials. 2. Perplexed thoughtfulness about their great un- kindnesstowards God, is another part ofthe depths of sin- entangled souls. So David complains, "I remembered God, and was troubled." Psalm 77: 3. How came the remembrance of God to be a matter of trouble to him 1 In other places he professes that it was all his relief and support : how comes it to be an occasion of his trouble 1 All hadnot beenwell between God and him; and where- as formerly, in his remembrance of God, his thoughts were chiefly exercised about his love and kindness, now they were wholly engrossed with his own sin and unkindness : this causes his trouble. Herein lies a share of the entanglements occasioned by sin. Saith such a soul in itself: "Foolish creature ! hast thou thus requit- ed the Lord 1 Is this the return that thou hast made to him for all his love, his kindness, his consolations and mercies 1 Is this thy love to him 1 Is this thy kindness to thy friend ? Is this thy boasting of him, that thou hadst found so much goodness and excellency in him and his love, that though all men should forsake him, thou never wouldst do so 1 Are all thy promises, all thy engagements, which thou madest unto God in times of distress, upon prevailing obligations, and mighty im- pressions of his good Spirit upon thy soul, now come to this, that thou shouldst so foolishly forget, neglect, despise, cast him off? Well! now he is gone, he has withdrawn from thee, and what wilt thou do? Art thou not even ashamed to desire him to return1" Thoughts of this nature cut Peter to the heart, upon his fall. The
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