The writings of John Greenleaf Whittier, Volume 6.
John Greenleaf Whittier, Ed.

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[26] the House of the Interpreter, shut out from the promises, and looking forward to certain judgment. ‘Methought,’ he says, ‘the very sun that shineth in heaven did grudge to give me light.’ And still the dreadful words, ‘He found no place for repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears,’ sounded in the depths of his soul. They were, he says, like fetters of brass to his legs, and their continual clanking followed him for months. Regarding himself elected and predestined for damnation, he thought that all things worked for his damage and eternal overthrow, while all things wrought for the best and to do good to the elect and called of God unto salvation. God and all His universe had, he thought, conspired against him; the green earth, the bright waters, the sky itself, were written over with His irrevocable curse.

Well was it said by Bunyan's contemporary, the excellent Cudworth, in his eloquent sermon before the Long Parliament, that ‘We are nowhere commanded to pry into the secrets of God, but the wholesome advice given us is this: “To make our calling and election sure.” We have no warrant from Scripture to peep into the hidden rolls of eternity, to spell out our names among the stars.’ ‘Must we say that God sometimes, to exercise His uncontrollable dominion, delights rather in plunging wretched souls down into infernal night and everlasting darkness? What, then, shall we make the God of the whole world? Nothing but a cruel and dreadful Erinnys, with curled fiery snakes about His head, and firebrands in His hand; thus governing the world! Surely, this will make us ’