It is often a canard thrown at our Puritan and Reformer fathers in the Christian faith that they encouraged morbid introspection, and this influenced many to indulge in despair. Ergo, in my estimation, the same might encourage folks simply not to think upon their sins, or spend much time in self-examination. I, for one, deny the sweeping generalization against the Puritans and Reformers with regard to such a rumor (although, I acknowledge man’s imperfection, and there very well could be instances of such amongst any), and would point to such pastoral writers as Richard Sibbes, Samuel Rutherford, Andrew Gray (and so on, and so forth) as examples of men who understood well the heart of man and God’s revelation of Himself in Scripture.
One the one hand, we certainly do not want men to indulge themselves in despair, for that is contrary to what the Scriptures teach; however, we equally would not advocate that men fail deeply and meditatively to think upon their sins in relief against the prsitine law of God and be -as Isaiah says- undone. This breaking, if you will, is *in order to* finding the relief that God alone -Who is Lord of the conscience- is able to give to the sinner who has come to the end of his own filthy-ragged righteousness, has cast aside all hope in the arm of the flesh, and has no other hope than the mercy of God in Jesus Christ and His perfect obedience. Here are some quotations from the reformer John Calvin giving great Pastoral direction on the proper use we are to make of despairing thoughts when they arise (Commentary, Lamentations 3):
One the one hand, we certainly do not want men to indulge themselves in despair, for that is contrary to what the Scriptures teach; however, we equally would not advocate that men fail deeply and meditatively to think upon their sins in relief against the prsitine law of God and be -as Isaiah says- undone. This breaking, if you will, is *in order to* finding the relief that God alone -Who is Lord of the conscience- is able to give to the sinner who has come to the end of his own filthy-ragged righteousness, has cast aside all hope in the arm of the flesh, and has no other hope than the mercy of God in Jesus Christ and His perfect obedience. Here are some quotations from the reformer John Calvin giving great Pastoral direction on the proper use we are to make of despairing thoughts when they arise (Commentary, Lamentations 3):
[We ought] not despond when bitterness and gall lay hold on our minds; for since the same thing happened to the best servants of God, let us bear in mind our own infirmity, and at the same time flee to God. The unbelieving nourish their bitterness, for they do not unburden their souls into the bosom of God. But the best way of comfort is, when we do not flatter ourselves in our bitterness and grief, but seek the purifying of our souls, and in a manner lay them open, so that whatever bitter thing may be there, God may take it away and so feed us, as it is said elsewhere, with the sweetness of his goodness.
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All who devour their own sorrows, and do not look to God, kindle more and more the hidden fire, which at length suddenly turns to fury. Hence it comes that they clamour against God, as though they were doubly insane. But he who is conscious of his own infirmity, and directs his prayer to God, will at length find a ground of hope.
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[W]e ought to take heed lest we grow torpid in our evils; for hence it happens that our minds become wholly overwhelmed. Whosoever then would profit by his evils, should consider what the Prophet says here came to his mind: for he at length came to himself, and surmounted all obstacles. We see then that God brings light out of darkness, when he restores his faithful people from despair to a good hope; yea, he makes infirmity itself to be the cause of hope. For whence is it that the unbelieving cast away hope? even because security draws them away from God; but a sense of our own infirmity draws us even close to him; thus hope, contrary to nature, and through the incomprehensible and wonderful kindness of God, arises from despair.
