Now therefore the Lord sends in this work of contrition, and pierceth the heart through, and lets in the horror of his vengeance, and makes the soul see that if he will have his sin, he must have his damnation too: and by this time the soul comes to see need of a change: and he seeth if he continue thus, he is an undone man, and shall be damned for ever. Thus the Lord plucks away the soul from that security wherein naturally it is settled. §2The second thing which keeps him off from Christ, is carnal confidence: for when the sinner seeth his misery by reason of his sin that lodgeth in his heart, and that hath been committed by him, then he begins to seek succour, and to scramble for his own comfort. Well, he seeth that sin is dangerous, and he will mend now, and reform all that God condemns him in, and he thinks out of his own power to save his own soul, and to give God content, and to make amends for all that he hath done amiss. This is his carnal confidence which he hath in his own self-sufficiency: and here many ⟨p. 97⟩thousands of souls perish, resting merely in the husk and shell of their prayers and hearing, which in themselves are good and commendable, but they are no Mediators or Saviours to us. Therefore, that the Lord may pluck the soul from this carnal confidence, he sends out another great work of humiliation, and makes the soul see the weakness, and emptiness of its duties, and that there is enough in its best services to condemn him, and for which the Lords wrath may confound him for ever. And now the soul seeth that notwithstanding all his prayers and hearings, yet his sin remains, yea remains unpardoned, his corruptions are not subdued, his conscience not quieted: and therefore despairing of all help in himself, or in the creature, he falls down at the foot of the Lord, and is content to be at Gods dispose: and when the soul is thus fitted, then it is prepared to go out of it self, and to lay hold upon the Lord Jesus Christ, and upon the fountain of all that good that works all good in him. This humiliation works, and this is the fitting of the soul for Christ.
Now therefore the Lord sends in this worke of contrition, and pierceth the heart thorow, and lets in the horrour of his vengeance, and makes the soule see that if he will have his sin, he must have his damnation too: and by this time the soule comes to see need of a change: and hee seeth if he continue thus, he is an undone man, and shall be damned for ever. Thus the Lord pluckes away the soule from that securitie wherein naturally it is setled. §2The second thing which keeps him off from Christ, is carnall confidence: for when the sinner seeth his misery by reason of his sin that lodgeth in his heart, and that hath been committed by him, then he begins to seeke succour, and to scramble for his owne comfort. Well, he seeth that sin is dangerous, and he will mend now, and reforme all that God condemnes him in, and he thinkes ovt of his owne power to save his owne soule, and to give God content, and to make amends for all that he hath done amisse. This is his carnall confidence which he hath in his owne selfe-sufficiency: and here many ⟨p. 97⟩thousands of soules perish, resting meerly in the huske and shell of their prayers and hearing, which in themselves are good and commendable, but they are no Mediatours or Saviours to us. Therefore, that the Lord may plucke the soule from this carnall confidence, he sends out another great worke of humiliation, and makes the soule see the weaknesse, and emptinesse of its duties, and that there is enough in its best services to condemne him, and for which the Lords wrath may confound him for ever. And now the soule seeth that notwithstanding all his prayers and hearings, yet his sin remaines, yea remaines unpardoned, his corruptions are not subdued, his conscience not quieted: and therefore despairing of all help in himselfe, or in the creature, he falls down at the foot of the Lord, and is content to be at Gods dispose: and when the soule is thus fitted, then it is prepared to goe out of it selfe, and to lay hold upon the Lord Iesus Christ, and upon the fountain of all that good that works all good in him. This humiliation works, and this is the fitting of the soule for Christ.
