A03609:182
The souls implantation into the natural olive. By T.HThe soules implantation into the naturall olive. By T.H
The souls implantation into the natural olive. By T.H.The soules implantation into the naturall olive. By T.H.
London: printed by R. Young and John Dawson, 1640
THE SOULS INGRAFTING INTO CHRIST.THE SOULES INGRAFTING INTO CHRIST.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Answ. It will be bitter and tedious at first, but it will quit all cost in the end, and it will never repent you then of all your tears that you have shed, nor of all the anguish of heart which you have had, when you shall have mercy and be for ever comforted thereby, and by this means have a way made to everlasting life. I would have the heart of a poor Christian do as Shechem saith the heart of Hamor did when he would marry Dinah Gen. 34.22.23. Come let us be circumcised as they are. Shall not their cattle, and their substance, and every beast of theirs be ours? Their herds are great and their wealth is mighty, and all this shall be ours. Thus he persuades the hearts of the people to yield to him in it only, but through the desire of their goods. Let me plead so with the soul of an humble sinner in this kind: thou must think of humiliation as the Shechemite did of circumcision; I must never see the face of drunkenness ⟨p. 132⟩more, I must bid adieu to all carnal profits and pleasures: Ah this goes to my heart, this pinches indeed, this strikes to the quick. They would be circumcised though it were painful: how much more mayest thou reason with thy own heart, and say, It is tedious and irksome, but it will be comfortable hereafter. Let us be circumcised and bid adieu to all our lusts, shall not all the substance of Christ Jesus be ours? Let us forsake the world to have Christ, and not only mercy shall be ours, but even every grace and comfort shall be ours, as the Apostle saith, The God of all comfort and consolation is ours. If thou wilt be humbled, and part with the world, and cut away every lust, and throw away all whatsoever, then all the pleasures of his right hand shall be ours: and all the happiness of heaven shall be ours; nay, all the fatness of the earth shall be ours: Suppose I must part with these,1 I shall have Christ for my riches; and if I part with friends, I shall have Christ to stand by me, and if I part with honour here, I shall have Christ to honour me; and if I part with joy here, I shall have those joys which are not conceived by the heart of man. You fathers speak of it to your children, and you husbands speak of it to your wives; let every soul be humbled, and take all mercy. Shall not all be ours? Fathers advise ⟨p. 133⟩