The Soul's Preparation for Christ

If thou dost say, if it were an honour to pray in my family, & if Gentlemen and Knights did it, I would do it. I tell thee if holiness doth seem to fly away by disgrace & persecution, then you must pursue it; Nay, dost thou say it is thy nature to sin? Then I say the greater is thy wickedness, if it be thy nature so to do: We hate not a man because he drinks poison, but we hate a •oad because it is of a poisonous nature, therefore rather mourn the more for thy sins, because it is thy cursed nature so to do, And say, Lord, did only temptations, or the world, allure me to this, there were some hope that thou wouldest have mercy upon me, but O Lord I have a cursed nature, and though there were no Devils, nor world, no temptations outwardly, yet this cursed nature of mine would sin against thee.

If thou dost say, if it were an honour to pray in my family, & if Gentlemen and Knights did it, I would doe it. I tell thee if holines doth seeme to fly away by disgrace & persecution, thē you must pursue it; Nay, dost thou say it is thy nature to sinne? Then I say the greater is thy wickednesse, if it be thy nature so to doe: We hate not a man because he drinkes poyson, but we hate a •oad because it is of a poysonus nature, therfore rather mourne the more for thy sinnes, because it is thy cursed nature so to doe, And say, Lord, did only temptations, or the world, allure me to this, there were some hope that thou wouldest have mercy upon me, but O Lord I have a cursed nature, and though there were no Devills, nor world, no temptations outwardly, yet this cursed nature of mine would sinne against thee.

They that have received Christ, have a new nature: and therefore if I have a carnal corrupt nature, then my condition is most fearful; And say, did temptations & the world allure me, then there were some hope of mercy, but it is my nature to sin, and therefore my estate and condition is most miserable & wretched; Oh wretched man that I am, ¹