The Soul's Preparation for Christ

First, judge the Lyon by the paw, judge the torments of hell by some little beginnings of it; and the dregs of Gods vengeance, by some little sips of it; And judge how unable thou art to bear the whole by thy inability to bear a little of it in this life. In the terror of conscience (as the Wise Man saith) a wounded spirit who can bear? When God lays the flashes of hell fire upon thy soul, thou canst not endure it; what soever a man can inflict upon a poor wretch may be borne, but when the Almighty comes in battle array against a poor soul, how can he undergo it? witness the Saints that have felt it, as also witness the wicked themselves that have had some beginnings of hell in their consciences. When the Lord hath let in a little horror of heart into the soul of a poor sinful creature, how is he transported with an insupportable burden? When it is day, he wisheth it were night, and when it is night, he wisheth it were day. All the friends in the world cannot comfort him, nay many have sought to hang themselves, to do any thing rather then to suffer a little vengeance of the Almighty: And one man is roaring and yelling, as if he were now in hell already, and admits of no comfort▪ If the drops be so heavy, what will the whole sea of Gods vengeance be? If he cannot bear the one, how can he bear the other?

First, judge the Lyon by the pawe, judge the torments of hell by some little beginnings of it; and the dregges of Gods vengeance, by some little sipps of it; And judge how unable thou art to beare the whole by thy inabilitie to beare a little of it in this life. In the terrour of conscience (as the Wiseman saith) a wounded spirit who can beare? When God layes the flashes of hell fire upon thy soule, thou canst not indure it; what soever a man can inflict upon a poore wretch may be borne, but when the Almighty comes in battaile array against a poore soule, how can he undergoe it? witnesse the Saints that have felt it, as also wittnesse the wicked themselves that have had some beginnings of hell in their consciences. When the Lord hath let in a little horror of heart into the soule of a poore sinfull creature, how is he trāsported with an insupportable burthen? When it is day, he wisheth it were night, and when it is night, he wisheth it were day. All the friends in the world cannot comfort him, nay many have sought to hang themselves, to doe any thing rather then to suffer a little vengeance of the Almighty: And one man is roaring and yelling, as if he were now in hell already, and admits of no comfort▪ If the droppes be so heavy, what will the whole sea of Gods vengeance be? If he cannot beare the one, how can he beare the other?