A03611:141
The Soul's Preparation for Christ
The souls preparation for Christ. Or, A treatise of contrition Wherein is discovered how God breaks the heart and wounds the soul, in the conversion of a sinner to Himself.The soules preparation for Christ. Or, A treatise of contrition Wherein is discovered how God breaks the heart and wounds the soule, in the conversion of a sinner to Himselfe.
London: printed by M. Flesher for Robert Dawlman, 1632London: printed by M. Flesher for Robert Davvlman, 1632
THE SOULS PREPARATION FOR CHRIST.THE SOVLES PREPARATION FOR 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.
Conceive thus much, if all the diseases in the world did seize on one man, and if all the torments that all the tyrants in the world could devise, were cast upon him; and if all the creatures in heaven and earth did conspire the destruction of this man; and if all the devils in hell did labour to inflict punishments upon him; you would think this man to be in a miserable condition. And yet all this is but a beam of Gods indignation. If the beams of Gods wrath be not hot, what is the full sun of his wrath, when it shall seize upon the soul of a sinful creature in full measure?
Conceive thus much, if all the diseases in the world did sease on one man, and if all the torments that all the tyrants in the world could devise, were cast upon him; and if all the creatures in heaven and earth did conspire the destruction of this man; and if all the devils in hell did labour to inflict punishments upon him; you would thinke this man to be in a miserable condition. And yet all this is but a beame of Gods indigna•tion. If the beames of Gods wrath be not hot, what is the full sunne of his wrath, when it shall sease upon the soule of a sinfull creature in full measure?
The third consideration is this. Nay, yet if thou thinkest to lift up thy self above all creatures and to bear more then they all; then set before thine eyes the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ, he that creates the heavens and upholds the whole frame thereof, when the wrath of God came upon him, only as a surety; he cries out with his eyes full of tears, and his heart full of sorrow, ⟨p. 57⟩and the heavens full of lamentations,1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Oh thou poor creature, if thou hast the heart of a man, gird up the loins of thy mind, and see what thou canst do? Doest thou think to bear that which the Lord Jesus Christ could not bear with so much sorrow? Yet he did endure it without any sin or weakness; he had three sips of the Cup, and every one of them did sink his soul; and art thou, a poor sinful wretch, able to bear the wrath of God for ever? Now (beloved) seeing all objections are answered, and the things made plain, labour to do that which you may have comfort in; Submit your selves to the good word of the Lord, and not only be willing and content to be thus enlightened, but labour for it, that thou mayest prevent the Judgements deserved by the same.