A03611:181
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.
We will now proceed: When they heard this saith the text, the word in the original carieth a continual act, when they had heard, there was not an end, but the sting of the word did still stick in their hearts. When they walked on the way, that sounded in their ears, I have crucified the Lord of life; and when they lay down, that came into ⟨p. 81⟩their minds, I have shed the blood of the Lord; and when they arose, this was their first thought, I have consented thereunto and imbrued my hands therein, this stuck upon the spirits of them, and the sting of the truth would not away, but after they had heard it, it remained still in their hearts.
Wee will now proceed: When they heard this saith the text, the word in the originall caryeth a continual act, when they had heard, there was not an end, but the sting of the word did still stick in their hearts. When they walked on the way, that sounded in their eares, I have crucified the Lord of life; and when they lay downe, that came into ⟨p. 81⟩their mindes, I have shed the blood of the Lord; and when they arose, this was their first thought, I have consented thereunto and imbrewed my hands therein, this stucke upon the spirits of thē, and the sting of the truth would not away, but after they had heard it, it remained still in their hearts.
The doctrine is this,1 that serious meditation of our sins by the word of God is a special means to break our hearts for our sins. After they had heard, (this notes a continual action,) the truth of God still stuck in their stomachs, the arrows of God would not out, the Apostle shot some secret shot into their souls, which came home to their hearts and consciences, when they heard this: that is, the musing and meditating and pondering of this, when they could hold no longer, they could bear no more, but came to the Apostles and said, what shall we do? Sometimes God brings a man into the Church to carp at the minister, and to see what he may have against him; now if the Lord sting the conscience of that man, he will hear you all the week after, and say, me thinks I see the man still, he aimed at me, he intended me, and me thinks, I hear the word still sounding in mine ears; he is always meditating on the word in this kind.