A03611:232
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.
First, that you may see an absolute necessity of Christ, and that thou mayest use all means to seek unto him, and never be quiet whilst thou findest him; Nay, while thou dost use the means but only upon the Lord Jesus; pray, and rest not in prayer, but in a Saviour that is obtained by prayer, hear, but rest not in hearing, but convey to thy self what is revealed in hearing, receive the Sacraments, but rest not in them, but therein seek a Saviour which is there signed: this is the very stint and pitch of meditation: thus far see and affect and draw your hearts to the consideration of your sins, that the soul may be forced to go to Christ, and use all means to find him, pray for a Christ, hear for a Christ, use all means, and see a need of a Christ, to bless thee in all thy services, and see a need of a Christ to pardon thy sins, and then you take a right course; And thus much for the second passage; now we see how to follow meditation home, that the soul may be affected therewith, and holden thereto.
First, that you may see an absolute necessity of Christ, and that thou maist use all meanes to seeke unto him, and never be quiet whilst thou findest him; Nay, while thou dost use the meanes but only upon the Lord Jesus; pray, and rest not in prayer, but in a Saviour that is obtained by prayer, heare, but rest not in hearing, but convay to thy selfe what is revealed in hearing, receive the Sacraments, but rest not in them, but therein seeke a Saviour which is there signed: this is the very stint and pitch of meditation: thus farre see and affect and drawe your hearts to the consideration of your sinnes, that the soule may be forced to goe to Christ, and use all meanes to find him, pray for a Christ, heare for a Christ, use all meanes, and see a need of a Christ, to blesse thee in all thy services, and see a need of a Christ to pardon thy sinnes, and then you take a right course; And thus much for the second passage; now we see how to follow meditation home, that the soule may be affected therewith, and holden thereto.
Ay, but you will say, our thoughts are dull, and our meditation frail, and our wants heavy, and little good we get by this meditation, we fall to sin again; how shall we come to get the life of meditation, that it may be to us as it ought to be?