A03611:245
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.
So that the main point which fits our aim is this sound sorrow, piercing of the soul of those that are affected with it, they were not only pricked in their eyes to weep for their sins, ⟨p. 132⟩and to say they would do so no more: The adulterer is not only pricked in his eye, that he would see his adulterous quean, no he goeth further & sinketh into the very soul, and pierceth through the very heart; It is with sorrow that hath any substance in it, as it was with the repentance of Nineveh, not only the ordinary and refuse sort of people forsook their sins, but even the King himself came from his throne and sat in dust and ashes, yea, the Nobles & other subjects, and the very beasts of the field did •ast: So it is comparatively with this sorrow, it is not only for the tongue to talk of sins, and the eye to weep for his sins; but even the Queen of the soul, which is the will it self, puts on sack-cloth, and the heart and all the affections, as so many subjects follow after: It breaks out into the eye, and the frame of the heart shakes with it, and the knees knock together, and the hands grow feeble; it is not; O Lord be merciful unto us, and so be gone: But it must go to your hearts; and you may weep out your eyes, and cry your sins at the market cross, but have you put off the will and affection of sinning as well as the tongue of sinning? the nature of this sorrow is marvellous strange,1 consider it. David saith, Make me to bear of joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice: This sorrow that did seize upon David, was not slight, but it breaks all the bones which are the main pillars and props of nature, the burden was so heavy and so great, that it made all the burden that was in him to ⟨p. 135⟩shake.2 And in another Psalm. My moisture is turned into the drought of Summer: This sorrow went so deep into his soul, that it did not only take away his outward refreshing, but it took away all the moist humours, the inward juice, the very oil of life. It is admirable which the Prophet Hosea saith