The Soul's Preparation for Christ

And in another place Job saith, Thou wilt break a dry leaf tossed too and fro: And yet the Lord brake him: Now the soul seeth all the evil, and the Lord pursueth him and sets conscience awork to the full. Consider that of the Apostle, That all those might be damned which believed not ⟨p. 145⟩the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness: Even all of them. What, shall no great ones be saved? No, nor you little ones neither; all that lay not hold upon Christ, but have pleasure in unrighteousness, not only great ones, and such as are abominably profane, but even all that had pleasure in wickedness. Now conscience saith, Doest not thou know that thou art one of them that have had pleasure in unrighteousness, therefore away thou must go, and thou shalt be damned: Now the soul shakes, and is driven beyond it self, and would utterly faint, but that the Lord upholds it with one hand, as he beats it down with the other; he thinks that every thing is against him, and the fire burns to consume him, and he thinks the air will poison him, conscience flies in his face, and he thinks hell mouth is open to receive him, and the wrath of God hangs over his head, and if God should take away his life he should tumble head-long down to hell.

And in another place Iob saith, Thou wilt breake a dry leafe tossed too and fro: And yet the Lord brake him: Now the soule seeth all the evill, and the Lord pursueth him and sets conscience aworke to the full. Consider that of the Apostle, That all those might be damned which beleeved not ⟨p. 145⟩the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse: Even all of them. What, shall no great ones be saved? No, nor you little ones neither; all that lay not hold upon Christ, but have pleasure in unrighteousnesse, not only great ones, and such as are abominably prophane, but even all that had pleasure in wickednesse. Now conscience saith, Doest not thou know that thou art one of them that have had pleasure in unrighteousnesse, therefore away thou must goe, and thou shalt be damned: Now the soule shakes, and is driven beyond it selfe, and would utterly faint, but that the Lord upholds it with one hand, as he beates it downe with the other; he thinkes that every thing is against him, and the fire burnes to consume him, and he thinkes the ayre will poyson him, conscience flies in his face, and he thinkes hell mouth is open to receive him, and the wrath of God hangs over his head, and if God should take away his life he should tumble head-long downe to hell.