The Soul's Preparation for Christ

Now in the third place, if the Lord purpose to do good to the soul, he will not suffer him to be quiet here, but he openeth the eye of the soul further; and makes him sorrow, not because it is a great and shameful sin, but the Lord saith to the soul, even the least sin makes a separation between me and thee; and the heart begins to reason thus, Lord is this true? is this the smart of sin? and is this the vile nature of sin? O Lord! how odious are these abominations that cause this evil, and though they had not caused this evil, yet this is worse then the evil, that they make a separation between God and my soul. Good Lord, why was I borne? and why came I into this world? why did God continue me here, and all the means of grace for my good, and all the comforts of this life, whereby my course might be maintained and made less tedious? what if I did want this horror of heart, and had all the ease in the world? and what if I might be free from all misery on earth? what were this, so long as I had sin in my soul, that makes a separation between God & my soul? I was made to be one with God, & to have communion wth God, & to obey his commandments, but I have departed from God by sin & departed from his commandments.

Now in the third place, if the Lord purpose to doe good to the soule, he will not suffer him to be quiet here, but he openeth the eye of the soule further; and makes him sorrow, not because it is a great and shamefull sinne, but the Lord saith to the soule, even the least sinne makes a separation betweene me and thee; and the heart begins to reason thus, Lord is this true? is this the smart of sinne? and is this the vile nature of sinne? O Lord! how odious are these abominations that cause this evill, and though they had not caused this evill, yet this is worse then the evill, that they make a separation betweene God and my soule. Good Lord, why was I borne? and why came I into this world? why did God continue me here, and all the meanes of grace for my good, and all the comforts of this life, wherby my course might be maintained and made lesse tedious? what if I did want this horrour of heart, and had all the ease in the world? and what if I might be free from all misery on earth? what were this, so long as I had sin in my soule, that makes a separation betweene God & my soule? I was made to be one with God, & to have cōmunion wth God, & to obey his cōmandements, but I have departed from God by sin & departed from his cōmandements.