The Soul's Preparation for Christ

A contrite heart is that which is powdered all to dust,¹ as the Prophet saith, Thou bringest us to dust, and then thou sayest, return again ye sons of men. So the heart must be broken all in pieces, to powder, and the union of sin must be broken, and it must be content to be weaned from all sin; as you may make any thing of the hardest flint that is broken all to dust, So it is with the heart that is thus fitted and fashioned; If there be any corruption that the heart lingers after, it will hinder the work of preparation: If a man cut off all from a branch, save one sliver; that will make it grow still that it cannot be ingrafted into another stock; So though a mans corrupt heart depart from many sins & scandalous abominations: yet if he keep the love of any one sin, it will be his destruction: as many a man after horror of heart hath had a love after some base lust or other and is held by it so fast, that he can never be ingrafted into the Lord Jesus. This one lust may break his neck and send him down to hell. So then, if the soul only can be fitted for Christ by •ound sorrow, then this must needs pierce the heart before Christ can come there, but the heart cannot be fitted for Christ without this, and therefore of necessity, the heart must be truly wounded with sorrow for sin.

A contrite heart is that which is powdered all to dust,¹ as the Prophet saith, Thou bringest us to dust, and then thou sayest, returne againe yee sonnes of men. So the heart must be broken all in pieces, to pouder, and the union of sinne must be broken, and it must be content to be weaned from all sinne; as you may make any thing of the hardest flint that is broken all to dust, So it is with the heart that is thus fitted and fashioned; If there be any corruption that the heart lingers after, it will hinder the worke of preparation: If a man cut off all from a branch, save one sliver; that will make it grow still that it cannot be ingrafted into another stocke; So though a mans corrupt heart depart from many sinnes & scandalous abominations: yet if he keepe the love of any one sinne, it will be his destruction: as many a man after horror of heart hath had a love after some base lust or other and is held by it so fast, that he can never be ingrafted into the Lord Jesus. This one lust may breake his necke and send him downe to hell. So then, if the soule onely can be fitted for Christ by ound sorrow, then this must needs pierce the heart before Christ can come there, but the heart cannot be fitted for Christ without this, and therefore of necessity, the heart must be truly wounded with sorrow for sinne.