A03611:294
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.
The last reason is this, because by this means the heart comes to set a high price upon Christ and grace,1 either the grace of God offered in the gospel, or that good way which God hath commanded us to walk in. If the heart find the greatest ⟨p. 165⟩evil to be in horror and vexation, then ease and quietness from these will be the greatest good; but now the soul seeth grace to be truly precious; because it seeth sin to be truly vile: and this is the end why the Lord makes the soul see the vileness of sin; that the heart may be brought to see the excellency in Christ and prize him above all.
The last reason is this, because by this meanes the heart comes to set a high price upon Christ and grace,1 either the grace of God offered in the gospell, or that good way which God hath commanded us to walke in. If the heart finde the greatest ⟨p. 165⟩evill to be in horror and vexation, then ease and quietnesse from these will be the greatest good; but now the soule seeth grace to be truly precious; because it seeth sinne to be truly vile: and this is the end why the Lord makes the soule see the vilenesse of sinne; that the heart may be brought to see the excellency in Christ and prize him above all.
- 1Sorrow for sin makes us set a high price upon Christ.
Now there are two questions to be answered. 1First, whether this sound sorrow be a work of saving grace, and such a work as cannot be in a reprobate.