The Soul's Preparation for Christ

This is a bill of indictment against three sorts of people; it arraigns and condemns such, as never yet shared in this work of preparation, & of saving sorrow, and therefore were never in Christ: these swarm in our streets: And first it falls marvellous heavy upon such as take contentment in their base courses, those loose Epicures and boon gallants of our time, that go staggering in our streets, they are so far from grieving for their sins, that it is their greatest vexation that they cannot commit sin, and have elbow room to sin freely; O what a grief it is to them to have a minister check them, and that there is a law to punish them for sin; & whereas sin should be poison in their souls to wound them, it becomes as meat to nourish them, They sleep not except they have done mischief, (saith the Wise Man,) and their sleep is taken away unless they ⟨p. 191⟩cause some to fall;¹ they […] the bread of wickedness, and drink the Wine of violence. So far it is from being poison unto them▪ and so far are they from being troubled with sin, that it is their meat and pastime to sin; Just Esau▪ like: What did he?² When he had eat and drunk, he rose up to play, and this was all he looked after: When he had passed away his title to heaven, and happiness, and esteemed of Christ and heaven no more then of a mess of pottage; he ate and drank; his heart was never touched for what he had done, he did not smite upon his thigh, as Ephraim did, & say, What have I done? Have I sold away my birthright for nothing? You that know the world, you know there are many that sit upon the ale-bench, and swear, and drink, and rail against Gods servants, and are never troubled for it; Nay, the world is come to this pass, that it is their greatest vexation that they are hindered in their sinful courses.

This is a bill of inditement against three sorts of people; it arraignes and condemnes such, as never yet shared in this worke of preparation, & of saving sorrow, and therefore were never in Christ: these swarme in our streets: And first it fals marvelous heavy upō such as take contentment in their base courses, those loose Epicures and boone gallants of our time, that goe staggering in our streets, they are so farre from grieving for their sinnes, that it is their greatest vexation that they cannot commit sinne, and have elbow roome to sinne freely; O what a griefe it is to them to have a minister checke them, and that there is a law to punish them for sinne; & whereas finne should be poyson in their soules to woūd them, it becomes as meat to nourish them, They sleepe not except they have done mischiefe, (saith the Wiseman,) and their sleepe is taken away unlesse they