The Soul's Preparation for Christ

It was the guise of the old world: Haman went home sick, because he wanted the Cap and knee from Mordecai: Amnon was sick of incest, and Ahab was sick of covetousness, and Ahitophel was sick because his counsel was not followed; The Lord of heaven knows, the adulterer is sick because he cannot get the heart and company of his quean; many a man is sick of envy, it is rottenness to his bones; yea many a man goeth up and down sick of it, and is not quiet, because he cannot vent his rage against a faithful minister that checks him: You swearers ⟨p. 192⟩doth not your hearts rise against the King & state, for making a law against that sin: Do you not hate the constable and witness that come in against you, you account these the greatest plague to you in all the world; I appeal to the hearts of you all, that hear me this day; can you say you are troubled for sin, and yet grieve, because you cannot commit sin still: Woe woe to your souls that thus delight in sin. There are many that despite the spirit of grace and stick not to say, I did swear such a man out of the house, and I did drink such a man under the table dead: Read that place of the Apostle & there you shall see your doom,¹ and if there be any such in your families, or amongst your neighbours, throw this in their faces, and if they will go down to hell, let them go with pain, that all they might be damned (saith the text,) which believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. God is not partial, but saith, that all they might be damned: it would almost shake a mans heart to think of it.

It was the guise of the old world: Haman went home sicke, because he wanted the Cap and knee from Mordecay: Amnon was sicke of incest, and Ahab was sicke of covetousnesse, and Ahitophel was sicke because his counsell was not followed; The Lord of heaven knowes, the adulterer is sick because he cannot get the heart and company of his queane; many a man is sicke of envy, it is rottennesse to his bones; yea many a man goeth up and downe sicke of it, and is not quiet, because he cannot vent his rage against a faithfull minister that checkes him: You swearers ⟨p. 192⟩doth not your hearts rise against the King & state, for making a law against that sinne: Doe you not hate the constable and witnesse that come in against you, you account these the greatest plague to you in all the world; I appeale to the hearts of you all, that heare me this day; can you say you are troubled for sin, and yet grieve, because you cannot commit sinne still: Woe woe to your soules that thus delight in sinne. There are many that despight the spirit of grace and sticke not to say, I did sweare such a man out of the house, and I did drinke such a man under the table dead: Read that place of the Apostle & there you shall see your doome,