A03611:373
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.
There is a third sort of sorrowers which is the worst of all, they are such as heretofore have drunk deep of this sorrow, and have been extraordinarily strucken and yet they are grown so much the more hardened in their sins by all these blows that God hath laid upon them; these are in a desperate condition, even such as God hath made howl in the congregation, yet afterwards fall into the same courses again, and return to their old bias, and now they can outface God and his ministers and all; and think it a matter of baseness to be disquieted in heart, as they have been: such novices and children they were once, that they could not sleep nor be quieted, but now they care not what all the ministers under heaven say against them; nay, they can fleer in our faces, and be drunk and vile, & be never troubled for it, they have gotten the skill of it, This is the most fearful condition that almost a poor creature can fall into.
There is a third sort of sorrowers which is the worst of all, they are such as heretofore have drunke deepe of this sorrow, and have beene extraordinarily strucken and yet they are grown so much the more hardened in their sinnes by all these blowes that God hath layed upon them; these are in a desperate condition, even such as God hath made howle in the congregation, yet afterwards fall into the same courses againe, and returne to their old byas, and now they can outface God and his ministers and all; and thinke it a matter of basenesse to be disquieted in heart, as they have beene: such novices and children they were once, that they could not sleepe nor be quieted, but now they care not what all the ministers under heaven say against them; nay, they can fleare in our faces, and be drunke and vile, & be never troubled for it, they have gottē the skill of it, This is the most fearfull condition that almost a poore creature can fall into.
Thou accountest it thy glory and credit that thou canst bear all, and art metal of proof, and no bullets can pierce thee, thou wast troubled before, but now thou hast shaken it off; This ⟨p. 196⟩