A03611:378
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.
This is the reason why all wicked men that were in some good way of preparation of soul, they turn their backs upon Christ; even because they were never cut off kindly from their sins, but only unjointed, and that is the reason why they fall to their old corruptions again. This is the main cause of all the hypocrisy under heaven: there was never any soul that made profession, ⟨p. 198⟩and falls again, but the ground of it is here.
This is the reason why all wicked men that were in some good way of preparation of soule, they turne their backs upon Christ; even because they were never cut off kindly from their sinnes, but only unjointed, and that is the reason why they fall to their old corruptions againe. This is the maine cause of all the hypocrisie under heaven: there was never any soule that made profession, ⟨p. 198⟩and fals againe, but the ground of it is here.
1The third use is for exhortation: If every sorrow will not do it, and if slight sorrow will not do it, what then remains to be done, then if ever thou wouldest be comforted, and receive mercy from the great God, labour to take the right way, and never be quieted, till you do bring your hearts to a right pitch of sorrow; let it never be said of as it was of you them in Hosea, They have not cried unto me with their hearts, when they how led upon their beds, 2they assembled themselves for corn & wine, but they rebel against me. Thou hast a little slight sorrow, but oh labour to have thy heart truly touched, that at last it may break in regard of thy many distempers; the longer seed time, the greater harvest; and so howsoever this sorrow is troublesome now, it will be very comfortable in the end; and though it be tedious to lay all these cursed abominations upon thy heart; yet it will not be harsh when the Lord remembers you in his Kingdom; it will never repent you that you have had your hearts humbled and broken, when the Lord comes to heal you; and it will never repent you that you have wept, when the Lord comes to wipe away all tears from your eyes. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted,