A03611:399
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.
I confess, it is true, that sometimes the soul in some desperate fit, and in some horror of heart, when temptation grows violent & long, and the distempers of a mans heart stir exceedingly, then a man may seem to cast of all, and resolve with David when he had been long pursued by Saul, I shall one day fall by the hand of Saul; So the soul saith, God will one day leave me, ⟨p. 206⟩and I shall perish; And as David saith in another place,1 All men are liars, that is, they said I shall be King of Israel, but they are all deceived; They all liars; but it was in his haste, in a proud, impatient, haughty humour of soul.
I confesse, it is true, that sometimes the soule in some desperate fit, and in some horrour of heart, when temptation growes violent & long, and the distempers of a mans heart stir exceedingly, then a man may seeme to cast of all, and resolve with Dauid when he had beene long persued by Saul, I shall one day fall by the hand of Saul; So the soule sayth, God will one day leaue me, ⟨p. 206⟩and I shall perish; And as Dauid sayth in another place,1 All men are lyers, that is, they sayd I shall be King of Israel, but they are all deceived; They all lyers; but it was in his haste, in a proud, impatient, haughty humour of soule.
This is our nature, if God buckle not to our bow, and hear us not even when we will; then (in a proud humour) we are apt to say, oh my sins will never be pardoned, and I shall never get ground against my corruptions; a man that is in a swoon, lies as if he were dead, but yet he comes to himself again, and looks up and speaks; So how ever the soul in some unruly humour is driven to a swoon, and thinks it impossible to find mercy, or overcome his corruption? yet still he recovers again, and the soul that is truly broken for sin,