The Soul's Preparation for Christ

It may be thou sayest, Object. if any exhortation would have wrought upon me, then my heart might have been brought to a better pass; but can this stubborn heart of mine be made to yield? And can these strong corruptions of mine be subdued?

It may be thou sayest, Object. if any exhortatiō would have wrought upon me, then my heart might have beene brought to a better passe; but can this stubborne heart of mine be made to yeild? And can these strong corruptions of mine be subdued?

Howsoever thou canst not do it, Answ. yet God can quicken thee, and although thou art a damned man, yet he is a merciful God, this all-sufficiency of God is a hook, whereon our souls hang; when the Apostles had prayed that the minds of the Ephesians might be opened, and that they might be able to know the love of Christ; because some one might say, how shall we know that which is above knowledge, the text saith, Now to him that is able to do abundantly above all that we can think or ask, ¹according to his mighty power that worketh in us, to him be glory: As though he had said, though you cannot think or ask as you should, yet God is able to do exceeding abundantly more then we can think or ask, so then no more but this, we are not able of our selves to think a good thought, yet there is sufficient power in God, and though we are dead hearted and damned wretches, yet there is sufficient salvation in God. Let us hang the handle of hope on this hook.

Howsoever thou canst not doe it, Answ. yet God can quicken thee, and although thou art a damned man, yet he is a mercifull God, this all-sufficiencie of God is a hooke, whereon our soules hang; when the Apostles had prayed that the minds of the Ephesians might be opened, and that they might be able to know the love of Christ; because some one might say, how shall we know that which is above knowledge, the text saith, Now to him that is able to doe abūdantly above all that we can thinke or aske,