A03617:197
The unbelievers preparing for Christ. By T.HThe vnbeleevers preparing for Christ. By T.H
The unbelievers preparing for Christ. By T.H.The vnbeleevers preparing for Christ. By T.H.
London: printed by Tho Cotes for Andrew Crooke, 1638
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
For the application of the merits and obedience of Christ Jesus to the soul of a poor sinner, and for the enjoying of the same, there are two things mainly observable; First, the soul must be prepared for the Lord Jesus; and secondly, it must be ingrafted, and implanted into Christ Jesus, before it can be made partaker of the saving grace and salvation in Christ contained, and from Christ communicated to those ⟨image 109⟩[…] ⟨p. 1⟩[…] ⟨p. 2⟩that love and fear his name. Now concerning this great work of preparation, wherein is the […] of a Christian, for if the heart be but prepared, the Lord will then suddenly come into his Temple (as the Prophet Malachi speaks.) Now this preparation consists of two parts: First, the dispensation of Gods gracious work upon the soul of a poor sinner. Secondly, the frame and disposition that God works upon the soul, in converting it to himself. Upon these two hangs the main work of preparation: and herein lieth the great drift of a Christian; for the mercy of God is very free, but we cannot make men fit to receive this mercy. And therefore in preparation hereunto, we must apprehend two things: somewhat must prepare; secondly, somewhat must be prepared: he that doth prepare, is the Lord; he that doth receive the work, and is prepared, is the souls of those whom God hath elected to salvation: So that as I said before, something on Gods part must be observed, something on mans part must be considered: on Gods part the dispensation of his work, and on mans part the disposition that is wrought in the soul. I come •o the first thing, which is the main thing to be […] out of the Text, namely, the manner […] God worketh upon the soul when he prepares […] himself; and this discovereth it self in two particulars: we will handle them both together. […], God doth pluck a poor sinner from his corruptions and darling sins, to which he was glued and fastened: and secondly, as he draweth the soul from ⟨p. 3⟩sin, so he draweth it to himself to believe in him, and to receive mercy from him. First God plucks the soul from sin: secondly he draws it to the Lord Jesus.