A treatise tending unto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of…A treatise tending vnto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of…

How was Lidia dismayed and cast down in respect of her wickedness, like as David was or Job, whose heart God only is said to have opened to give attendance to the preaching of Paul and Silas, who also even presently after was ready to entertain them, and to make them a feast in her house, which she could not have done if she had been in the perplexities of Hezekiah or David. The same may be spoken of the Jailer, and of them which heard Peters Sermon at Jerusalem, who for all that they had murdered our Saviour Christ, yet in their conversion, their harts were only for the time pricked. ⟨p. 133⟩So then God in preparing us, which in truth are nothing but fleshly and stinking dung-hills of sin, nay very uncleanness & pollution it self, I say, in preparing us to be the temples of his holy spirit to dwell in, & the store-houses to horde up his heavenly graces in, doth otherwhiles use a mild and gentle remedy, & maketh the law to look upon us, though with no loving & gentle, yet with no fearful countenance, & otherwhiles in some he setteth a sharp edge upon the law, & maketh it to wound the hart very deep, and as a strong corrosive to torment them, & to fret & gnaw upon their consciences. And we see by experience that a botch or a bile in a mans body, is as well eased of the corruption that is in it by the pricking of the point of a small needle as by the lancing of a great razor. Wherefore if God by his spirit have wrought in you sorrow for sin in any small measure, though not in as great measure as you desire, you have no cause to complain: and in that you are grieved & sorrowful for your sins, it is a good token of the grace of God in you.

How was Lidia dismayed and cast downe in respect of hir wickednesse, like as Dauid was or Iob, whose heart God onelie is saide to haue opened to giue attendance to the preaching of Paul and Silas, who also euen presentlie after was readie to entertaine them, and to make them a feast in hir house, which she could not haue done if shee had beene in the perplexities of Ezechias or Dauid. The same may be spoken of the Iailer, and of them which hearde Peters Sermon at Ierusalem, who for all that they had murdred our Sauior Christ, yet in their conuersiō, their harts were onely for the time pricked. ⟨p. 133⟩So then God in preparing vs, which in truth are nothing but fleshly and stincking doung-hils of sinne, nay verie vncleannesse & pollution it selfe, I saie, in preparing vs to be the tēples of his holy spirit to dwell in, & the store-houses to horde vp his heauenlie graces in, doth otherwhilesvse a milde and gentle remedie, & maketh the law to looke vpon vs, though with no louing & gentle, yet with no feareful countenance, & otherwhiles in some he setteth a sharp edge vpon the law, & maketh it to wound the hart very deepe, and as a strong corasiue to torment them, & to frette & gnawe vpon their consciences. And we see by experience that a botch or a bile in a mans bodie, is as wel eased of the corruptiō that is in it by the pricking of the point of a small needle as by the launcing of a great raser. Wherfore if God by his spirit haue wrought in you sorrowe for sinne in anie small measure, though not in as great measure as you desire, you haue no cause to complaine: and in that you are greeued & sorrowfull for your sinnes, it is a good token of the grace of God in you.