that if I must needs be cast away, they shall tear, and rent me from the tender bowels of Gods dearest compassions, upon which I have cast my self: If they will have me to hell, they shall pull and hale me from the bleeding wounds of my blessed Redeemer, to which my soul is fled. Whereupon I found, and felt (and I bless God infinitely, and will through all eternity, that ever it was so,) conveyed, and derived upon me from my blessed Jesus, the wellspring of immortality and life, a quickening influence of his mighty Spirit, and heavenly vigour of saving grace, whereby I became a new man, quite changed, new created. By this vital moving, and incubation, as it were, of the Spirit of Christ upon the face of my soul, all things became new: mine heart, affections, thoughts, words, actions, delights, desires, sorrows, society, &c. Old things passed away, behold, all things become new. 1And I am sure my change is sound, and saving; for it is not 1. A mere moral change from notoriousness, to civility, and no further. 2. Nor a formal change only, which adds to moral honesty, outward profession, and outside conformity to the ordinances, holy exercises, most duties of Religion; & no more. 3. Nor merely mental. I mean it thus: (for2 I know, true repentance is called change of mind, in another sense.) When the understanding only is enlightened with divine knowledge, gilded over, as it were, with the dazzling splendour of general graces, not without some speculative flashes of fleeting joy, swimming in the brain indeed, but not rooted in the heart. 4. Not temporary only, ⟨p. 311⟩such as that, Matth. 12. 43. 2. Pet. 2. 20, 22. when a man discontinues, and surceases from the outward practise, perhaps of all gross sins for a time: out of terror; sudden fright from some Son of thunder; or upon trial, whether by his own strength, he be able to endure, and digest a divorce from his darling pleasure; and the holy ways of those who walk towards heaven, without too much discontentment; (for without too sore a crush to his carnal heart, he could be content to look after a crown of life, and I wite him not.) Or for some other by-end.
that if I must needs be cast away, they shall teare, and rent me from the tender bowels of Gods dearest compassions, vpon which I haue cast my selfe: If they will haue me to hell, they shall pull and hale me from the bleeding wounds of my blessed Redeemer, to which my soule is fled. Whereupon I found, and felt (and I blesse God infinitely, and will through all eternity, that euer it was so,) conueied, and deriued vpon me from my blessed Iesus, the welspring of immortality and life, a quickening influence of his mighty Spirit, and heauenly vigour of sauing grace, wherby I became a new man, quite changed, new created. By this vitall moouing, and incubation, as it were, of the Spirit of Christ vpon the face of my soule, all things became new: mine heart, affections, thoughts, words, actions, delights, desires, sorrowes, society, &c. Old things passed away, behold, all things become new. 1And I am sure my change is sound, and sauing; for it is not 1. A meere morall change from notoriousnesse, to ciuility, and no further. 2. Nor a formall change only, which addes to morall honesty, outward profession, and outside conformity to the ordinances, holy exercises, most duties of Religion; & no more. 3. Nor meerely mentall. I meane it thus: (for2 I know, true repentance is called change of minde, in another sence.) When the vnderstanding onely is illightened with diuine knowledge, guilded ouer, as it were, with the dazeling splendor of generall graces, not without some speculatiue flashes of fleeting ioy, swimming in the brayne indeede, but not rooted in the heart. 4. Not temporary only, ⟨p. 311⟩such as that, Matth. 12. 43. 2. Pet. 2. 20, 22. when a man discontinues, and surceases from the outward practise, perhaps of all grosse sinnes for a time: out of terrour; suddaine fright from some Sonne of thunder; or vpon triall, whether by his owne strength, hee be able to endure, and digest a diuorce from his darling pleasure; and the holy wayes of those who walk towards heauen, without too much discontentment; (for without too sore a crush to his carnall heart, hee could be content to looke after a crowne of life, and I wite him not.) Or for some other by-end.
- 1•. Cor. 5. 17.
- 2[Greek or Hebrew], Trans•entatio.〈non-Latin alphabet〉, Trans•entatio.
