A25470:862
The Morning exercise [at] Cri[ppleg]ate, or, Several cases of conscience practically resolved
The Morning exercise [at] Cri[ppleg]ate, or, Several cases of conscience practically resolved by sundry ministers, September 1661.
London: printed for Joshua Kirton and Nathaniel Webb, 1661
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.
Go to God and Christ for love: When you have gotten your hearts well warmed with the use of all the fore-mentioned means, then go to God and Christ, and turn thy Meditations into Petitions. Plead hard, and heartily all those moving Considerations which were set down to usher in these Directions. God delights to honour prayer in this great work of his, in drawing souls to Christ: No Prayer, no Faith: And it is as true; No Prayer, no Love, no Marriage to Christ.
I have done with the Directions of the first kind; and have therein almost prevented my self from going any further; it being a Rule in the spiritual, as well as the natural growth, that we are nourished by the very same, that gave us our first beings. If we know by what means we came by our love at first, and have but appetites whetted on to a further growth, we need little more. And therefore having first persuaded you carefully to continue to practise over the fore-mentioned Directions. I only add
I have done with the Directions of the first kind; and have therein almost prevented my self from going any further; it being a Rule in the spiritual, as well as the natural growth, that wee are nourished by the very same, that gave us our first beings. If wee know by what means wee came by our love at first, and have but appetites whetted on to a further growth, wee need little more. And therefore having first perswaded you carefully to continue to practise over the fore-mentioned Directions. I only add
1. Direction. Consider much your own Experiences, and the great advantages you have made by this grace: I need not tell you what they are, because ye know them well enough already; and the sense of past advantage will best quicken to future diligence; which is the second.
1. Direction. Consider much your own Experiences, and the great advantages you have made by this grace: I need not tell you what they are, because yee know them well enough already; and the sense of past advantage will best quicken to future diligence; which is the second.