Remains of that excellent minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. Joseph Alleine being a collection…Remaines of that excellent minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. Joseph Alleine being a collection…

Now will I make known to my dearest Friend, some of the thoughts of my heart this morning, before I begin to write to thee; There was once a poor soul imprisoned in […], and clogged with the Iron fetters of corruption, that retired within it self, and would needs take a view of the best and worst sight imaginable at once. Well, he sets open the Floodgates, and in he dives into the fathomless depths of an evil heart, but there he could find no bottom; Then up he springs, and begins to take the Dimensions, and view the Massive weight of the Crown incorruptible: His heart grew hot within him, and while he was musing, the fire burned, and on a sudden he pathetically smites on his breast, and out he breaks into this Language,

NOw will I make known to my dearest Friend, some of the thoughts of my heart this morning, besore I begin to write to thee; There was once a poor soul imprisoned in 〈…〉, and clogged with the Iron fetters of corruption, that retired within it self, and would needs take a view of the best and worst sight i•aginable at once. Well, he sets open the Floodgates, and in he dives into the fathomless depths of an evil heart, but there he could sind no bottom; Then up he springs, and begins to take the Dimentions, and view the Massie weight of the Crown incorruptible: His heart grew hot within him, and while he was musing, the fire burned, and on a sudden he pathetically smites on his breast, and out he breaks into this Language,

Ah wretch, what a sight is here! methinks my heart is like the Chambers of Imagery, I can turn me no way, but the loathsome sight and filthy stench of my Corruptions comes up into my Eyes and Nostrils, my pollutions are so •oul, that I cannot tell how to look upon them, and yet so common, so universal, that I cannot look besides them: which way soever I look into my self, I can cast my eye on nothing but the loathsome sight of ⟨p. 311⟩some filthy Ulcer, which makes me filthy in my own eyes, and how much more to the pure eyes of my spotless maker; when I turn my eye inward, and go about from Cell to Cell, I pass from one to the other, and am fain to write, Lord have mercy upon me on every door: Every faculty is as a cage of unclean Birds, and O the noisome lusts that lodge and live within them! I looked into my memory, and O what a Magazine of wickedness was there! weak I find it, and slippery when any good is committed to it: Alas, methinks I am like a narrow mouthed bottle, that takes in but drops when the bounty of Heaven pours down by showers. Though the dew of Heaven distil as the rain, yet how little do I take in? how much is spilt besides? but yet this is not all, there is a leak in my Vessel that lets all that is good run out, only the dregs are left behind. 'Tis little good that I take in amongst a world of evil, and presently my Rudder lets go the good corn, and the chaff is kept behind: Capacious it is to receive, faithful to retain what should be forgotten: well thought I, I will shut up this, but I heard the voice, as to the Prophet of old, speaking to me, turn thine Eyes, and thou shalt see yet greater Abominations then these. Look into thine understanding. But good Lod, what a sight have I here? why it is all overspread with Egyptian darkness; yea, much more intolerable, it being not my plague only, but my sin: Alas, how do I grope about in blindness and ignorance,