A26701:241
The way to true happiness in a serious treatise /
The way to true happiness in a serious treatise / by Joseph Alleine.
London : Printed and are to be sold by Nevil Simmons, 1678
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.
Help, O all searching light, and let thy discerning eye discover the rotten foundation of the self-deceiver; and lead me, O Lord God, as thou didst thy Prophet, into the chambers of Imagery, and dig through the wall of sinners hearts, and discover the hidden abominations that are lurking out, of sight in the dark. O send thine Angel before me; to open the sundry Wards of their hearts, as thou didst before Peter, and make even the Iron gates to fly open of their own accord. And as Jonathan no sooner tasted the Honey, but his eyes were enlightened: so grant, O Lord, that when the poor deceived souls, with whom I have to do, shall cast their eyes into these lines, their minds may be illuminated, and their consciences convinced and awakened, that they may see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and be converted, and thou mayest heal them.
Help, O all searching light, and let thy discerning eye discover the rotten foundation of the selfdeceiver; and lead me, O Lord God, as thou didst thy Prophet, into the chambers of Imagery, and dig through the wall of sinners hearts, and discover the hidden abominations that are lurking out, of sight in the dark. O send thine Angel before me; to open the sundry Wards of their hearts, as thou didst before Peter, and make even the Iron gates to fly open of their own accord. And as Jonathan no sooner tasted the Honey, but his eyes were enlightned: so grant, O Lord, that when the poor deceived souls, with whom I have to do, shall cast their eyes into these lines, their minds may be illuminated, and their consciences convinced and awakened, that they may see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and be converted, and thou maist heal them.
This must be premised, before we proceed to the discovery, that it is most certain men may have a confident persuasion, that their hearts and states be good, and yet be unsound. Hear the Truth himself, who shows in Laodicea's ⟨p. 88⟩case, that men may be wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked, and yet know it not; yea they may be confident they are rich and increased in grace.