But to the self-condemning soul that knoweth ⟨p. 100⟩it self, how welcome would a Saviour be? How ready is such a soul for Christ? Thou that judgest thy self art the person that must come to Christ to Justify thee. Now thou art ready to be healed by him, when thou findest that thou art sick, and dead: Hast thou received the sentence of death in thy self? Come to him now and thou shalt have life, John 5.40. 1 John 5.11. Art thou weary and heavy laden? Come to him for rest: Come and fear not; for he bids thee come, Matthew 11.27, 28. Dost thou know that thou hast sinned against Heaven and before God, and art not worthy to be called a Son? Do but cast thy self then at his feet, and tell him so, and ask forgiveness, and try whether he will not welcome and embrace thee, pardon and entertain thee, cloth thee and feast thee, and rejoice over thee as one that was lost, and is found; was dead, and is alive, Luke 15. For he came to seek and to save that which was lost, Luke 19 10. While thou saidst, I am rich and increased in goods, and have need of nothing, and knewest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind and naked; thou wouldst not buy the tried Gold that thou mightest be rich, nor his white raiment that thou mightest be clothed, ⟨p. 101⟩that the shame of thy nakedness might not appear; nor Christs eye salve that thou mightest see, Rev. 3.17, 18. But now thou art poor in Spirit, and findest that thou art nothing, and hast nothing, and of thy self canst do nothing that is acceptably good. John 15.5. and that of thy self thou art insufficient to think any thing that is good, 2 Cor. 3.5. now thou art readier for the help of Christ, and a patient fit for the tender healing hand of the Physician. Whilst thou saidst, God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, nor as this Publican, thou wast further from Christ and Justification, then now thou standest as afar off, and darest scare look up to heaven, but smitest on thy breast and sayest, Lord be merciful to me a sinner, Luke 18.11, 12, 13, 14. Not that extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or any that are ungodly, are justified or can be saved, while they are such: Nor that a smiting on the breast, with a [Lord be merciful to me a sinner] will serve their turn while they continue in their wicked lives:
But to the self-condemning soul that knoweth ⟨p. 100⟩it self, how wellcome would a Saviour be? How ready is such a soul for Christ? Thou that judgest thy self art the person that must come to Christ to Justifie thee. Now thou art ready to be healed by him, when thou findest that thou art sick, and dead: Hast thou received the sentence of death in thy self? Come to him now and thou shalt have life, John 5.40. 1 John 5.11. Art thou weary and heavy laden? Come to him for rest: Come and fear not; for he bids thee come, Matthew 11.27, 28. Dost thou know that thou hast sinned against Heaven and before God, and art not worthy to be called a Son? Do but cast thy self then at his feet, and tell him so, and ask forgiveness, and try whether he will not welcome and embrace thee, pardon and entertain thee, cloth thee and feast thee, and rejoyce over thee as one that was lost, and is found; was dead, and is alive, Luke 15. For he came to seek and to save that which was lost, Luke 19 10. While thou saidst, I am rich and increased in goods, and have need of nothing, and knewest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind and naked; thou wouldst not buy the tryed Gold that thou mightest be rich, nor his whiterayment that thou mightest be cloathed, ⟨p. 101⟩that the shame of thy nakedness might not appear; nor Christs eye salve that thou mightest see, Rev. 3.17, 18. But now thou art poor in Spirit, and findest that thou art nothing, and hast nothing, and of thy self canst do nothing that is acceptably good. John 15.5. and that of thy self thou art insufficient to think any thing that is good, 2 Cor. 3.5. now thou art readier for the help of Christ, and a patient fit for the tender healing hand of the Physicion. Whilst thou saidst, God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, nor as this Publican, thou wast further from Christ and Justification, then now thou standest as afar off, and darest scare look up to heaven, but smitest on thy breast and saist, Lord be mercifull to me a sinner,
