A28620:1850
The dead saint speaking to saints and sinners living in several treatisesThe dead saint speaking to saints and sinners living in severall treatises
The dead saint speaking to saints and sinners living in several treatises ... : never before published / by Samuel Bolton ...The dead saint speaking to saints and sinners living in severall treatises ... : never before published / by Samuel Bolton ...
London: printed by Robert Ibbitson for Thomas Parkhurst, 1657
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.
Men, you know, will rather make use of their own gold, than of others; of their own clothes than of others; of their own friends, than of others; of their own power, than of others. Men will dig to the Clay, (as Pliny saith) before they will go borrow water of their neighbours. Such a spirit there is in man, that he will sound the bottom, try the utmost what he can do, before he will call in for another's help.
Men, you know, will rather make use of their own gold, than of others; of their own cloaths than of others; of their own friends, than of others; of their own power, than of others. Men will dig to the Clay, (as Pliny saith) before they will go borrow water of their neighbours. Such a spirit there is in man, that hee will sound the bottome, try the utmost what hee can do, before hee will call in for anothers help.
But now, when Faith comes, and discovers us, not only to be miserable, but unable to extricate our selves out of this misery; not only to be poor, but unable to enrich our selves; not only under the burden of sin, but unable to cast off this burden; not only indebted, but unable to pay, in prison, but unable to come forth: then will the soul hasten, and come over to Christ.
But now, when Faith comes, and discovers us, not only to bee miserable, but unable to extricate our selves out of this misery; not only to bee poor, but unable to inrich our selves; not only under the burden of sin, but unable to cast off this burden; not only indebted, but unable to pay, in prison, but unable to come forth: then will the soul hasten, and come over to Christ.
Now this is that which Faith doth. It doth not only empty a man of all opinion of Righteousness in the discovery of his misery; but also it empties a man of all that opinion of strength, to help himself out of this misery.