A30579:253
Gospel-conversation
Gospel-conversation: wherein is showed, I. How the conversation of believers must be above what could be by the light of nature. II. Beyond those that lived under the law. III. And suitable to what truths the Gospel holds forth. By Jeremiah Burroughs, preacher of the Gospel to Stepney and Cripplegate, London. Being the third book published by Thomas Goodwin, William Greenhil, Sydrach Simpson, Philip Nigh, William Bridge, John Yates, William Adderly.Gospel-conversation: wherein is shewed, I. How the conversation of believers must be above what could be by the light of nature. II. Beyond those that lived under the law. III. And suitable to what truths the Gospel holds forth. By Jeremiah Burroughs, preacher of the Gospel to Stepney and Criplegate, London. Being the third book published by Thomas Goodwyn, William Greenhil, Sydrach Simpson, Philip Nye, William Bridge, John Yates, William Adderly.
London: printed by Peter Cole, 1650
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.
Quest. You will say, Is any man so wicked as to pawn away his soul to the Devil?
Ans. Yes, When any man will venture upon sin, but upon ⟨p. 87⟩this condition, I will repent before I die; that is, as if I should say thus, Here I give my soul to pawn, if I do repent, then I'll have it again, if I do not repent before I die, then it's gone for ever. As when you give a pawn, you give it upon these terms, Well, I give you this, and if I bring you by such a time so much money, then I'll have it again, and if not, then 'tis gone. So do men and women, they say thus, Here Devil, thou shalt have the possession of my soul all this while so long as I am in a way of sin, if I do repent, then I must have it again, but if I do not repent before I die, then thou shalt have it for ever. Now dost thou know the price of a soul? Oh! is this to show the high price of a soul, that will pawn your souls thus? And mark to whom you pawn it, you pawn it to the Devil, he hath it all this time, it's in his custody: all the while that any one sins upon hope of repentance, (I say) till they repent the Devil hath their souls in his possession, in his hands: as when you pawn a piece of household stuff, till the time that you bring the money, so long the man you pawn it to hath the possession of it. And thus do people; you put your souls into the Devils hands, and upon such a condition that you are not able to perform; that is, if you repent, you will have it again, if not, he must have it for ever: Oh friends, you little know what repentance means! What is it to repent? it requires a mighty work of God, the same power of God that made the world is required to break the heart of a sinner, so that you put it to pawn upon that that is impossible for you your selves to perform by all the power that you have: Now if a man put a thing to pawn for that which is impossible for him to redeem, it may be, if he should have a great many friends that will do some great matter for him, then he may redeem it, but it is beyond his power; you will say, there is a great deal of danger then that that pawn shall never be redeemed. So know, when you pawn your souls, you put it into the hands of Satan, and lock it up in the powers of darkness, and pawn it for that that you have no power to bring: Do you prize the Gospel? and know what a price God hath set upon souls? O then take heed and set a greater prise upon your souls than to pawn them away for every trifle, a thing of naught.