A41649:420
A word to sinners, and a word to saints The former tending to the…
A word to sinners, and a word to saints The former tending to the awakening the consciences of secure sinners, unto a lively sense and apprehension of the dreadful condition they are in, so long as they live in their natural and unregenerate estate. The latter tending to the directing and persuading of the godly and regenerate unto several singular duties. As also a word to householders stirring them up to the good old way of serving God in and with their families, from Joshua's resolution, Josh. 24. 15. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Set forth especially for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of St. Sepulchres Parish, London by Tho. Gouge, late pastor thereof.A word to sinners, and a word to saints The former tending to the awakening the consciences of secure sinners, unto a lively sense and apprehension of the dreadfull condition they are in, so long as they live in their natural and unregenerate estate. The latter tending to the directing and perswading of the godly and regenerate unto several singular duties. As also a word to housholders stirring them up to the good old way of serving God in and with their families, from Joshuah's resolution, Josh. 24. 15. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Set forth especially for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of St. Sepulchres Parish, London by Tho. Gouge, late pastor thereof.
London: printed for George Sawbridge, 1668
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.
III. Labour to be truly humbled for thy sins as the cause of thy present sad condition. It is not sufficient to get thine heart in some measure affected with the sense thereof, but thy care must likewise be to get thine heart into an humbled and broken frame for the same. Having spent many years in sinning, what canst thou do less than spend some hours in mourning and sorrowing for the same? Having all thy life long broken the most holy and righteous Laws of God, what canst thou do less, than to get thine heart broken for the same? which usually goeth before, or at least accompanieth our new birth. For as no Child is ordinarily born without some throws, so no man is ordinarily regenerated, and born anew by the Spirit, without some pangs of sorrow and humiliation, though not all with a like measure: it being sanctified by God to be the entrance into the state of grace.
III. Labour to be truly humbled for thy sins as the cause of thy present sad condition. It is not sufficient to get thine heart in some measure affected with the sense thereof, but thy care must likewise be to get thine heart into an humbled and broken frame for the same. Having spent many years in sinning, what caust thou do less than spend some hours in mourning and sorrowing for the same? Having all thy life long broken the most holy and righteous Laws of God, what canst thou do less, than to get thine heart broken for the same? which usually goeth before, or at least accompanyeth our new birth. For as no Child is ordinarily born without some throws, so no man is ordinarily regenerated, and born anew by the Spirit, without some pangs of sorrow and humiliation, though not all with a like measure: it being sanctified by God to be the entrance into the state of grace.
Humiliation is as necessary to salvation, as faith: and you may as well think of being saved without faith▪ as without repentance and humiliation, which like John Baptist, prepareth the way for Christ, and therefore is the most immediate disposition that God usually worketh in the soul, before he worketh faith to close with Jesus Christ. For until thou beest truly humbled under a sense and apprehension of thy sins and misery, it is not possible thou shouldst heartily desire Christ, much less cordially embrace him, as thy Saviour and redeemer. Oh therefore labour, in the use of all means God hath sanctified, to get thine heart kindly humbled and broken for thy sins. To this end,