A41649:466
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.
Part › Chapter 15: Other Means on our part to be performed for attaining of Regeneration.
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.
Ah sinner, as thou tenderest the good and happiness of thy precious and immortal soul, slight not the motions of Gods Spirit in thee, but labour to improve them to the ends for which they are sent. Are they motions tending to the working in thee a loathing and abhorring of thy former sinful lusts? second those motions with strong resolutions to leave and forsake them for the time to come, at least so to strive against them as they may not rule and reign in thee, as formerly they have done. Are they motions tending to the stirring thee up to any good duty omitted? oh turn these motions into performances, and presently fall upon the practice of those duties, whether it be praying in thy closet, or in thy Family, or such like.
Ah sinner, as thou tendrest the good and happiness of thy precious and immortal soul, slight not the motions of Gods Spirit in thee, but labour to improve them to the ends for which they are sent. Are they motions tending to the working in thee a loathing and abhorring of thy former sinful lusts? second those motions with strong resolutions to leave and forsake them for the time to come, at least so to strive against them as they may not rule and raign in thee, as formerly they have done. Are they motions tending to the stirring thee up to any good duty omitted? oh turn these motions into performances, and presently fall upon the practice of those duties, whether it be praying in thy closet, or in thy Family, or such like.
Doth the Spirit of God beam any light from the Word into thine understanding, whereby thou art more throughly convinced of thy miserable condition by nature, of the excellency of the new birth, of the necessity thereof unto Salvation? Labour to improve this light to the stirring up in thee an earnest, longing desire after the work of Regeneration. Hath the Spirit of God in a Sermon so convinced thee of some gross, scandalous sin, or sins, that thou art pricked at the heart, and deeply humbled under the sense and apprehension of them? oh content not thy self with some sudden pangs of affection, but forthwith go into ⟨p. 129⟩some secret place, and there take the advantage of thy present relenting frame of heart, for the more free and full confessing of thy sins unto God, and engaging thy self by a solemn covenant unto him to be more watchful over thy self, as against thy former lend and wicked courses, so against the occasions leading thereunto.