A55752:1329
Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…
Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity and duty of Gods children by the late Reverend and Faithful Minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston ...Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity and duty of Gods children by the late Reverend and Faithfull Minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston ...
London: printed by J.T., 1658
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.
First if you would know whether you truly believe, whether you are within the number of those that are within the compass of regeneration, consider whether you be soundly humbled, for that is a preparation that goeth before faith, and without which no man is made ever partaker of Christ, for the direction of Christ is made to those that mourn in Zion, not that it is simply necessary to salvation, but because without this no man cometh to Christ, I deny not but God is able to send Lightning without thunder, he might have preached the Gospel to Adam without the Law, but his will was not so, he first convinceth Adam of his sin, and then preacheth the Gospel, first he made a preparation by fire and an earthquake before he came in the soft and still voice; so God humbleth a man before he worketh by faith to lay hold on Christ.
First if you would know whether you truly believe, whether you are within the number of those that are within the compasse of regeneration, consider whether you be soundly humbled, for that is a preparation that goeth before faith, and without which no man is made ever partaker of Christ, for the direction of Christ is made to those that mourn in Zion, not that it is simply necessary to salvation, but because without this no man cometh to Christ, I denie not but God is able to send Lightning without thunder, hee might have preached the Gospel to Adam without the Law, but his will was not so, he first convinceth Adam of his sin, and then preacheth the Gospel, first he made a preparation by fire and an earthquake before he came in the soft and still voice; so God humbleth a man before he worketh by faith to lay hold on Christ.
The murderer will not seek to the City of refuge, before the revenger of blood follow him, and this must not be done slightly, but your conscience must be awakened to apprehend sin fully, and this prepareth you for Christ, for in these three things stands the sound conversion of a sinner to God: first, humiliation, secondly, the taking of Christ as the chiefest good, thirdly, when you will not forsake for him any worldly thing. And these three things follow one another, for if sin be the chiefest sorrow, Christ must needs be the chiefest joy, & if we once have Christ we ⟨p. 435⟩