A55752:205
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 it empties a man, that is, as a man that hath his 1hands full cannot take another thing, till he hath let his handful fall, so when faith enters into the heart of a man it empties the heart of self-love, self-will, that is it purgeth out the rubbish that is naturally in every mans heart, and lets all go to get hold on Christ: all shall go then, life, and honour, profit, and pleasure, and he is the truly spiritual man, that can thus lose the world to cleave to Christ, and miserable are they that cannot, and by emptying himself of himself, he is filled with the power of Christ.
First it empties a man, that is, as a man that hath his 1hands full cannot take another thing, till he hath let his handful fall, so when faith enters into the heart of a man it empties the heart of self-love, self-will, that is it purgeth out the rubbish that is naturally in every mans heart, and lets all go to get hold on Christ: all shall go then, life, and honour, profit, and pleasure, and he is the truely spiritual man, that can thus lose the world to cleave to Christ, and miserable are they that cannot, and by emptying himself of himself, he is filled with the power of Christ.
- 11.
Secondly, As it empties the heart of that which may keep Christ out of the soul, so in the second place he seeks all things in God and from God, that is he first seeks Gods Love and Gods blessing upon what he doth enjoy, and then he goes unto secondary means, and useth them as helps; but a man that wanteth faith he will not let all go for Christ, he will not seek first unto God in any thing, but unto secondary means, and then if he fails, that is if he want power to supply, then it may be he will seek unto God, and hence it is that he will not lose his life, or liberty, or honour for Christ, because he sees more power and good in the creature then in God.