A55752:326
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.
The third reason is, because holy affections they widen 1the soul, that is they make the soul large, for when holy affections are dead in you, the soul will begin to shrink in, even as cloth that is not thoroughly made, when water falls upon it, it will run in, but if you stretch it, it will come to its own length again; so when the spirit comes and •rks holy affections, they widen the soul and make it large and firm. Therefore that you may have large hearts in prayer and in meditation, labour to get the spirit: that you may have holy affections kindled in you.
The third reason is, because holy affections they widen 1the soul, that is they make the soul large, for when holy affections are dead in you, the soul will begin to shrink in, even as cloth that is not thorowly made, when water fals upon it, it will run in, but if you stretch it, it will come to its own length again; so when the spirit comes and •rks holy affections, they widen the soul and make it large and firm. Therefore that you may have large hearts in prayer and in meditation, labour to get the spirit: that you may have holy affections kindled in you.
- 13. Reason.
The fourth benefit that a Christian hath by the Spirit is this, it will make the heart good: because it is the proper 1work of the holy ghost to sanctify the heart, that is to cleanse, and change it, and so make it good. It is the work of the Spirit, to work repentance, a thorough change, because men for the most part mistake repentance. That is men do think, that if they be turned this way and that way, from this sin, and from that sin: though it be not from every sin and evil way, that they have true repentance, but they are deceived. For repentance is a true change of the whole man consisting both of soul and body, whereby the parts and faculties of both, are turned a quite contrary way: That is, the heart is turned out of the way of sin into the way of holiness. Now that a partial turning is not repentance I will make it clear by this comparison.