A62050:303
Ouranos kai tartaros= heaven and hell epitomized. The true Christian characterized. As also an…
Ouranos kai tartaros= heaven and hell epitomized. The true Christian characterized. As also an exhortation with motives, means and directions to be speedy and serious about the work of conversion. By George Swinnocke M.A. sometime fellow of Balliol College in Oxford, and now preacher of the Gospel at Rickmersworth in Hertfordshire.Ouranos kai tartaros= heaven and hell epitomized. The true Christian characterized. As also an exhortation with motives, means and directions to be speedy and serious about the work of conversion. By George Swinnocke M.A. sometime fellow of Baliol Colledge in Oxford, and now preacher of the Gospel at Rickmersworth in Hertfordshire.
London: printed by E.M. for Tho. Parkhurst, 1659
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.
I shall try thee two ways, though both will lead to the same place; I must first entreat thee to put those four particulars to thy soul, which in the beginning I told thee were included in that expression, To me to live is Christ.
I shall try thee two wayes, though both will lead to the same place; I must first intreat thee to put those four particulars to thy soul, which in the beginning I told thee were included in that expression, To me to live is Christ.
1. Ask thy soul what is the principle of thy Religious performances, what is the spring of thy obedience; men indeed judge of others principles by their practices, because they cannot discern the heart, whether it be right in a duty or no; but God judgeth of mens practices by their principles, as we may see by his speech of Paul, Behold he prayeth, Act. 9.11. Paul was a Pharisee, one of the strictest of them, and they were much in prayer, but God who knew his heart was wrong in former duties, takes not any notice of them; now behold he prayeth; he might say a prayer before, but he never prayed a prayer till now; when he had a right principle, being regenerated by the holy Ghost, then and not till then he made a right prayer. Till the Tree be good, the fruit can never be good, Matth. 7.17. Now Friend, what is the principle of thy duties? is it fear of men, hope of honour, desire of gain, or merely the stopping ⟨p. 145⟩the mouth of conscience, or custom? are these the weights that make thy Clock to go? and if these were taken off, would thy devotion stand still? then thy heart is not right in the sight of God; entreat him for the Lords sake, that the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee; Or do thy pious actions flow from a renewed will, and renewed affections? Doth the outward correspondency of thy life to the Law of God, proceed from an inward conformity in thy heart to the nature and Law of God, from the Law written within? if it be thus, thy condition is safe; for the deeper the spring is from whence the water comes, the sweeter the water is, and thy services the more acceptable to God.