A88592:357
The souls cordial in two treatises. I. Teaching how to be eased of the…The souls cordiall in two treatises. I. Teaching how to be eased of the…
The souls cordial in two treatises. I. Teaching how to be eased of the guilt of sin. II. Discovering advantages by Christs ascension. The third volum. / By that faithful labourer in the Lords vineyard Mr. Christopher Love, pastor of Lawrence Jury, London.The souls cordiall in two treatises. I. Teaching how to be eased of the guilt of sin. II. Discovering advantages by Christs ascension. The third volum. / By that faithfull labourer in the Lords vineyard Mr. Christopher Love, pastor of Lawrence Jury, London.
London: printed for Nathaniel Brooke, 1653
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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 prodigal son that ran away from his father, spent all his substance, that is, his gifts, and went to live among hogs and swine, in this world, that is, wicked men, yet this man a pardoned man. The young man who tells you that he kept all Gods Commands from his youth, an unjustified man: yet the Prodigal that was riotous from his youth, became to be a justified man. I am persuaded, the very intent of these Scriptures, is for this end; that civill moral men should not presume on pardon, merely on their civill morality.
The prodigall sonne that ran away from his father, spent all his substance, that is, his gifts, and went to live among hogs and swine, in this world, that is, wicked men, yet this man a pardoned man. The young man who tels you that he kept all Gods Commands from his youth, an unjustified man: yet the Prodigall that was riotous from his youth, became to be a justified man. I am perswaded, the very intent of these Scriptures, is for this end; that civill morall men should not presume on pardon, meerly on their civill morality.
Fifthly consider, That what your sins do want in regard of other mens sins in bulk and magnitude, you may make up in number. Suppose thou hast not been a drunkard, an adulterer, an oppressor, yet thou hast many small sins, thou hast many secret and small failings: now remember, many small sins may sooner ⟨p. 138⟩damn thee, then a few greater sins: I may make use of that pertinent Scripture, in Jer. 5.6. Wherefore a Lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a Wolfe of the evenings shall spoil them; a Leopard shall watch over their cities, every one that goeth out hence shall be torn in pieces, because their transgressions are many, and their back-slidings are increased. Vers. 7. How shall I pardon thee for this? &c. Because their transgressions were many, therefore God comes with a question, How shall I pardon? Beloved, suppose thy sins be not great, yet if they be many small sins, God may put this question to you, How shall I pardon you? Let me tell you a paradox, That small sins are as hardly, yea, more hardly pardoned, then greater sins are. And the reason is, because a man is not so apt to repent for small sins, as he will be for great, because they are not so visible, and therefore conscience not so apt to do its office to put a man upon repentance; that is the reason of Christs speech, Verily I say unto you, that Publicans and harlots shall go to heaven before them, why? because the Pharisees did depend upon their righteousness, and did not see their little small sins: a Publican, a harlot, that could not but by the light of nature see their extortion, their wickedness, and harlotry, they should go to heaven before them, that Christ should