A88592:83
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.
Leave not confessing of sin, until shame hath filled your face, & sorrow hath filled your heart: it is a great fault in many people, if they confess their sin in crying God mercy in a general way, they think they have made God a compensation for all the injuries they have done him, though they never have any godly sorrow for their sins: but beloved you are not to content your selves with such confession.
Leave not confessing of sin, untill shame hath filled your face, & sorrow hath filled your heart: it is a great fault in many people, if they confesse their sin in crying God mercy in a generall way, they think they have made God a compensation for all the injuries they have done him, though they never have any godly sorrow for their sins: but beloved you are not to content your selves with such confession.
Rule 6 A sixth Rule in confessing of sin is this, If thou findest thy heart straitened in confessing present guilt and present sins upon thee, then labour to review and recollect ancient guilt and ancient sins: This is a very useful thing in a mans Christian course. It may be a man or woman professing Christianity, may not know the sins he, or she hath done this last week, for want of heedfulness and observation of their ways: in that case let them recollect what they have done many years ago, ⟨p. 28⟩recollect old sins, when new sins do not come to remembrance, and be humbled for them: 1thus David did, in Psal. 51.3. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. It was meant his old sin of adultery, that was his sin that he would now call to remembrance: so when he found his heart, he saith, Lord, remember not the sins of my youth; he would go so far back as his youth. I prescribe this rule, not that a godly man, who is under trouble of mind should take this course to recollect old sins, this may lead him to despair; but in case of barrenness, if any man wants matter in respect of present sins, and finds his heart hard and very insensible in secret prayer unto God, in that case he is bound to let conscience recoil upon himself, and recollect sins of past years; go back as far as his youth and see what conscience will bring in to provoke him to make humble confession unto God in his secret retirements.