A94157:224
The door of salvation opened by the key of regeneration
The door of salvation opened by the key of regeneration: or A treatise containing the nature, necessity, marks and means of regeneration; as also the duty of the regenerate. / By George Swinnocke, M.A. and pastor of Rickmersworth in Hertfordshire.
London: printed by John Best for Tho. Parkhurst, 1661
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.
Thy sorrow for sin may be forced out of thee (as water out of a still) by the fire of affliction, not come freely from thee, as water out of a spring. Let thy conscience be judge, hadst thou not rather be at thy ⟨p. 102⟩carnal mirth, then spiritual mourning? Many of the Jews could mourn sadly in their distress, though they were not sanctified; now violent actions will not speak thy natural inclination.
Or thy grief may be like a land-flood which cannot hold long; for a day thou mayst afflict thy soul, for a day thou mayst hang down thy head like a bulrush, Isa. 58. A bulrush whilst the wind bloweth bendeth downward, but the wind ceasing it percheth up again: Whilst thou art tossed up and down with the boisterous billows (as one not accustomed to the ocean) thou mayst be sea-sick, but when thou art off from the waters thou art well again. The vessel of thy soul is always leaking, but that pump of sorrow is not always going.
Thou mayst like the woman of Tekoah, feign thy self a mourner, 2 Sam. 14.2. when in truth thou art none: Thou dost not dive to the bottom of thy heart (as the Indians at the sea for jewels) to fetch thence thy pearly tears; thou criest not to God with thy heart when thou howlest on thy bed, Hos. 7.14. Thy waters may not be drawn from the deep well of a broken and contrite heart: Every Sacrifice thou offerest may be as Ephraim, a silly dove without an heart, Hos. 7.11.