A94157:245
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.
but alas, they find it not so easy to mortify earthly members, and destroy the body of death, when their souls adversaries with united strength encounter them fiercely, and conquer them eternally.
but alas, they finde it not so easie to mortifie earthly members, and destroy the body of death, when their souls adversaries with united strength encounter them fiercely, and conquer them eternally.
Further, all thy earthly comforts, whether friends, relations, name, estate, limbs, ⟨p. 114⟩life, must be laid at the feet of Christ, hated for his sake, and parted with at his call and command, and that for the hope of such things as thou never sawest, nor art ever like to see while thou livest. Is not this, Reader, an hard chapter, to forgo an estate in hand for something only in hope, to throw away present possessions and follow Christ thou knowest not whither, to receive an inheritance thou knowest not when?
Further, all thy earthly comforts, whether friends, relations, name, estate, limbs, ⟨p. 114⟩life, must be laid at the feet of Christ, hated for his sake, and parted with at his call and command, and that for the hope of such things as thou never sawest, nor art ever like to see while thou livest. Is not this, Reader, an hard chapter, to forgo an estate in hand for something onely in hope, to throw away present possessions and follow Christ thou knowest not whither, to receive an inheritance thou knowest not when?
And as thy sins and thy soul must be parted asunder, so thy Saviour and thy soul must be joined together; faith must follow repentance, thy own righteousness must be esteemed as dross and dung; the weight of thy soul and burden of thy sins must be laid on the naked cross of Jesus Christ. Now for thee who art by nature so extremely in love with thy self, to loath thy self; and for thee, notwithstanding thy discouragements from the number and nature of thy sins, the threatenings and curses of the Law, the wrath and righteousness of God, to cling about and hang upon the Lord Jesus, and resolve, though he kill thee, yet thou wilt trust in him; surely this is not easy; the work of God in infusing justifying faith, is as great as in faith miraculous; This is the work of God, saith Christ, that ye believe in the name of him whom he hath sent,