N04105:208
The sound believer. A treatise of evangelical conversion. Discovering the work of Christ's spirit,…
The sound believer. A treatise of evangelical conversion. Discovering the work of Christ's spirit, in reconciling of a sinner to God. / By Thomas Shepard, sometime of Emanuel-College in Cambridge, since preacher of God's word in New-England. ; [One line from Matthew]
Boston: printed by Green for D. Henchman, 1742
Title page typeset from the transcription.
THE Sound Believer. › Chapter 1 › Section 4: The third Act of Christ's Power, which is Humiliation.
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.
SECT. IV. The third Act of Christ's Power, which is Humiliation.
THE Lord Jesus having thus broken the Heart by Compunction, is not like a foolish Builder that leaves off his Work •• fore he hath fully finished it, and th••• fore having thus wounded a poor Sinner • goes on to humble him also; for tho' in a large […] ⟨p. 93⟩a wounded contrite Sinner is an humble Sinner; yet strictly taken there is a great Difference between them; and therefore he is said to dwell with the contrite and humble, Isai. 57.16. i. e. not only with those that be wounded with Sin, but humbled for Sin; although' it is certain the Soul is seldom or never effectually wounded, but it is also humbled at the same Time. A Man may be wounded sore even unto Death, and yet the Pride of the Man is such that he will not fall down before him that smites him: so it is with many a poor Sinner, the Lord hath sorely wounded him that he will resist no more, yet he will rather fly to his Duties to heal him, or die alone and sink under his Discouragements, than stoop. O Beloved, Man must down before the Lord Christ will take him up: and therefore in Isai. 40.5, 6, 7. The Glory of the Lord is promised to be revealed: But what Means must be used for this End? Cry, saith the Lord: What shall I cry? saith he; the Lord answers, that all Flesh is Grass, and that the Glory of it fades, and that the People are this Grass, i. e. not only that Men's Sins are vile, but that Themselves also are Grass; nay, their Glory and Excellency is withering and fading; and therefore not only Mountains must be pulled down, but all Flesh, and the Glory of it wither, before the Lord shall be revealed.
THE Lord Jesus having thus broken the Heart by Compunction, is not like a foolish Builder that leaves off his Work fore he hath fully finished it, and th fore having thus wounded a poor Sinner goes on to humble him also; for tho' in a large