1. To raise up the Soul of a helpless, sinful, cursed, lost sinner in his own eyes, to some hope, at least, of mercy and help from the Lord. For thus usually every man's Soul is wrought, to whom the Lord doth intend grace and mercy; he first turns his eyes inward, and makes him to see he is stark naught, and that he has not one dram of grace in him, who thought himself rich, and wanting nothing before; and consequently, that he is under the curse and wrath of God for the present, and that if the Lord should but stop his breath, and cover his face, and take him away, which he may easily do, and this to be feared he will, that he is undone forever. Hereupon the Soul is awakened and falls to his kitchen physic, as I spake before, prays, and hears, and amends, and strives to grow better, and to stop up every hole, and to amend it self of ⟨p. 29⟩every sin; but finding it self to grow worse and worse, and perceiving thereby that he doth but stir, and not cleanse the puddle, and that it is not amending of nature that he must attain to, but he must believe, and make a long arm to Heaven, and apprehend the Lord Jesus, (which so few know, or ever shall enjoy) and hereby quench the wrath of God; I say, finding he cannot do thus, no, nor no means of themselves can help him to this, hereupon he is forsaken of all his self-wisdom and of all his vain hopes, and now sits down like a desolate widow, comfortless, and sorrowful, and thinks there is no way but death and hell, and the wrath of a displeased God to be expected. And if any come and tell this Soul, of God's mercy and pity to sinners; Ay, saith he, it's true, he is even infinitely merciful unto them who are rent from their sins, and that can believe; but that I cannot do, and am sure shall never be able for to do; and therefore what cause have I but to lie down in my sorrow, and to expect my fatal stroke every moment? Reply again upon this Soul, and tell him, that though he cannot believe, or loosen his heart from sir, yet that the Lord has promised to do it, that he will subdue all his iniquity, and he will pardon all his sin, and that he will cause men to walk in his ways, True, saith the Soul again, he will do thus for his own people, and for them he has chosen, but I never had dram of grace in my heart, and there is no evidence that the Lord is mine own, or that I am his:
1. To raise up the Soul of a helpless, sinful, cursed, lost sinner in his own eyes, to some hope, at least, of mercy and help from the Lord. For thus usually every man's Soul is wrought, to whom the Lord doth intend grace and mercy; he first turns his eyes inward, and makes him to see he is stark naught, and that he has not one dram of grace in him, who thought himself rich, and wanting nothing before; and consequently, that he is under the curse and wrath of God for the present, and that if the Lord should but stop his breath, and cover his face, and take him away, which he may easily do, and this to be feared he will, that he is undone forever. Hereupon the Soul is awakened and falls to his kitchen physick, as I spake before, prays, and hears, and amends, and strives to grow better, and to stop up every hole, and to amend it self of ⟨p. 29⟩every sin; but finding it self to grow worse and worse, and perceiving thereby that he doth but stir, and not cleanse the puddle, and that it is not amending of nature that he must attain to, but he must believe, and make a long arm to Heaven, and apprehend the Lord Jesus, (which so few know, or ever shall enjoy) and hereby quench the wrath of God; I say, finding he cannot do thus, no, nor no means of themselves can help him to this, hereupon he is forsaken of all his self-wisdom and of all his vain hopes, and now sits down like a desolate widow, comfortless, and sorrowful, and thinks there is no way but death and hell, and the wrath of a displeased God to be expected. And if any come and tell this Soul, of God's mercy and pity to sinners; Ay, saith he, it's true, he is even infinitely merciful unto them who are rent from their sins, and that can believe; but that I cannot do, and am sure shall never be able for to do; and therefore what cause have I but to lie down in my sorrow, and to expect my fatal stroke every moment? Reply again upon this Soul, and tell him, that though he cannot believe, or loosen his heart from sir, yet that the Lord has promised to do it, that he will subdue all his iniquity, and he will pardon all his sin, and that he will cause men to walk in his ways, True, saith the Soul again, he will do thus for his own people, and for them he has chosen, but I never had dram of grace in my heart, and there is no evidence that the Lord is mine own, or that I am his:
