Godly. Poor Thoughtful, do not give Way to Apollyon, that cursed Prince of Darkness, for 'tis he who hath stirred up that cruel Enemy Despond to take away thy Life; that bloody Villain hath sent many thousand Souls to Hell. Come, though thy own Righteousness is worth nothing, but like filthy Rags, yet Christ's Righteousness is sufficient to cover thee, and his Blood to heal all thy Wounds. Your great Business is to believe, viz. Wholly to get out of your self, and rely upon Christ's blessed Merits; and know assuredly, that that very Moment you cast your self, by a lively Act of Faith upon Jesus Christ, I shall come into your House.
⟨p. 137⟩O know poor Thoughtful, that Christ's Righteousness hath more worth in it to save you, and raise you up to Heaven, than your own unrighteousness has weight to cast you down to Hell. You say you are a great, a black, and bloody Sinner, but you can be but a Sinner; and Christ died for Sinners; and never any threw themselves by an Act of true Faith upon him, but were saved by him; alas, he died for the chiefest of Sinners; and do you not hear him say, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you Rest, Mat. 11.28. Sir, He that believes not, make God a Liar, for he hath said in his Son, There is Life and Salvation for you, and all that come to God by him.
Thoughtful, O that I could believe! My Sins! My Sins!
No sooner had Godliness showed him what it was to open the Door, and laid before him the Necessity of Union with Christ, and of Faith in him, but Apollyon, with the Old-Man, and other cursed Enemies, began to cause dreadful Combustions in his House; for nothing doth the Devil fear more than true Faith; and Thoughtful found it very hard to believe, Wilful-Will being such a stubborn, crooked and perverse Fellow; also Apollyon tried his Skill many other Ways to undo him, so that he was hard beset; but when Apollyon saw none of those Ways were like to do, he laid before him the outward Danger he would be in, if true Godliness was embraced; he told him, he was like to suffer great Persecution, it being the Portion of all who entertain true Godliness, insomuch that his very Life might be in Danger;
Godli. Poor Thoughtful, do not give Way to Apollyon, that cursed Prince of Darkness, for 'tis he who hath stirred up that cruel Enemy Despond to take away thy Life; that bloody Villain hath sent many thousand Souls to Hell. Come, though thy own Righteousness is worth nothing, but like filthy Rags, yet Christ's Righteousness is sufficient to cover thee, and his Blood to heal all thy Wounds. Your great Business is to believe, viz. Wholly to get out of your self, and rely upon Christ's blessed Merits; and know assuredly, that that very Moment you cast your self, by a lively Act of Faith upon Jesus Christ, I shall come into your House.
⟨p. 137⟩O know poor Thoughtful, that Christ's Righteousness hath more worth in it to save you, and raise you up to Heaven, than your own unrighteousness has weight to cast you down to Hell. You say you are a great, a black, and bloody Sinner, but you can be but a Sinner; and Christ died for Sinners; and never any threw themselves by an Act of true Faith upon him, but were saved by him; alas, he died for the chiefest of Sinners; and do you not hear him say, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you Rest, Mat. 11.28. Sir, He that believes not, make God a Liar, for he hath said in his Son, There is Life and Salvation for you, and all that come to God by him.
Thoughtful, O that I could believe! My Sins! My Sins!
No sooner had Godliness shewed him what it was to open the Door, and laid before him the Necessity of Union with Christ, and of Faith in him, but Apollyon, with the Old-Man, and other cursed Enemies, began to cause dreadful Combustions in his House; for nothing doth the Devil fear more than true Faith; and Thoughtful found it very hard to believe, Wilful-Will being such a stubborn, crooked and perverse Fellow; also Apollyon tryed his Skill many other Ways to undo him, so that he was hard beset; but when Apollyon saw none of those Ways were like to do, he laid before him the outward Danger he would be in, if true Godliness was embraced; he told him, he was like to suffer great Persecution, it being the Portion of all who entertain true Godliness, insomuch that his very Life might be in Danger;
