Furthermore, he must firmly Persuade himself that GOD in Christ Jesus will much more readily hear him and receive him to Grace, than he will come ; and that God in the Love of Christy in the most dear and precious Name JESUS, cannot will any Evil That there is no angry Countenance at all in this Name , but that ft is the highest and deepest Love and Faithfulness , the greatest Sweetness of the Deity, in the great Name JEHOVAH, which He hath manifested in our Humanity corrupted as it is, and perished as to the Heavenly Part , which in Paradise disappeared through Sin. And He wa s therefore moved in His Heart to flow into us with His sweet Love , that the A'ager of His Father, which was kindled in us, might be quenched and turned into Love by it. All which was done for the poor Sinner’s 'Sake, that he might obtain an open Gate o^ Grace again.
In this Consideration he must firmly imagine to himself that this very Hour and Instant he standeth before the Face of the Holy Trinity , and that GOD is really present within and without him, as the Holy Scripture witnesseth, saying, ‘Am not I He ‘that filleth all Things?’ And in another Place, ‘The Word is ‘near thee, in thy Mouth, and in thy Heart.’ — Also, ‘We will ‘ come unto you, and make our Abode with you.’ And, ‘ Behold, ‘ I am with you alway, even to the End of the World.’ And again, ‘The Kingdom of God is within you.’
Thus he must firmly know and believe, that inwardly he standeth really before the Face of Jesus Christ , even before the Holy Deity , on whom his Soul hath turned its Back ; and must resolve that he will this very Hour turn the Eyes and Desire of his Soul towards God again, and with the poor lost and returning Son come to the Father . He must, with the Eyes of his Mind cast down in Fear and deepest Humility, begin to conjess his Sins and Unworthiness before the Face of God in Manner following.
Of True Repentance . I'l
A Short Form of Confession before the Face of God.
Everyone , as his Case and Necessity requireth, may order and enlarge this Confession as the Holy Ghost shall teach him. I will only set down a short Direction.
O THOU great unsearchable God, Lord of all Things;
Thou, who in Christ Jesus , of great Love towards us, hath manifested thyself with thy Holy Substance in our Humanity : I, poor unworthy sinful Wretch, come before thy Presence, which thou hast manifested in the Humanity of Jesus Christy though I am not worthy to lift up mine Eyes to thee, acknowledging and confessing before thee, that I am guilty of Unfaithfulness, and breaking off from thy great Love and* Qrace , which thou hast freely bestowed upon us. I have left the Covenant \ which of mere Grace thou hast made with me in Baptism , in which thou didst receive me to be a Child and Heir of Eternal Life, and have brought my Desur into the Vanity of this World, and defiled my Soul therewith, and made it altogether Bestial and Earthly . So that my Soul knoweth not itself, because of the Mire of Sin ; but accounteth itself a strange Child before thy Face, not worthy to desire thy Grace. I lie in the Quilt and Filth of Sin, and the Vanity of my corrupt Flesh, Up to the very Lips of my Soul, and have but a small Spark of the living Breath left in me, which desireth thy Grace. I am dead in Sin and Corruption, so that in this woeful Condition I dare not lift up mine Eyes to thee.
Furthermore, he must firmly Persuade himself that GOD in Christ Jesus will much more readily hear him and receive him to Grace, than he will come ; and that God in the Love of Christy in the most dear and precious Name JESUS, cannot will any Evil That there is no angry Countenance at all in this Name , but that ft is the highest and deepest Love and Faithfulness , the greatest Sweetness of the Deity, in the great Name JEHOVAH, which He has manifested in our Humanity corrupted as it is, and perished as to the Heavenly Part , which in Paradise disappeared through Sin. And He wa s therefore moved in His Heart to flow into us with His sweet Love , that the A'ager of His Father, which was kindled in us, might be quenched and turned into Love by it. All which was done for the poor Sinner’s 'Sake, that he might obtain an open Gate o^ Grace again.
In this Consideration he must firmly imagine to himself that this very Hour and Instant he stands before the Face of the Holy Trinity , and that GOD is really present within and without him, as the Holy Scripture witnesses, saying, ‘Am not I He ‘that fills all Things?’ And in another Place, ‘The Word is ‘near you, in your Mouth, and in your Heart.’ — Also, ‘We will ‘ come unto you, and make our Abode with you.’ And, ‘ Behold, ‘ I am with you alway, even to the End of the World.’ And again, ‘The Kingdom of God is within you.’
Thus he must firmly know and believe, that inwardly he stands really before the Face of Jesus Christ , even before the Holy Deity , on whom his Soul has turned its Back ; and must resolve that he will this very Hour turn the Eyes and Desire of his Soul towards God again, and with the poor lost and returning Son come to the Father . He must, with the Eyes of his Mind cast down in Fear and deepest Humility, begin to conjess his Sins and Unworthiness before the Face of God in Manner following.
Of True Repentance . I'l
A Short Form of Confession before the Face of God.
Everyone , as his Case and Necessity requires, may order and enlarge this Confession as the Holy Ghost shall teach him. I will only set down a short Direction.
O THOU great unsearchable God, Lord of all Things;
You, who in Christ Jesus , of great Love towards us, has manifested yourself with your Holy Substance in our Humanity : I, poor unworthy sinful Wretch, come before your Presence, which you have manifested in the Humanity of Jesus Christy though I am not worthy to lift up mine Eyes to you, acknowledging and confessing before you, that I am guilty of Unfaithfulness, and breaking off from your great Love and* Qrace , which you have freely bestowed upon us. I have left the Covenant \ which of mere Grace you have made with me in Baptism , in which you did receive me to be a Child and Heir of Eternal Life, and have brought my Desur into the Vanity of this World, and defiled my Soul therewith, and made it altogether Bestial and Earthly . So that my Soul knows not itself, because of the Mire of Sin ; but accounts itself a strange Child before your Face, not worthy to desire your Grace. I lie in the Quilt and Filth of Sin, and the Vanity of my corrupt Flesh, Up to the very Lips of my Soul, and have but a small Spark of the living Breath left in me, which desires your Grace. I am dead in Sin and Corruption, so that in this woeful Condition I dare not lift up mine Eyes to you.
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