• I lie before thee as a dying Man, whose Life is passing from his Lips, as a small Spark going out ; kindle it, O Lord, and raise up the Breath of my Soul before thee. Lord, I wait for
I2J. The TV ay to Qhrist .
Thy Promise, which Thou hast made, saying, ‘As I live, I will not ‘ the Death of a Sinner, but that he shall turn and live.’ I sink myself down into the Death of my Redeemer Jesus Christ , and Wait for thee, whose Word is Truth and Life. Amen. ■>
In this, or the like Manner, everyone may confess his Sins, as he himself findeth on examining his Conscience, what Sins he hath brought his Soul into. Yet if his Purpose be truly earnest , to use a Form is needless, for the Spirit of Qod, which at that Instant is in the Will of the Mind, will itself make the Prayer for him, in his Interior. For it is the Spirit of God which in a true earnest Desire worketh Repentance , and intercedeth for the Soul before God, through the Death of Christ.
But I will not hide from the beloved Reader, who hath a Christian Intent, how it commonly useth to go with those who are in such a firm Purpose and Resolution. Though indeed it goeth otherwise with one than with another, according as his Purpose is more or less earnest and strong. For the Spirit of God is not bound, but useth divers Ways or Processes accordingly as he knoweth to be fittest for everyone. Yet a Soldier who hath been in the Wars can tell how to fight, and instruct another who may happen to be in the like Condition.
Now when such a Heart with strong Resolution and Purpose doth thus come before God, and enter into Repentance, it happeneth to it as to the Canaanitish Woman ; that is, it seems as if God would not hear. The Heart remaineth without Comfort ; its Sins, Pollies, and Neglects, also present themselves before it, and make it feel itself unworthy of any. The Mind is as it were speechless ; the Soul groaneth in the Deep; the Heart receiveth Nothing, nor can so much as pour forth its Co?ifession before God ; but it is as if the Heart and Soul were quite shut up. The Soul would fain go towards God, but the P'lesh keepeth it Captive : The Devil too shutteth it up strongly, and represented to it the Way of Vanity again, and tickleth it with the Lusts of the Flesh, and saith inwardly to it, ‘ Stay awhile ; do this or that first ; get ‘ a Sufficiency of Money or Goods beforehand, that thou mayest ‘not stand in need of the World, and afterwards enter into ‘ Repentance and an holy Life; it will be Time enough then.’
O how many Hundreds perish in such a Beginning, if they go back again into Vanity ; and become as young Qrafts broken off with the Wind, or withered by the Heat !
• I lie before you as a dying Man, whose Life is passing from his Lips, as a small Spark going out ; kindle it, O Lord, and raise up the Breath of my Soul before you. Lord, I wait for
I2J. The TV ay to Qhrist .
Your Promise, which You have made, saying, ‘As I live, I will not ‘ the Death of a Sinner, but that he shall turn and live.’ I sink myself down into the Death of my Redeemer Jesus Christ , and Wait for you, whose Word is Truth and Life. Amen. ■>
In this, or the like Manner, everyone may confess his Sins, as he himself finds on examining his Conscience, what Sins he has brought his Soul into. Yet if his Purpose be truly earnest , to use a Form is needless, for the Spirit of Qod, which at that Instant is in the Will of the Mind, will itself make the Prayer for him, in his Interior. For it is the Spirit of God which in a true earnest Desire works Repentance , and interceds for the Soul before God, through the Death of Christ.
But I will not hide from the beloved Reader, who has a Christian Intent, how it commonly uses to go with those who are in such a firm Purpose and Resolution. Though indeed it goes otherwise with one than with another, according as his Purpose is more or less earnest and strong. For the Spirit of God is not bound, but uses divers Ways or Processes accordingly as he knows to be fittest for everyone. Yet a Soldier who has been in the Wars can tell how to fight, and instruct another who may happen to be in the like Condition.
Now when such a Heart with strong Resolution and Purpose does thus come before God, and enter into Repentance, it happens to it as to the Canaanitish Woman ; that is, it seems as if God would not hear. The Heart remains without Comfort ; its Sins, Pollies, and Neglects, also present themselves before it, and make it feel itself unworthy of any. The Mind is as it were speechless ; the Soul groans in the Deep; the Heart receives Nothing, nor can so much as pour forth its Co?ifession before God ; but it is as if the Heart and Soul were quite shut up. The Soul would fain go towards God, but the P'lesh keeps it Captive : The Devil too shutts it up strongly, and represented to it the Way of Vanity again, and tickls it with the Lusts of the Flesh, and says inwardly to it, ‘ Stay awhile ; do this or that first ; get ‘ a Sufficiency of Money or Goods beforehand, that you may ‘not stand in need of the World, and afterwards enter into ‘ Repentance and an holy Life; it will be Time enough then.’
O how many Hundreds perish in such a Beginning, if they go back again into Vanity ; and become as young Qrafts broken off with the Wind, or withered by the Heat !
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