Christian ethics -- Fiction; Christian fiction; Conduct of life -- Fiction
That Crying is an inseparable effect of repentance, is seen in these
Scriptures. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to the multitude of
thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. O Lord, rebuke me
not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. Have
mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak. O Lord, heal me for my bones are
vexed. My soul is also vexed, but thou, O Lord, how long: Return, O
Lord, deliver my soul: O save me for thy mercies sake: O Lord, rebuke
me not in thy wrath, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure; for
thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. There
is no soundness in my flesh, because of thine anger, neither is there
any rest in my bones, because of my sin. For mine iniquities are gone
over mine head, as an heavy burthen, they are too heavy for me. My
wounds stink and are corrupt; because of my foolishness. I am troubled,
I am bowed down greatly, I goe mourning all the day long. My loyns
are filled with a loathsom disease, and there is no soundness in my
flesh. I am feeble, and sore broken, I have roared by reason of the
disquietness of my heart. {164a}
I might give you a great number more of the holy sayings of good men,
whereby they express how they were, what they felt, and whether they
cryed or no, when repentance was wrought in them. Alas, alas, it is as
possible for a man, when the pangs of Guilt are upon him to forbear
praying, as it is for a woman when pangs of travel are upon her to
forbear crying. If all the world should tell me that such a man hath
repentance, yet if he is not a praying man, I should not be perswaded
to believe it.
Atten. I know no reason why you should: for there is nothing can
demonstrate that such a man hath it. But pray Sir, what other sign have
you, by which you can prove that Mr. Badman died in his sins, and so in
a state of damnation?
Wise. I have this to prove it. {164b} Those who were his old sinfull
companions in the time of his health, were those whose company and
carnal talk he most delighted in, in the time of his sickness. I did
occasionally hint this before, but now I make it an argument of his
want of grace: for where there is indeed a work of Grace in the heart,
that work doth not only change the heart, thoughts and desires, but the
conversation also; yea conversation and company too. When Paul had a
work of grace in his soul, he assayed to Joyn himself to the Disciples.
He was for his old companions in their abominations no longer: he was
now a Disciple, and was for the company of Disciples. And he was with
them coming in and going out in Jerusalem. {165a}
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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