The Soul's Preparation for Christ

Answ. Nay, it will make them sound Christians indeed;¹ see what the Lord saith, Plead with your mother: the word in the original is, Call her into the Court, call her by her name, and say, that she is not my wife, and I am not her husband. And the Lord saith by Ezekiel, ²Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations: he doth not say, cause the country to know her abominations, or the country to know the sins of the court, but make Jerusalem know her own abominations.

Answ. Nay, it will make them sound Christians indeed;¹ see what the Lord saith, Plead with your mother: the word in the originall is, Call her into the Court, call her by her name, and say, that shee is not my wife, and I am not her husband. And the Lord saith by Ezechiel, ²Son of man, cause Ierusalem to know her abominations: he doth not say, cause the country to know her abominations, or the country to know the sins of the court, but make Jerusalem know her owne abominations.

1. 1Hosea 2.2.
2. 2Ezek. •6.1.

The reasons are these: First, because the word thus applied hits sooner then otherwise it would.¹ A master commands a servant to do such a thing, & because he names him not; one thinks it is not he, and another it is not he, only because he is not named: So when a minister saith, in many things we sin all, he hits no man, and so none are affected with it; But now particular application brings every mans part and portion, and not only sets the dish afore him, but cuts him meat, and carves for him, and we do in this cause as the nurse doth with the child; she not only sets the meat before it, but she minceth it, and puts it into the child's mouth: the steward doth no only say, There is meat enough in the market, but he buys it, and brings it home, and