The Soul's Preparation for Christ

The first is this, meditation makes all a mans sins, and any truth belonging thereunto more powerfully and plainly to be brought home unto the heart. It is the action of the understanding when a man doth gather all reasons, and musters up force of arguments, and labours to press the soul, and lay them heavy upon the heart, and bring it under the power of the truth. It is with meditation as it is with usurers that will grate upon men, and grind the faces of the poor; and suck the blood of the needy, they will exact upon men and take use upon use, they will not be contented to take the principal, but they will have consideration for all the time, until they have sucked the blood of a poor man that is under such a muckworm; A poor man could be content to pay the principal, but to exact use ⟨p. 86⟩upon use, this kills him; So doth meditation, it exacts and slayeth the soul of a poor sinner, you have committed adultery in a corner, but you shall not so carry it away. This you did against the knowledge of God revealed, against many mercies received, against many Judgements threatened, against checks of conscience, against many vows and promises remembered: and Item for this, and Item for that; and thus meditation oppresseth the soul: But then the soul will say, happily it is but a trick of youth, or it is my infirmity: No, no, saith meditation, this hath been your course from time to time continually, that hath been your haunt, it hath been a riveted corruption that hath fastened upon your bones, and will go to your graves with you, and it will bring you to hell. But then the soul saith, I will repent; No, no, saith meditation, your heart is hardened in this sin, you have a heart that cannot repent nor yield, the word of God works not, it prevaileth not, the minister hath flung hell fire in your face, and told you, that no drunkard, nor adulterer shall go to heaven, and yet you go away no more moved then the seat whereupon you sate, you have continued in sin, and are hardened in sin. Thus mark how meditation exacts use upon use: But then the soul replies, I will go to the word, and wait upon the means, and it may be the word will prevail. No, saith meditation, you have despised the word, and God will take away his word from you, or you from his word, or his blessing from ⟨p. 87⟩both. What, is it a matter of infirmity?

The first is this, meditation makes all a mans sinnes, and any truth belonging thereunto more powerfully and plainly to be brought home unto the heart. It is the action of the understanding when a man doth gather all reasons, and musters up force of arguments, and labours to presse the soule, and lay them heavy upon the heart, and bring it under the power of the truth. It is with meditation as it is with usurers that will grate upon men, and grinde the faces of the poore; and sucke the blood of the needy, they will exact upon men and take use upon use, they will not be contented to take the principall, but they will have consideration for all the time, until they have sucked the blood of a poore man that is under such a muckworme; A poore man could be content to pay the principall, but to exact use