The Soul's Preparation for Christ

The second argument is this: as meditation brings in all bills of account, so secondly, meditation fastens sin upon the consciences of those to whom the word of God is spoken, more strongly, in so much that the soul cannot make escape from the truth of God delivered, and from the ⟨p. 89⟩judgements of God denounced against him: Sometimes when men hear the word and threatenings denounced, then their hearts are touched, and they go away resolved not to commit sin as they have done: But when they are gone, it works not, but the heart recoils again, and goeth to his own course again. The reason is, because you meditate not on the word.

The second argument is this: as meditation brings in all bills of account, so secondly, meditation fastens sinne upon the consciences of those to whom the word of God is spokē, more strōgly, in so much that the soule cannot make escape from the truth of God delivered, and from the ⟨p. 89⟩judgements of God denounced against him: Sometimes when men heare the word and threatnings denounced, then their hrarts are touched, and they goe away resolved not to commit sinne as they have done: But when they are gone, it workes not, but the heart recoyles againe, and goeth to his owne course againe. The reason is, because you meditate not on the word.

It is with the word as with a Slave, if a man have never so good a salve, which will help a sore in four and twenty hours, if a man shall do nothing but lay this salve to the wound, and take it off, it would never heal the wound, and no wonder: Why? he will not let it lie on; the best salve under heaven will not heal a sore, and eat out a corruption, unless it be bound on, and let lie: So it is with the good word of God: many a soul heareth the word of God, and his heart is touched for his sin, and his conscience begins to be awakened, but when he goeth out of the Church, all is gone, his affections die, and his heart dies, and his conscience is not touched: no wonder, you will not hold the word to your souls, you hear sin, and not hear it: you will see sin, and not apprehend it; and therefore it is, that the word over-powers not your corruptions: Do you think the salve will work when you keep it not on? The word of God is the salve, conviction of Conscience is like the binding on of the salve, meditations like the binding of it to the sore, remember the truth which touched thee first, and keep that on, let nothing