The Soul's Preparation for Christ

The uses are three: the third is the main: we will press on unto it. If it be so, that meditation is thus powerful and profitable, both for contrition of the heart, and to bring in consolation to the heart, then what shall we think of those men that are unwilling to practice this duty? nay, what shall we think of that untowardness of heart which is in us against the command of this duty? It is a word of reproof against this practice, and it falls marvellous heavy upon us all more or less in this kind: for we are marvellous guilty in this kind, that we are tardy in this duty: a man had as good bring a Bear to the stake, as a carnal heart to the consideration of his own ways, much more loath is he to ponder seriously and meditate continually upon his sins; no, men are so far from musing of their sins, that they disdain this practice, and scoff at it: what say they, if all were of your mind, what should become of us? shall we always be poring on our corruptions? so we may hap to run mad, if we were of your opinion: thus we slight and put it off, and trample on this ⟨p. 93⟩duty, which is so profitable: the poor will not meditate on his sins, he hath no time: the rich they need it not: the wicked dare not: and so no man will in this case. What, shall a man set his soul on a continual rack? (say they) shall a man drive himself to a desperate stand, and trouble himself unprofitably? cannot men keep themselves when they are well? this is the course and frame of the world, and we may complain of this careless and heedless age, as Jeremiah did of his time, Jer. 8.6. No man repenteth him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? there is no questioning, nor searching, no musing: no man saith, What have I done? no man saith, these are my sins, these are my ways: no man looks over his course and conversation, he doth not apprehend his sin; and that is the reason we hear of no humbling, of no repenting: but every man runneth into sin as the horse rusheth into the battle, hence it is, that there are so many unclean beasts in the Ark. In the old Law, if there were any beasts that chewed not the cud, he was counted unclean, the chewing of the cud is serious meditation of the mercies of God to comfort us, and of our sins, to humble us: there are many ungodly persons in the bosom of the Church;

The uses are three: the third is the maine: we will presse on unto it. If it be so, that meditation is thus powerfull and profitable, both for contrition of the heart, and to bring in consolation to the heart, then what shall we thinke of those men that are unwilling to practice this dutie? nay, what shall we thinke of that untowardnesse of heart which is in us against the command of this duty? It is a word of reproofe against this practice, and it falls marvelous heavy upon us all more or lesse in this kinde: for we are marvelous guiltie in this kinde, that we are tardy in this duty: a man had as good bring a Beare to the stake, as a carnall heart to the consideration of his owne wayes, much more loath is he to ponder seriously and meditate continually upon his sinnes; no, men are so farre from musing of their sinnes, that they disdaine this practice, and scoffe at it: what say they, if all were of your minde, what should become of us? shall we alwayes be poring on our corruptions? so we may hap to runne mad, if we were of your opinion: thus we slight and put it off, and trample on this