The Soul's Preparation for Christ

look as it is with the cure of the body, if a man have an old wound, and a ⟨p. 114⟩deep one; two things are observable; it is not enough to lance the wound, and draw out the corruptions, but it must be tented also, for if the wound be deep, it must not be healed presently, but it must be kept open with a tent, that it may be healed soundly, and thoroughly: so it is here; meditation when it is set on, doth lance the soul, it lanceth the heart of a man, and it will go down to the bottom of the belly: When a man seeth his sin, and weigheth his sin it will go down to the bottom sometime, and when your heart is thus affected, do not heal it too soon, but hold the soul in that blessed frame & disposition: For as meditation doth lance the soul, so attention doth tent the soul; keep the soul therefore so troublesome and sorrowful that so you may be healed soundly, thoroughly, and comfortably.

looke as it is with the cure of the body, if a man have an old wound, and a ⟨p. 114⟩deepe one; two things are observable; it is not enough to launce the wound, and draw out the corruptions, but it must be tented also, for if the wound be deepe, it must not be healed presently, but it must be kept open with a tent, that it may be healed soundly, and thoroughly: so it is here; meditatiō whē it is set on, doth launce the soule, it launceth the heart of a man, and it will goe downe to the bottome of the belly: When a man seeth his sinne, and weigheth his sinne it will goe downe to the bottom sometime, and when your heart is thus affected, do not heale it too soone, but hold the soule in that blessed frame & disposition: For as meditatiō doth launce the soule, so attention doth tent the soule; keepe the soule therfore so troublesome and sorrowfull that so you may be healed soundly, thorowly, and comfortably.

I use to find this by experience, a City that is be leaguered and won, he that hath won it, sets a Garrison over it, that he may keep it for ever under: So when the soul hath been won by the stroke of meditation affecting the heart with sin, then set a garrison over the soul, and keep it in awe, set a garrison over the Conscience and keep all down, keep all under, that it may submit it self, and that kindly under the stroke of the truth, for it were a blessed frame, if we could always be so in that temper that we are in when we are first humbled for our sins.