The Soul's Preparation for Christ

The spirit of bondage is said ⟨p. 126⟩to be the spirit of fear, as who should say, the Lord showeth a man his bondage by the Almighty power of his Spirit, and will make the soul feel it and stoop unto it.¹ In Job the Lord doth show unto men their works, and then he commands them to return, he openeth their ear to discipline (saith the text) and commandeth that they return from iniquity, he openeth the eye, and maketh a man see his sins, and then he commands the heart to return whether it will or no. When the Lord doth show unto man his sins, and holds him to his sins, that he cannot look off them, this is the work of the spirit of bondage: when conscience hath done his duty, and yet his mouth is stopped, then the Lord himself comes; and however the word by the mouth of the ministry could not prevail, yet God will set the sun-light of his spirit to your souls, and then you shall see your sins, and stoop under them. When a man would cut off the sense of sin, yet where ever he is, and what ever he doth, the Lord presents his sins to him, when he goeth in the way, he reads his sins in the paths, when he is at meat his sins are before him, when he goeth to lie down, he goeth to read his sins on the tester of his bed, this is thy covetousness, and thy pride, and for these thou shalt be plagued. Look upon these sins, they are thine own, & thou hast deserved punishments to be inflicted upon thee for them: thus we see the grounds how meditation must be raised: We see how we may bring meditation home to the heart, we see how ⟨p. 127⟩also we may get the life & power of meditation.

The spirit of bondage is said ⟨p. 126⟩to be the spirit of feare, as who should say, the Lord sheweth a man his bondage by the Almighty power of his Spirit, and will make the soule feele it and stoope unto it.¹ In Iob the Lord doth shew unto men their workes, and then he commands them to returne, he openeth their eare to discipline (saith the text) and commandeth that they returne from iniquity, he openeth the eye, and maketh a man see his sinnes, and then he commands the heart to returne whether it will or no. When the Lord doth shew unto man his sinnes, and holds him to his sinnes, that he cannot looke off them, this is the worke of the spirit of bondage: when conscience hath done his duty, and yet his mouth is stopped, then the Lord himselfe comes; and however the word by the mouth of the ministery could not prevaile, yet God will set the sun-light of his spirit to your soules, and then you shall see your sinnes, and stoope under them. When a man would cut off the sense of sinne, yet where ever he is, and what ever he doth, the Lord presents his sins to him, when he goeth in the way, he reades his sinnes in the pathes, when he is at meate his sinnes are before him, when he goeth to lie downe, he goeth to read his sinnes on the teaster of his bed, this is thy covetousnesse, and thy pride, and for these thou shalt be plagued. Looke upon these sinnes, they are thine owne, & thou hast deserved punishments to be inflicted upon thee for them: thus we see the groūds how meditation must be raised: We see how we may bring meditation home to the heart, we see how