The application of redemption

We are come now to enquire the Particulars expressed in the Description, and here also presented to our view. And first touching the sight of sin, whereby the sinner is made rightly apprehensive of his own corruption, and his condition by reason thereof. The Point thence is this:

There must be a true sight of sin, before the heart can ¹be truly broken for it. A right apprehension goes before through Contrition; The Judgment must be rightly enlightened to see the nature of our sins before the heart can be pierced with that sense and sorrow that is meet. This is Gods way which he takes, in whose hand it is only to do this work, Job, 36. 8. to 11. When sinners come to be bound in fetters, and holden in cords of affliction, ⟨p. 36⟩then he showeth them their work, and their transgressions wherein they have exceeded; and then bows their ear to Discipline, and commands them to turn from iniquity. So repenting Ephraim professeth it was the course the Lord took with him; After I was instructed I repented, Jer. 31. 19. That which the eye sees not the heart rues not, that which is not apprehended by the understanding, is not affected by the will; so in 1 Cor. 14. 24, 25. when […] word comes home in power and plainness, so that the thoughts of his heart come to be discovered, he falls down, and says, God is in you of a Truth. The want of this was the reason why the Woman of Samaria manifested such saucy impudency, and peremptory boldness, in her conference with our Saviour, though she could not be ignorant that those abominable loose haunts of hers would call to Heaven for revenge; but when our Saviour laid his hand upon the sore, and let the light shine in her face, and points at the vileness of her practice, Thou hast had five Husbands, but he whom thou now hast, is not thy Husband; she then becomes sensible of his sovereign wisdom, and her own wretchedness,