The application of redemption

this clear and convicting sight of our sins, is as it were the lifting up of the latch, or letting in of the Key, the powerful dispensation of the truth and operation of his spirit whereby the knot and combination between sin and the soul is broken and severed, and the way made that the authority of the truth may come at the heart and work kindly upon it for good An error here in the entrance is hardly ever recovered to miss here is marvellous dangerous, it spoils our whole proceeding in the great work of our calling and everlasting comfort as the naturalist and Physician observe an error in the first concoction is never recovered in the second, for the Lord in his wisdom and the course of nature hath so ordained, that each part doth that which is its proper and peculiar work but doth not rectify or redress that which was done amiss by another, and so the goodness of the nourishment is never recovered or the body strengthened or health so comfortably preserved hereby as were to be desired. So it is in the entrance of […] great work of preparation for Christ and our effectual bringing home unto him, never see sin aright, the soul cannot be affected with it in a right manner, never truly see the need of a Saviour, never seek after him or come to him; this through sight of sin is as it were the setting open of the window whereby the light and good of the truth, and the loath […] of sin is laid open unto the soul, and comes in a main upon the Conscience to prevail with it whereas shut this window and stop this passage, the soul is cooped up in the dungeon of darkness and delusion, be the ordinances never so powerful the means never so effectual there […] no coming into the heart, no hope to work upon it or to prevail with it for good; the evil of sin is not acknowledged, and therefore not prevented, that which his reason cannot see, a man cannot shun, the excellency and necessity of a Christ is not discerned and therefore not endeavoured after as were meet. It befalls ⟨p. 113⟩the soul, smote with this spiritual blindness as with the Assyrian Host when they came to surprise Elisha, 2 Kings 18. 19. 20.

this clear and convicting sight of our sins, is as it were the lifting up of the latch, or letting in of the Key, the powerful dispensation of the truth and operation of his spirit whereby the knot and combination between sin and the soul is broken and severed, and the way made that the authority of the truth may come at the heart and work kindly upon it for good An error here in the entrance is hardly ever recovered to miss here is mervailous dangerous, it spoyles our whol proceeding in the great work of our calling and everlasting comfort as the naturallist and Physitian observe an error in the first concoction is never recovered in the second, for the Lord in his wisdom and the course of nature hath so ordayned, that each part doth that which is its proper and peculiar work but doth not rectify or redress that which was done amiss by another, and so the goodness of the nourishment is never recovered or the body strengthened or health so comfortably preserved herby as were to be desired. So it is in the entrance of great work of preparation for Christ and our effectual bringing home unto him, never see sin aright, the soul cannot be affected with it in a right manner, never truly see the need of a Savior, never seek after him or come to him; this through sight of sin is as it were the setting open of the window whereby the light and good of the truth, and the loath of sin is laid open unto the soul, and comes in a main upon the Conscience to prevayl with it whereas shut this window and stop this passage, the soul is cooped up in the dungeon of darkness and delusion, be the ordinances never so powerful the means never so effectual there no coming into the heart, no hope to work upon it or to prevail with it for good; the evil of sin is not acknowledged, and therefore not prevented, that which his reason cannot see, a man cannot shun, the excellency and necessity of a Christ is not discerned and therefore not endeavoured after as were meet. It befalls