The application of redemption

It's the skill of meditation to come within the soul, §1and surprise it with the pursuit of the evil of sin, which hath now been laid open in so large and apparent manner. It's the cunning of Wrestlers before they fasten upon the adversary whom they intend to foil and bring under, they gather in upon them with the greatest wiliness and dexterity they may, and then they lay hold with such advantages that they are not able to escape their hands: It's so in this Spiritual Service, it's the chiefest dexterity in Meditation to gather in upon the heart, i. e. the will and affections (where the sink of sin lies, and who are wedded to their distempers) that it shall be forced to come under the Evidence of the Truth, and the […] of the evil of sin so discovered. It's one thing to sum up debts, and show them to the Bankrupt; another thing to serve a Writ of them, to summon him to the Court that he may answer and give satisfaction: it's one thing to relate a mans bills, as a Servant, an Accountant may; another thing to charge them upon him. So here, Meditation showed the corruption, now summons and serves a Sub-paena upon the soul; before it played the part of an Accountant, brought in all Bills; now takes the place of a Serjeant, lays them to the charge, and attacheth the sinner: Meditation you must know, includes the highest strain of the strength of Reason, in the utmost extent of it; it's not the whole (nay indeed it's the least part of the) work of Meditation, to search and take a survey of the compass of corruption in all the circumstances thereof apprehended to the full, but it puts home an apprehension to the full, follows it, and […] it upon the heart, and causeth it to attend for the while.

It's the skil of meditation to come within the soul, §1and surprize it with the pursuit of the evil of sin, which hath now been laid open in so large and apparant manner. It's the cunning of Wrastlers before they fasten upon the adversary whom they intend to foyl and bring under, they gather in upon them with the greatest wiliness and dexterity they may, and then they lay hold with such advantages that they are not able to escape their hands: It's so in this Spiritual Service, it's the chiefest dexterity in Meditation to gather in upon the heart, i. e. the wil and affections (where the sink of sin lies, and who are wedded to their distempers) that it shall be forced to come under the Evidence of the Truth, and the 〈…〉 of the evil of sin so discovered. It's one thing to sum up debts, and shew them to the Bankerupt; another thing to serve a Writ of them, to summon him to the Court that he may answer and give satisfaction: it's one thing to relate a mans bils, as a Servant, an Accomptant may; another thing to charge them upon him. So here, Meditation shewed the corruption, now summons and serves a Sub-paena upon the soul; before it played the part of an Accomptant, brought in al Bils; now takes the place of a Serjeant, laies them to the charge, and attacheth the sinner: Meditation you must know, includes the highest strain of the strength of Reason, in the utmost extent of it; it's not the whol (nay indeed it's the least part of the) work of Meditation, to search and take a survey of the compass of corruption in al the circumstances thereof apprehended to the full, but it puts home an apprehension to the full, follows it, and it upon the heart, and causeth it to attend for the while.