The application of redemption

[…] thou enjoined to drain a Quagmire, or a dirty rotten Swamp, to fit it for the Plough, and should any man seem to persuade it would cost but little time or labour, might easily be dispatched, thou wouldst scarcely with patience hear such an expression, as that which is expressly contrary to common sense, why should men speak of impossibilities, or think that men should conceive that reasonable that is against Reason; not only Trees felled, stubbed, removed, but the ground gained which is not arable, and all this in a short space with ease? Look now into thy condition with this resemblance, and be thine own Judg; thou hast a dunghill heart, a soul like a dirty swamp, those hellish abominations which have taken up thy mind, and will, and affections, in which thou hast continued, and unto which thou hast been accustomed, so that thy heart is like a standing puddle of profaneness, which have weakened and wasted the very faculties of thy soul; so that thy heart is not fallow ground, as the Prophet speaks Plough up the fallow ground, Jer. 4. it's not […] ⟨p. 346⟩ground, even abilities so wasted and disordered with thy wretched and unreasonable lusts, and dost thou think that these abilities can be […] easily, and thy Spirit made good soil, even a good and honest heart, without extraordinary power on Gods part, and more than ordinary labour on thine. When the covetous young man that was glued to the world, and had his heart riveted in restless and immoderate desires after these Earthly things; so that all the directions which our Saviour gave, and the great offers he made of Heaven and Salvation, could not take off his affections, but he went away sorrowful; says our Saviour, How hard is it for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; it's easier for a Cable rope to enter in at the eye of a Needle, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Grace here, and Glory hereafter. Matth. […]. 22, 23, 24. He spake of one, it's true of all by the like proportion; how hard is it for a rich man, it's as true to say, how hard is it for a riotous, unclean, malicious, voluptuous, self-conceited, rebellious wretch; he that hath scandalously continued in these, accustomed himself to these, how hard is it for such says the Text. And doest thou find it easy? a Holy-day task, and a trifling labour, that which may suddenly be done without such trouble;