There is some expectation that the work may prove §2more speedy and successful, as it is in the body, in old festered sores, he that ripples the skin, and lays easy salves, he will be long in doing a little, and yet fail at last, when he hath done all, he that lanceth to the bottom, in reason is like to bring out the core, and to hasten the cure, both with speed and success; the stronger the physic stirs and works upon the humour, the sooner the patient recovers, and health returns with some stability and continuance. It is so in the soul, those old cankered lusts which have been of long continuance in a corrupt heart, some slight terrors or sudden flashes of Gods displeasure, which may a little trouble the Conscience and ripple the skin as it were, they pass away presently and leave the root of the distemper untouched, at the least not removed, so that the corruptions grow more fierce and violent, and so break out in a more loathsome manner than ever formerly. Whereas those direful & overbearing horrors, in a way of rational providence are of a more prevailing nature, to astonish the heart, shake the Conscience of the wicked, and ransack the very core of those hideous corruptions, which have been long harboured and lodged within. Thus the Lord ⟨p. 351⟩dealt with the revolting & Apostatizing Israelites. Hos. 2. 6. 7. He bedged their ways with Thorns and built a wall before them, and they shall seek their lovers and shall not find them, and then shall she say I will […] to my first husband &c. Had the hedge been so […] and easy and the wall so low that they might have broken through the one or leaped over the other, she would have made a hard shift but she would have followed and sound her lovers; but the hedge was made of thorns […] and unsufferable sorrows, and necessities unavoidable, not to be endured, not to be removed, and those wearied her out of all pretended delights she had formerly taken. This is the method that God […] Hos. 5. 12. 14. Hos. 6. 1. First I will be a Moth, 2 if that will not do I will be a Lion, 3 If that will not do I will leave them and go to my place, withdraw his comforting and protecting presence; and then we hear […]. Come let […] return unto the Lord for he hath torn and be will heal us; this did it.
There is some expectation that the work may prove §2more speedy and successful, as it is in the body, in old festred sores, he that ripples the skin, and layes easy salves, he wil be long in doing a little, and yet fail at last, when he hath done al, he that lanceth to the bottom, in reason is like to bring out the core, and to hasten the cure, both with speed and success; the stronger the physick stirs and works upon the humor, the sooner the patient recovers, and health returns with some stability and continuance. It is so in the soul, those old cankered lusts which have been of long continuance in a corrupt heart, some slight terrors or sudden flashes of Gods displeasure, which may a little trouble the Conscience and ripple the skin as it were, they pass away presently and leave the root of the distemper untouched, at the least not removed, so that the corruptions grow more fierce and violent, and so break out in a more loathsome manner than ever formerly. Whereas those direful & overbearing horrors, in a way of rational providence are of a more prevayling nature, to astonish the heart, shake the Conscience of the wicked, and ransack the very core of those hideous corruptions, which have been long harboured and lodged within. Thus the Lord ⟨p. 351⟩dealt with the revolting & Apostatizing Israelites. Hos. 2. 6. 7. He bedged their wayes with Thorns and built a wal before them, and they shal seek their lovers and shal not find them, and then shal she say I wil 〈…〉 to my first husband &c. Had the hedg been so 〈…〉 and easy and the wal so low that they might have broken through the one or leaped over the other, she would have made a hard shift but she would have followed and sound her lovers; but the hedg was made of thorns 〈…〉 and unsufferable sorrows, and necessities unavoydable, not to be indured, not to be removed, and those wearied her out of al pretended delights she had formerly taken. This is the method that God 〈…〉 Hos. 5. 12. 14. Hos. 6. 1. First I wil be a Moath, 2 if that wil not do I wil be a Lion, 3 If that wil not do I wil leave them and go to my place, withdraw his comforting and protecting presence; and then we hear 〈…〉. Come let 〈…〉 return unto the Lord for he hath torn and be wil heal us; this did it.
