The application of redemption

Nor was the stroke slight, not the rippling of the skin, a lighter touch, a sudden pang, a sigh and away; nay, not only lanced and gashed, the rotten imposthumes of the corruptions of their hearts in a great measure, but ransacked the very root of the corruption, pierced the heart quite through; through and through again as it were, let out the core of the most inward, and most retired corruptions, that were lodged in their bosom and bottom of their hearts. And this work proceeded not from any power of their own, nor from the liberty and freedom of their wills, as that which they made choice of, and out of their own ability did readily put forth, but it was set on by the hand of the Almighty, in the entrance ⟨p. 359⟩whereof they were Patients, went against the heart and hair, and wholly beyond their purposes and expectations: So the words are in the passive form; they were pricked, they did not prick themselves. Nay certainly could they have told how to prevent it, how to remove it, or to procure any ease and relief unto themselves, they would never have cried out as men in a maze, and astonishing straights of Spirit, What shall we do? Thus God proceeds when he purposeth to make a through work. When God was purposed to set upon the revolting people of the Jews, and to bring them savingly home to himself, Hos. 13. 4. so […] carry it, according to the foregoing and following words, I am the Lord thy God from the Land of Egypt, and there is no Saviour besides me, ver. 4. and blames also the frowardness and folly of their Spirits, not yielding so readily, and taking the advantage of Gods dealing for their good, ver. 13. The sorrows of a travelling woman shall come upon him, he is an unwise son, for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of Children, q. d. The Lord in mercy offers himself to the Israelites under their terrors as a Midwife, that would make way for them out of their sins and sorrows: Now in this […] of his towards the people to be converted, he professeth, that he will meet with them […] a Bear bereaved of her whelps, he will rend the caul of their hearts, ver. 8. the words are, the closure and shutting up of their hearts; sinners are shut up under the power of their distempers, as the Apostle saith, all men by Nature are shut up under unbelief, Rom. 11. 32.