The application of redemption

Direction: How to help the souls of poor Sinners¹ ⟨p. 125⟩that are under the work of Application, either […] in it or in Preparation to it, here is Direction to you all, in the greatest straits whatsoever.

Direction: How to help the souls of poor Sinners¹ ⟨p. 125⟩that are under the work of Application, either 〈…〉 in it or in Preparation to it, here is Direction to you al, in the greatest streights whatsoever.

1. 1Use.

When the Lord gives intimation to sinners, that they are not in the right way, and he begins to be […] with them, and our Saviour Christ comes as the High Sheriff when he would put a man into Possession of his Land, that is Possessed by those that have no right to it: The High Sheriff comes with his Company and knocks at the door, now all that are within come and make resistance and labour to keep him out as much as they can; So when our Saviour Christ comes and says to a desperate rebellious sinner, that soul of thine was never made for Sin or Satan, but thou must come and shouldest come out of thy sins, and come to me, says Christ; when the Word is thus […] with Life and power, now the soul is in an uproar, now the soul resists this Work, he makes all the doors and bolts fast, and he that comes in he dies upon it; But the Lord presses in still upon the soul, he must he will conquer and subdue it to himself; now the sinner sees nothing but Hell, and Death, and Damnation before it, die he must and that for ever if he stand out: and now he sees he should yield and submit, he sees now the body of death that hangs upon him, the power of his lusts that prevails with him, and he finds his heart shut up under unbelief, under the chains of pride and vainglory and earthly-mindedness; and the Devil presents impossibilities to his view; canst thou think that ever those sins of thine should be pardoned, or that ever that soul of thine should be delivered from under the power of them; Now (Brethren) here the soul's at a stand, above all, the stiffness and stubbornness of a mans own will, no Threatenings, no Mercies, no Afflictions, no offers of Grace can prevail, but a man will have his sins though the