The Soul's Conflict with Itself

Besides personal troubles, there are many much dejected with the present state of the Church, seeing the blood of so many Saints to be shed, and the enemies oft to prevail; but God hath stratagems, as Joshua, at Ai; he seems sometimes to retire that he may come upon his enemies with the greater advantage; ⟨image 9⟩the end of all these troubles will no doubt be the ruin of the Antichristian faction; and we shall see the Church in her more perfect beauty; when the enemies shall be in that place which is fittest for them, the lowest, that is, the footstool of Christ; the Church as it is highest in the favour of God, so it shall be highest in it self. The mountain of the Lord shall be exalted above all mountains. In the worst condition, the Church hath two faces: One towards heaven and Christ, which is always constant and glorious: Another toward the world, which is in appearance contemptible and changeable. But God will in the end give her beauty for ashes, and glory double to her shame: and she shall in the end prevail; in the mean time, the power of the enemies is in Gods hand: ¹The Church of God conquers when it is conquered: even as our Head Christ did, who overcame by patience as well as by power. Christs victory was upon the Cross. The Spirit of a Christian conquers, when his person is conquered.

Besides personall troubles, there are many much dejected with the present state of the Church, seeing the blood of so many Saints to be shed, and the enemies oft to prevaile; but God hath stratagems, as Joshua, at Ay; he seemes sometimes to retire that he may come upon his enemies with the greater advantage; ⟨image 9⟩the end of all these troubles will no doubt be the ruine of the Antichristian faction; and we shall see the Church in her more perfect beauty; when the enmies shall be in that place which is fittest for them, the lowest, that is, the footstoole of Christ; the Church as it is highest in the favour of God, so it shall be highest in it selfe. The mountaine of the Lord shall bee exalted above all mountaines. In the worst condition, the Church hath two faces: One towards heaven and Christ, which is alwaies constant and glorious: Another toward the world, which is in appearance contemptible and changeable. But God will in the end give her beauty for ashes, and glory double to her shame: and she shall in the end prevaile; in the meane time, the power of the enemies is in Gods hand: