The Soul's Conflict with Itself

I have stood the longer upon this, ¹because Satan and his instruments by bewitching the imagination with false appearances, misleadeth not only the world, but troubleth the peace of men taken out of the world, whose estate is ⟨p. 218⟩laid up safe in Christ, who (notwithstanding) pass their few days here in an uncomfortable, wearisome, and unnecessary sadness of spirit, being kept in ignorance of their happy condition by Satan's juggling and their own mistakes, and so come to heaven before they are aware. Some again pass their days in a golden dream, and drop into hell before they think of it; but it is far better to dream of ill, and when we awake to find it but a dream, then to dream of some great good, and when we awake to find the contrary.

I have stood the longer upon this, ¹because Sathan and his instruments by bewitching the imagination with false appearances, misleadeth not onely the world, but troubleth the peace of men taken out of the world, whose estate is ⟨p. 218⟩laid up safe in Christ, who (notwithstanding) passe their few dayes here in an uncomfortable, wearisome, and unnecessary sadnesse of spirit, being kept in ignorance of their happy condition by Sathans jugling and their own mistakes, and so come to heaven before they are aware. Some againe passe their dayes in a golden dreame, and drop into hell before they thinke of it; but it is farre better to dreame of ill, and when wee awake to finde it but a dreame, then to dreame of some great good, and when we awake to finde the contrary.

1. 1This a very pertinent doctrine, and why.

As the distemper of the fancy disturbing