The Soul's Conflict with Itself

The reasons here brought by David, are not so much arguments to convince his judgement, as motives and inducements to incline his will to trust in God, for trusting being a holy relying upon God, carieth especially the will to him; now the will is led with the goodness of things, as the understanding is led with truth; the heart must be sweetened with consideration of love and mercy in him whom we trust, as well as convinced of his ability to do us good, the cords that draw the heart to trust, are the cords of love, and the cords of love are especially the love of him to us whom we love; and therefore the most prevailing reasons that carry the whole heart, are such as are drawn from the sweetness of ⟨p. 420⟩God, whereby the heart is opened and enlarged to expect all good, and nothing but good from him.

The reasons here brought by David, are not so much arguments to convince his judgement, as motives and inducements to encline his will to trust in God, for trusting being a holy relying upon God, carieth especially the will to him; now the will is led with the goodnesse of things, as the understanding is led with truth; the heart must be sweetned with consideration of love and mercy in him whom we trust, as well as convinced of his ability to doe us good, the cords that draw the heart to trust, are the cords of love, and the cords of love are especially the love of him to us whom we love; and therefore the most prevailing reasons that carie the whole heart, are such as are drawne from the sweetnesse of ⟨p. 420⟩God, whereby the heart is opened and enlarged to expect all good, and nothing but good from him.

But we must remember that neither reasons from the truth and power of God, nor inducements or allurements from the goodness of God, will further prevail with the soul, then it hath a fresh light and relish brought into it by the spirit of God, to discern of those reasons, and answer the contrary.