The Soul's Conflict with Itself

Yet God before we can make any •ng towards him, lets into our ⟨p. 488⟩hearts some few beams of mercy thereby drawing us unto him, and reaching us out a hint to lay hold upon.

Yet God before we can make any •ng towards him, lets into our ⟨p. 488⟩hearts some few beames of mercy thereby drawing us unto him, and reaching us out a hint to lay hold upon.

And as sin causeth a distance betwixt God and us, so the guilt of sin in the conscience, causes further strangeness, insomuch that we dare not loo• up to heaven, till God open a little crevice to let in a little light of comfort (at least) into our souls, whereby we are by little and little drawn nearer to him. But this light at the first is so little, that in regard of the greater Jen• of sin, and a larger desire of grace, the soul reckons the same as no light at all, in comparison of what it desires and seeks after. Yet the comfort is, that this dawning light will at length clear up to a perfect day.

And as sinne causeth a distance betwixt God and us, so the guilt of sinne in the cōscience, causes further strangenesse, insomuch that we dare not loo• up to heaven, till God open a little crevise to let in a little light of comfor• (at least) into our soules, whereby we are by little and little drawne neerer to him. But this light at the first is so little, that in regard of the greater Ien• of sinne, and a larger desire of grace, the soule reckons the same as no light at all, in comparison of what it desires and seekes after. Yet the comfort is, that this dawning light will at length cleere up to a perfect day.