A12198:928
The Soul's Conflict with Itself
The souls conflict with it self, and victory over it self by faith a treatise of the inward disquietments of distressed spirits, with comfortable remedies to establish them / by R. Sibbs ...The soules conflict with it selfe, and victory over it self by faith a treatise of the inward disquietments of distressed spirits, with comfortable remedies to establish them / by R. Sibbs ...
London: printed by M.F. for R. Dawlman, 1635
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§. 4.
The sum of all is this, The state of Gods dear children in this world, is to be cast into variety of conditions, wherein they consisting of nature, flesh, and spirit, every principle hath its own and proper working. They are sensible as flesh and blood, they are sensible to discouragement as sinful flesh and blood; but they recover themselves as having a higher principle (Gods spirit) above flesh and blood in them.
The summe of all is this, The state of Gods deare children in this world, is to bee cast into variety of conditions, wherein they consisting of nature, flesh, and spirit, every principle hath its owne and proper working. They are sensible as flesh and blood, they are sensible to discouragement as sinfull flesh and blood; but they recover themselves as having a higher principle (Gods spirit) above flesh and blood in them.
In this conflicting state, every principle labouring to maintain it self, at length by help of the spirit, backing and strengthening his own work, grace gets the better, keeping nature within bounds, and suppressing corruption. And this the soul (so far as it is spiritual) doth by gathering it self to it self, and by reasoning the case so far, till it concludes, and joins upon this issue, that the only way to attain ⟨p. 567⟩sound peace, is (when all other means fail) to trust in God. And thereupon he lays a charge upon his soul so to do, is being a course grounded upon the highest reason, even the unchangeable goodness of God, who out of the riches of his mercy, having chosen a people in this world, which should be to the glory of his mercy, will give them matter of setting forth his praise, in showing some token of good upon them, as being those on whom he hath fixed his love, and to whom he will appear not only a Saviour, but salvation it self. Nothing but salvation; as the Sun is nothing but light, so whatsoever proceeds from him to them, tends to further salvation. All his ways towards them lead to that; which ways of his, though for a time they are secret, and not easily found out, yet at length God will be wonderful in them to the admiration of his enemies themselves, who shall be forced to say, God hath done great things for them; and all from this ground, that God is our God