The Soul's Conflict with Itself

That thou shouldst follow after him with the stronger faith and prayer, he withdraws himself, that thou shouldst be the more earnest in seeking after him. God speaks the sweetest comfort to the heart in the wilderness. Happily thou art not yet low enough, nor purged enough. Thy affections are not throughly crucified to the world, and therefore it will not yet appear that it is Gods good will to deliver thee. Wert thou a fit subject of mercy, God would bestow it on thee.

That thou shouldst follow after him with the stronger faith and prayer, hee withdrawes himself, that thou shouldst bee the more earnest in seeking after him. God speakes the sweetest comfort to the heart in the wildernesse. Happily thou art not yet low enough, nor purged enough. Thy affections are not throughly crucified to the world, and therefore it will not yet appeare that it is Gods good will to deliver thee. Wert thou a fit subject of mercy, God would bestow it on thee.

But what ground hast thou to build thy self so strongly upon God?

But what ground hast thou to build thy selfe so strongly upon God?

He hath offered, and made himself ⟨p. 571⟩to be [My God,] and so hath showed himself in former times; And I have made him My God, by yielding him his Sovereignty in my heart. Besides the present evidence of his blessed spirit, clearing the same, and many peculiar tokens of his love, which I daily do enjoy; though sometimes the beams of his favour are eclipsed. Those that are Gods, besides their interest and right in him, have oft a sense of the same even in this life, as a fore-taste of that which is to come. To the seal of grace stamped upon their hearts, God super-adds a fresh seal of joy and comfort, by the presence and witness of his Spirit. And shows likewise some outward token for good upon them, whereby he makes it appear, that he hath set a part him that is godly for himself,