The Soul's Conflict with Itself

And this their malice was unwearied, for they said daily unto him, as if it had been fed with a continual spring: malice is an unsatiable monster, it will minister words, as rage ministers weapons. But what was that they said so reproachfully? and said daily? Where is ¹now thy God? they upbraid him with his singularity, they say not now, where is God? but, where is thy God, that thou dost boast so much on? as if thou hadst some special interest in Him. Where we see that the scope of the devil and wicked men is to shake the godlies Faith and confidence in their God. As Satan laboured to divide betwixt Christ and his Father. If thou ⟨p. 18⟩beest the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. So he labours to ²divide betwixt Father, and Son, and us; they labour to bring God in jealousy with David, as if God had neglected him, bearing himself so much upon God. They had some colour of this, for God at this time had veiled himself from David, as he does oft from his best children for the better discovery of the malice of wicked men: And ³doth not Satan tip the tongues of the enemies of Religion now, to insult over the Church now lying a bleeding? What becomes of their Reformation, of their Gospel? Nay, rather whats become of your eyes, we may say unto them? For God is nearest to his children when he seems furthest off. In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen, God is ⁴with them and in them, though the wicked be not aware of it; it is all one, as if one should say betwixt the space of the new and old Moon, where is now the Moon? when as it is never nearer the Sun then at that time.

And this their malice was unwearied, for they said daily unto him, as if it had beene fed with a continuall spring: malice is an unsatiable monster, it will minister words, as rage ministers weapons. But what was that they said so reproachfully? and said daily? Where is ¹now thy God? they upbraid him with his singularity, they say not now, where is God? but, where is thy God, that thou dost boast so much on? as if thou hadst some speciall interest in Him. Where we see that the scope of the devill and wicked men is to shake the godlies Faith and confidence in their God. As Satan laboured to divide betwixt Christ and his Father. If thou