3. Endeavour to make a true Observation, how those things which are in their own nature Hinderances to the Soul, are graciously and powerfully governed by God for our Souls profiting by them; that as the Apostle, I would ye should understand (e)brethren, that the things which happened to me, have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the Gospel. When Paul was first taken off from preaching, and cast into Prison, who would not at first hearing be ready to cry, Oh! many a poor Soul will rue this day, this is the blackest Cloud that ever darkened our Gospel day. The Apostle doth as it were tell 'em, They are greatly mistaken, at present, the same of his Sufferings rung through Court, City and Country; and persons were so far from forsaking the Truth through discouragement, that they boldly own the Gospel: And now was he more at leisure to write those Epistles which would benefit the Church in future Ages. But to bring this down to ordinary Christians: You know that groundless fears, and trembling mis-givings of heart are the ordinary diseases of a scrupulous Conscience; these now dispirit us, and hinder us from that cheerful behaviour that might render Religion more amiable, and so hinder the spreading of it. And besides this, Satan, that subtle Angler for Souls, strikes in with our Spiritual Diseases, and plies the Soul with next to overwhelming temptations; and he never fails of success through want of skill, or through want of industry: But blessed be God for over-ruling all this. God by but upholding the Soul under (not delivering the Soul from) its fears, keeps it humble, and makes it more useful throughout the whole course of its Regeneration: and as for the advantage that Satan takes, God is pleased to give the poor trembling Soul those experiences, that it is our sin not to take notice of them. e. g. That Christian that is in his own eyes the poorest, weakest, filliest Sheep in Christs Fold, shall out-wit Satan in all his Stratagems, and over-power him in all his Assaults, though he knows not how he does it: Thus, the poor Soul when he is hard beset, retreats to Christ, and though he dare not call his carriage an acting Faith upon Christ, Christ will own it as such, and reward it as such. For how is it that such a poor Soul hath held out so many years under its own fears and Satan's Temptations, but that Christ upheld both it, and its Faith?
3. Endeavour to make a true Observation, how those things which are in their own nature Hinderances to the Soul, are graciously and powerfully governed by God for our Souls profiting by them; that as the Apostle, I would ye should understand (e)brethren, that the things which happened to me, have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the Gospel. When Paul was first taken off from preaching, and cast into Prison, who would not at first hearing be ready to cry, Oh! many a poor Soul will rue this day, this is the blackest Cloud that ever darkened our Gospel day. The Apostle doth as it were tell 'em, They are greatly mistaken, at present, the same of his Sufferings rung through Court, City and Countrey; and persons were so far from forsaking the Truth through discouragement, that they boldly own the Gospel: And now was he more at leisure to write those Epistles which would benefit the Church in future Ages. But to bring this down to ordinary Christians: You know that groundless fears, and trembling mis-givings of heart are the ordinary diseases of a scrupulous Conscience; these now dispirit us, and hinder us from that chearful behaviour that might render Religion more amiable, and so hinder the spreading of it. And besides this, Satan, that subtile Angler for Souls, strikes in with our Spiritual Diseases, and plyes the Soul with next to overwhelming temptations; and he never fails of success through want of skill, or through want of industry: But blessed be God for over-ruling all this. God by but upholding the Soul under (not delivering the Soul from) its fears, keeps it humble, and makes it more usefull throughout the whole course of its Regeneration: and as for the advantage that Satan takes, God is pleased to give the poor trembling Soul those experiences, that it is our sin not to take notice of them. e. g. That Christian that is in his own eyes the poorest, weakest, filliest Sheep in Christs Fold, shall out-wit Satan in all his Stratagems, and over-power him in all his Assaults, though he knows not how he does it: Thus, the poor Soul when he is hard beset, retreats to Christ, and though he dare not call his carriage an acting Faith upon Christ, Christ will own it as such, and reward it as such. For how is it that such a poor Soul hath held out so many years under its own fears and Satans Temptations, but that Christ upheld both it, and its Faith?
- (e)Phil. 1.12.
