Poetical fragments heart-employment with God and it selfPoetical fragments heart-imployment with God and it self

Sinner. I fear I do not these thy terms fulfil; And have not truly a Consenting Will: Because so great averseness I still find, To God and Holiness upon my mind; Such deadness to Believe, Love, and Repent, That there seems more of Hatred than Consent. Necessity and Reason use a force Against my Will and Nature's bent and source.

Sinner. I fear I do not these thy terms fulfil; And have not truly a Consenting Will: Because so great averseness I still find, To God and Holiness upon my mind; Such deadness to Believe, Love, and Repent, That there seems more of Hatred than Consent. Necessity and Reason use a force Against my Will and Nature's bent and sourse.

Jesus. No man can conquer and obtain Salvation, But by resisting carnal inclination. Fleshly desires run with speedy course, And need not Faith's or Reason's help and force. Earthward you sink propensly as a cold; But not so easily ascend to God. One motion's downward; th' other's all uphill; Against the bias of the carnal will. Too much of flesh remaineth in the best: Some enmity to good sticks in their breast: Something of Hatred, even to God and Grace, Contends with Love, and troubleth your race. In the most mortified, the flesh yet liveth, And constantly against the Spirit striveth: You cannot hear, read, meditate, or pray, Or any thing that's good, think, do, or say; But Flesh makes war, and stiffly doth resist, And would prevail, did not my Grace assist. ⟨p. 116⟩Conflict and Conquest of this in-bred Foe, Must be the way of all the good you do. The Question is not, Whether Flesh do strive? But, Whether after Flesh or Spirit you live? It is not opposition that will prove That thou art void of Faith, or Hope, or Love. The Law that's in thy Members will still find Weapons against the Law that's in thy Mind: The Flesh will so rebel, and put thee to it, That when thou wouldst do good, thou canst not do it. There's in one breast a twofold Will and Heart, Acting each of them a contrary part: There is a Will to Good, and Will to evil: One's Ruled by God, the other by the Devil. A Will to read, and pray, and meditate; A Will that doth all this oppose and hate. Do not now stand and whine, nor yield, nor fly; But use thy weapons: thou must fight or die. Now live by Faith: Be glad thou hast a Christ, Whose Spirit fortifies thee to resist: Making the greatest things thy chiefest scope; Keeping alive a secret spark of Hope; Which will not only strive, but overcome; And through all Foes will safely bring thee home.