Sacramental meditations upon divers select places of scripture

Fourthly; By these things gracious souls are greatly puzzled and perplexed about their estate and condition. This is the fountain of their fears and doubtings. O, when a man feels such deadness in his heart towards God, such stiffness in his will to the will of God, such a listless careless temper to all that is spiritual? How (thinks he) can this consist with a renewed state and temper? Sure no Christian is troubled with such an heart as mine is; especially when it shall be found in its ordinary course so free, nimble, and indefatigable in its pursuits and entertainments of things sensual and earthly. There it is as the Chariots of Aminadab, but here, like Pharaohs Chariots; there it as much needs the Curb, as it doth the ⟨p. 48⟩Spur here. Lord, saith the poor soul, I know not what to do: If I do not look into my heart I cannot be sincere; and if I do, I can have no comfort. This is a sad perplexity indeed.

Fourthly; By these things gracious souls are greatly puzled and perplexed about their estate and condition. This is the fountain of their fears and doubtings. O, when a man feels such deadness in his heart towards God, such stiffness in his will to the will of God, such a listless careless temper to all that is spiritual? How (thinks he) can this consist with a renewed state and temper? Sure no Christian is troubled with such an heart as mine is; especially when it shall be found in its ordinary course so free, nimble, and indefatigable in its persuits and entertainments of things sensual and earthly. There it is as the Chariots of Aminadab, but here, like Pharoahs Chariots; there it as much needs the Curb, as it doth the ⟨p. 48⟩Spur here. Lord, saith the poor soul, I know not what to do: If I do not look into my heart I cannot be sincere; and if I do, I can have no comfort. This is a sad perplexity indeed.

Fifthly and lastly: By these things the Spirit of God is grieved, and that which grieves him cannot but be a grief and burden to us: His motions are quenched by these Corruptions, his sanctifying designs (as much as lies in us) obstructed by them, surely then there is cause enough why a Christian should follow every vain thought with a deep sigh, and every stirring of unbelief with a sad tear.