for he can, and will bring forth good out of all this seeming evil. At present, you are in the dark and see no light: yet, Trust in the Lord, and stay your self upon your God. Can Christ forget the purchase of his own blood, the price of his soul, those whom he hath so intimately endeared ⟨p. 49⟩to himself? Can a mother forget her sucking child? Yet, God cannot forget his. God hath loving and gracious intents in all this, and his bowels yearn towards his. Yes, our Saviour suffers with us, through his ardent love by sympathy, as well as he hath suffered for us. But, for your being berid of these thoughts, you know who hath all power in his hand who doth employ this power in a way of love towards his. This power is made yours through the prayer of faith: but, for your own work, do this.
First, Let not such thoughts have any time of abode in your mind; but turn them out, with all the loathing and abhorrence you can; but, not with so much trouble and disturbance of mind, as, I believe, you do. For, by this the Devil is pleased, and he makes you your own Tormentor.
Secondly, always then divert your thoughts to some good thing, and let those very injections be constantly the occasion of your more spiritual meditation. Think the quite contrary, or fall a praying with earnestness: and the Devil will be weary if he find his designs thus broken, and that those sparks of Hell (which he struck into the soul, to kindle and inflame corruption) do put warmth into grace, and set Faith and Prayer a working, when he perceives, that, what he intended as water to cool your love to God, proves like oil to make it flame the more vehemently ⟨p. 50⟩he will be discouraged. Thus resist him, and he will flee from you.
Thirdly, Consider that this is no new thing: For, we are not in this ignorant of Satan's wiles, that, if any soul hath escaped out of the chains of darkness, if he will have Heaven he shall have it with as much trouble, as the Devil can lay on; and if he and his had their wills, no good man should have one peaceable hour: But, blessed be God for his everlasting and unchangeable love to his that the Devil cannot pluck us out of those Almighty arms, with which he doth embrace his dear children.
Dear heart, my prayer for thee, is, that God would give thee the peaceable fruit of righteousness, after all thy afflictions;
for he can, and will bring forth good out of all this seeming evil. At present, you are in the dark and see no light: yet, Trust in the Lord, and stay your self upon your God. Can Christ forget the purchase of his own blood, the price of his soul, those whom he hath so intimately indeared ⟨p. 49⟩to himself? Can a mother forget her sucking child? Yet, God cannot forget his. God hath loving and gratious intents in all this, and his bowels yearn towards his. Yes, our Saviour suffers with us, through his ardent love by sympathy, as well as he hath suffered for us. But, for your being berid of these thoughts, you know who hath all power in his hand who doth imploy this power in a way of love towards his. This power is made yours through the prayer of faith: but, for your own work, do this.
First, Let not such thoughts have any time of abode in your mind; but turn them out, with all the loathing and abhorrence you can; but, not with so much trouble and disturbance of mind, as, I believe, you do. For, by this the Devil is pleased, and he makes you your own Tormentor.
Secondly, always then divert your thoughts to some good thing, and let those very injections be constantly the occasion of your more spiritual meditation. Think the quite contrary, or fall a praying with earnestness: and the Devil will be weary if he find his designs thus broken, and that those sparks of Hell (which he struck into the soul, to kindle and inflame corruption) do put warmth into grace, and set Faith and Prayer a working, when he perceives, that, what he intended as water to cool your love to God, proves like oyl to make it flame the more vehemently ⟨p. 50⟩he will be discouraged. Thus resist him, and he will flee from you.
Thirdly, Consider that this is no new thing: For, we are not in this ignorant of Satans wiles, that, if any soul hath escaped out of the chains of darkness, if he will have Heaven he shall have it with as much trouble, as the Devil can lay on; and if he and his had their wills, no good man should have one peaceable hour: But, blessed be God for his everlasting and unchangeable love to his that the Devil cannot pluck us out of those Almighty arms, with which he doth imbrace his dear children.
Dear heart, my prayer for thee, is, that God would give thee the peaceable fruit of righteousness, after all thy afflictions;
