A53713:1078
Of Communion with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Of communion with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, each person distinctly in love, grace, and consolation, or, The saints fellowship with the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, unfolded by John Owen ...Of communion with God the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost, each person distinctly in love, grace, and consolation, or, The saints fellowship with the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost, unfolded by John Owen ...
Oxford: printed by A. Lichfield for Tho. Robinson, 1657
Part 3 › Chapter 8: Particular Directions for Communion with the Holy Ghost.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. Secondly what is the best of their resolves and enduring? it is but a contending with God, who hath entangled them; the struggling of a flea under a mountain. Yea though on out ward considerations and principles, they endeavour after patience and ⟨p. 319⟩tolerance; yet all is but a contending with God; a striving to be quiet under that which God hath sent on purpose to disturb them: God doth not afflict men without the Spirit, to exercise their patience; but to disturb their peace, and security All their arming themselves with patience and resolution, is but to keep the hold, that God will cast them out of; or else make them the nearer to ruin. This is the best of their consolation in the time of their trouble.
2. Secondly what is the best of their resolves and enduring? it is but a contending with God, who hath entangled them; the strugling of a flea under a mountaine. Yea though on out ward considerations and principles, they endeavour after patience and ⟨p. 319⟩tolerance; yet all is but a contending with God; a striving to be quiet under that which God hath sent on purpose to disturbe them: God doth not afflict men without the Spirit, to exercise their patience; but to disturbe their peace, and security All their arming themselves with patience and resolution, is but to keep the hold, that God will cast them out of; or else make them the nearer to ruine. This is the best of their consolation in the time of their trouble.
3. Thirdly, if they do promise to themselves any thing of the care of God towards them, and relieve themselves thereby, as they often do on one account or another, (especially when they are driven from other holds) all their relief is but like the dreaming of an hungry man, who supposeth that he eateth and drinketh, and is refreshed; but when he awaketh, he is empty, and disappointed. So are they as to all their relief, that they promise to receive from God, and the support which they seem to have from him. When they are awaked at the latter day and see all things clearly, they will find that God was their enemy, laughing at their calamity, and mocking when their fear was on them.