The Christian in Complete Armour

First, Christian, do not judge grace to be fallen weaker, because thy sense of corruption is grown stronger: This oft lies at the bottom ⟨p. 342⟩of poor souls complaints in this case O they never felt pride, hypocrisy and other corruptions so haunt them as now; none knows how they are vexed with these, and the like besides themselves. Now let me ask thee who makest this sad moan, whether thou doest not think these corruptions were in thee before thou didst thus feel them? how oft hast thou prayed as formally, and not been troubled? how oft hast thou stood chatting with the same lusts, and thy soul hath not been laid low before the Lord with such abasement of thy self as now? deal faithfully between God and thy soul, and tell not a lie for God by bearing false witness against thy self. If it be thus, thou hast rather a comfortable sign of grace growing then decaying. Sin cannot be on the getting hand, if the sense of sin grow quick; this is the concomitant of a thriving soul, none so full of complaints of their own hearts as such; the least sin goes now to their very souls, which makes them think viler of themselves then ever▪ but it is not the increase of sin in them, but the advance of their love to Christ makes them judge so: when the Sun shines with some power, and the year gets up, we observe, though we may have frosts and snow, yet they do not lie long, but are soon dissolved by the Sun, O 'tis a sweet sign that the love of Christ shines with a force upon thy soul, that no corruptions can lie long in thy bosom, but they melt into sorrow and bitter complaints. That is the decaying soul where sin lies bound up and frozen, little sense of, or sorrow for it appears.

Frist, Christian, do not judge grace to be fallen weaker, because thy sense of corruption is grown stronger: This oft lies at the bottome ⟨p. 342⟩of poor souls complaints in this case O they never felt pride, hypocrisie and other corruptions so haunt them as now; none knows how they are vexed with these, and the like besides themselves. Now let me ask thee who makest this sad moane, whether thou doest not think these corruptions were in thee before thou didst thus feel them? how oft hast thou prayed as formally, and not been troubled? how oft hast thou stood chatting with the same lusts, and thy soule hath not been laid low before the Lord with such abasement of thy self as now? deal faithfully between God and thy soule, and tell not a lie for God by bearing false witnesse against thy self. If it be thus, thou hast rather a comfortable signe of grace growing then decaying. Sin cannot be on the getting hand, if the sense of sin grow quick; this is the concomitant of a thriving soul, none so full of complaints of their own hearts as such; the least sin goes now to their very soules, which makes them think viler of themselves then ever but it is not the increase of sin in them, but the advance of their love to Christ makes them judge so: when the Sun shines with some power, and the year gets up, we observe, though we may have frosts and snow, yet they do not lie long, but are soon dissolved by the Sun, O 'tis a sweet signe that the love of Christ shines with a force upon thy soule, that no corruptions can lie long in thy bosome, but they melt into sorrow and bitter complaints. That is the decaying soul where sinne lies bound up and frozen, little sense of, or sorrow for it appears.