Page:Comer's conflict, or, The beginner's battle with the devil, when essaying to come to Christ by faith.pdf/5

 The Beginner's Cor an, and would tear him to pieces. Therefore think not range that beginners in religion, and ſuch as are coming, but lately come to Chriſt, or even thoſe who have come ormerly, and are coming again to him, may be mightily Taulted by all the powers of hell. So long as people re- pain at a diſtance from Chriſt, the Devil does not meddle with them: He keeps the houſe, and the goods are at peace: ut, in coming to Chriſt, they may lay their account with ery darts; when we expect the Lord is about to remove a ne burden, lie may lay on another, that he may have w the more mercy on 18. III. The third head propoſed, was to enquire into the realone whence it is that people, who come to Chriſt for help, and whom he undertakes to help, may find their iſtreſs grow before their deliverance come.. Whatever w nalicious hand the Devil hath in this matter, God hath f holy hand in permitting it. 3. It is to fhew his wifdom and power. (1.) It is to manifeſt his wiſdom ; how he can advance is work, by the ſtors in the way of it; and curich his Wheople, by impoveriſhing them; enlarge them, by impri- woning them; and give them meat out of the eater, and ſweet ut of the ſtrong. (2.) it is to evince his power, and how he can ſupport them under, and deliver them from their diſtreſs, which would not appear ſo much, if their diſtre's came not to a height. He ſuffers them to be dejected and torn, that his wiſdom and power may appear the more evidently in lifting them up and healing them. 2. It is to check the unbelief that attends our faith in coming to Chriſt. Sometimes when we commit our caſe to him by faith, we do not exerciſe this faith to a patient waiting for the Lord, Chriſt's firſt word to his people is, Come to me, Mat. xi. 28. His laſt word is, Abide in me, John xv. 4. It is well done to come, but alas! we do not abide ; and therefore to check our unbelief in coming, as lif it were, but a ſtep, and going back the next ſtep, lie. ſhews the need of going forward, by letting looſe the en- emy, and ſuffering matters to grow worſe with us. 3. It is to raiſe the worth and esteem of his mercies in the hearts of thoſe that come to him. We do not know the worth of a mercy, till we be deprived of it, nor the