Page:Comer's conflict, or, The beginner's battle with the devil, when essaying to come to Christ by faith.pdf/6

 To comer's Confur; or, worth of deliverance, till the diſtreſs be extremely great help then is highly eſteemed, when we can fay, I was brought low and he helped me. 4. It is to try our faith, whether or not it be ſuch will not only come to Chill, but alſo ſtay with him till he work the deliverance; and if we can keep our eye upos the deliverer, when the deliverance is delayed, our eye upon the promiſe, when croſs providences appear, and can hope againſt hope. He deſigns the trial of faith for the preſent, and a more glorious iſſue hereafter. IV. The fourth head propoſed, was to make ſome ap- plication. Is it ſo, that people who come to Christ, and whom he undertakes to heal and help, may have their dif-. sreſs growing on their hand before their deliver ance come, which yet will certainly come? Hence fee, 1. What a cruel enemy the Devil is to immortal fouls and their eternal ſalvation. For whenever a foul begins to mind religion in earneſt, and to come to Chriſt for help and deliverance, then that foul becomes the object of the Devil's ſpite and malice. As long as people remain grace- leſs, and Chriſtleſs, and formal, the Devil will let them en- joy themſelves, and hug them aſleep in their ſecurity: but whenever they begin to come to Chriſt, then he will at- tempt to caſt them down and tear them, and ſtir up all his wicked inſtruments, either to diſcourage and ridicule them, or to tear their name and reputation to pieces, and to per- ſecute them with tongue or hand, and raiſe a hue and a cry againſt them, as if they were turned diſtracted and out of their wits. As they are coming, the Devil throws them down and tears them. 2. Hence ſee the reaſon of all the melancholy moods, heavy damps, and great diſcouragements of many begin- ners, that are ſetting on in the Lord's way; tho viſdom's ways be ways of pleaſantneſs, yet Satan, who is a liar from the beginning, would make the world believe, that it is a bitter and unpleaſant way, and that the beginning of religion is but the beginning of ſorrow. 3. Hence fee the difference between the conviction of the Spirit and the temptation of Satan, and the difference between the diſtreſs of the foul, that ariſes from a law. work before converſation, and that which ariſes from the aſ- ſault of the enemy of our ſalvation; whenever conviction