Page:The Pilgrim's Progress, the Holy War, Grace Abounding Chunk3.djvu/42

42 art thou deceived! It is not for such as thee to have favour with the Highest.

110. Then hath the tempter come upon me also with such discouragements as these: You are very hot for mercy, but I will cool you; this frame shall not last always; many have been as hot as you for a spirt, but I have quenched their zeal; and with this, such and such, who were fallen off, would be set before mine eyes. Then I would be afraid that I should do so too; but thought I, I am glad this comes into my mind. Well, I Will watch, and take what care I can. Though you do, saith Satan, I shall be too hard for you: I will cool you insensibly, by degrees, by little and little. What care I, saith he, though I be seven years in chilling your heart, if I can do it at last? Continually rocking will lull a crying child asleep: I will ply it close, but I will have end accomplished; Though you be burning hot at present, yet I can pull you from this fire; I shall have you cold before it be long.

111. These things brought me into great straits; for as I could not find myself fit for present death, so I thought to live long would make me yet more unfit; for time would make me forget all, even the remembrance of the evil of sin, the worth of heaven, and the need I had of the blood of Christ to wash me. But I thank Christ Jesus these things did not; make slack my crying, but rather did put me more upon: it,like her who met with the adulterer. (Deut. xxii. 27.) In which days that was a good word to me, after I had suffered these things a while: "I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers nor present, nor, things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. viii. 38, 39). And now I hoped long life would not destroy me, nor make me miss of heaven.

112. Yet I had some supports in this temptation, though