266 CONTEMPLATION PROMOTED men ? And is there such a glory within the reach of hope? Why then do I not lay hold upon it ? Where is the cheerful vigour of my spirit ? \V hy do I not gird up tite loins of my mind? (z) \'V hy don't I set upon my ene- mies on every side; and valiantly break through all re- sistance.? 'What should stop nie, or intimidate me? Is God with me or against me in the work ? Will Christ stand by me, or will he not ? " If God and Christ be for me, whocan beagaiistme ? "(a) In the work of sin, almost all things are ready to help us, and only God and his servants are against us; yet how ill doth that work pros- per in our hands! But in my course to heaven, almost all things are against me, but God is for me; and therefore now happily doth the work succeed ! Do I 'set upon this Work in my own strength, or rather in the strength of Christ my Lord? " And cannot I doallthings through him that strengthens me?"(b) Washeeverfoiled by an enemy ? He hath indeed been assaulted, but was he ever conquered? Why then loth my flesh urge me with the difficulties of the work? Is any thing too hard for Omnipotence? May not Peter boldly walk on the sea, if Christ give the word of command ? If he begin to sink, is it from the weakness of Christ, or the smallness of his faith ? Do I not well deserve to be turned into hell, if mortal threats can drive me thither? Do I not well deserve to be shut out of heaven, if' I will be frighted from thence with the reproach of tongues ? What if it were father, or mother, or husband, or wife, or the nearest friend I have in the world, if they may be called friends, that would draw me to damnation, should I not forsake all that would keep me from Christ? Will their friendship countervail the enmity of God, or be any comfort to my condemned soul? Shall I he yielding to the desires of men, and, only harden myself against the Lord ? Let them beseech me upon their knees, I will scorn -to stop my course to behold them; I will shut my ears to their cries : Let them flatter or frown, let them draw out tongues or swords against me: I am resolved in the strength of Christ to break through and look upon them as dust: If they would entice me (x) I Pet. i.I. (a) Rom. vni. 31. (b) Phil.. iv. 13.
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