7.  What if God be about to chasten thee thus for thy former negligence, security, and unwatchfulness, and giving too much advantage to those lusts, which now, after his awakening of thee, thou would be delivered from?  Should thou not bear the indignation of the Lord, because thou hast sinned against him, as the Church resolved to do, Micah vii. 9?

8.  Is it not thy duty the more that corruption stirs, to run with it the oftener to Christ, that he may subdue it and put it to silence?  May not thou improve this to thy advantage, by making many errands to him?

9.  May it not come in a day, that hath not come in a year?  Art thou sure, that all thy pains shall be in vain?  Or thinkest thou that all his children have got victory alike soon over their lusts?  What cause is there then to complain thus?

10.  May not all this convince thee, that it is thy duty to wait on him, in the use of his appointed means, and to be patient, standing fast to thy post, resolving, when thou hast done all, yet to stand?

11.  May not this satisfy thee, that God through grace accepteth thy labour and wrestling, as thy duty, and accounteth it service to him, and obedience?

But again, it may possibly be objected thus:  so long as I am in this condition, kept under with my lusts, I cannot get God glorified and served as he ought to be.

I answer, though so long as it is so with thee, thou cannot glorify and serve him, in such a particular manner as others, who have got more victory over those evils under which thou art groaning, yet God can get glory and service of thee another way; as,

1.  By thy submission, with calmness of spirit, to his wise dispensations, when thou dare not speak against him, and say, with Rebecca, in another case, if it be so, why am I thus?  But sweetly and willingly cast thyself down at his feet, saying, good is the will of the Lord; let him do what seemeth him good, &c.

2.  By thy patient on-waiting, when thou art not wearying nor fainting, but saying, why should I not wait upon the great King’s leisure?  Is he not free to come when he will?  Dare I set limits to the Holy One of Israel?

3.  By thy humility, when thou blessest him, for keeping thee so long out of hell, and thinkest much of his giving thee grace to see and observe the stirrings of corruption, which carnal wretches never perceive; and helping thee to withstand and complain of corruption, which they sweetly comply with.

4.  By thy hatred of sin, when all that Satan can do cannot make thee comply with those lusts, or sweetly embrace those vipers, or lie down in peace with those rotten members of the old man, as others do.

5.  By thy watchfulness, when all thy disappointments cause thee the more earnestly watch against that enemy.

6.  By thy acting faith, when still thou art carrying sin in its lusts to Christ to kill and subdue, as believing the tenor of the gospel and new covenant.