“This,” said Mr. Greatheart, “is like doing business in great waters, or like going down into the deep; this is like being in the heart of the sea, and like going down to the bottom of the mountains; now it seems as if the earth with its bars were about us for ever.  But let them that walk in darkness and have no light, trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon their God.  For my part, I have often gone through this valley, and have been much harder put to it than now I am; and yet you see I am alive.  I would not boast, for that I am not my own saviour; but I trust we shall have a good deliverance.  Come, let us pray for light to Him that can lighten our darkness, and can rebuke not only these, but all the devils in hell.”  So they cried and prayed, and God sent light and deliverance.

The Christian doubting.

It is a rare thing for some Christians to see their graces, but a thing very common for such to see their sins, yea, and to feel them too in their lusts and desires, to the shaking of their souls.

Question.  But since I have lusts and desires both ways, how shall I know to which my soul adheres?

Answer.  This may be known thus: 

1.  Which wouldest thou have prevail; the desires of the flesh, or the lusts of the spirit?  Whose side art thou of?  Doth thy soul now inwardly say, and that with a strong indignation, “Oh, let God, let grace, let my desires that are good, prevail against my flesh, for Jesus Christ’s sake?”

2.  What kind of secret wishes hast thou in thy soul, when thou feelest the lusts of thy flesh to rage?  Dost thou not inwardly, and with indignation against sin, say, “O that I might never, never feel one such motion more.  O that my soul were so full of grace, that there might be no longer room for even the least lust to come into my thoughts?”

3.  What kind of thoughts hast thou of thyself, now thou seest those desires of thine that are good so briskly opposed by those that are bad?  Dost thou not say, “Oh, I am the basest of creatures; I could even spew at myself.  There is no man in all the world, in my eyes, so loathsome as myself is.  I abhor myself; a toad is not so vile as I am.  O Lord, let me be any thing but a sinner; any thing, so thou subduest mine iniquities for me?”

4.  How dost thou like the discovery of that which thou thinkest is grace in other men!  Dost thou not cry out, “Oh, I bless them in my heart!  Oh, methinks grace is the greatest beauty in the world!  Yea, I could be content to live and die with those people that have the grace of God in their souls.  A hundred times, and a hundred when I have been upon my knees before God, I have desired, were it the will of God, that I might be in their condition?”

5.  How art thou, when thou thinkest that thou thyself hast grace?  “Oh, then,” says the soul, “I am as if I could leap out of myself; joy, joy, joy then is in my heart.  It is, methinks, the greatest mercy under heaven to be made a gracious man.”