USE FIFTH Part 2
And since the whole world has slighted and despised, and counted foolish the thoughts and cogitations wherewith thy soul is exercised, what strong and mighty supporter is it upon and with which thou bearest up thy spirit, and takest encouragement in this forlorn, unoccupied, and singular way? for so, I daresay, it is with the most; but certainly it is something above thyself, and that is more mighty to uphold thee than is the power, rage, and malice of all the world to cast thee down, or else thou couldst not bear up, now wind and weather, now the stream and the force thereof are against thee.
Objection 1. 'I know my soul is an excellent thing, and that the world to come and its glories, even in the smallest glimpse thereof, do swallow up all the world that is here; my heart also doth greatly desire to be exercised about the thoughts of eternity, and I count myself never better than when my poor heart is filled with them; as for the rage and fury of this world, it swayeth very little with me, for my heart comes to a point; but yet, for all that, I meet with many discouragements, and such things that indeed do weaken my strength in the way.'
But, brave soul, pray, tell me what the things are that discourage you and weaken your strength in the way?
The amazing greatness of this enterprise is one thing. I am now pursuing things of the highest, the greatest, the most enriching nature, even eternal things; and the thoughts of their greatness drown me; for when the heat of my spirit in the pursuit after them is a little returned and abated, I think I hear myself talking thus to myself: Fond fool! canst thou imagine that such a gnat, a flea, or or or a pismire as thou art, can take and possess the heavens, and mantle thyself up in the eternal glories? If thou makest first a trial of the success of thy endeavors upon things far lower, more base, but much easier to obtain, as crowns, kingdoms, earldoms, dukedoms, gold, silver, or the like, how vain are these attempts of thine; and yet thou thinkest to possess thy soul of heaven! Away, away! By the height thereof, thou mayest well conclude it is far above thy reach; and by the breadth thereof, it is too large for thee to grasp; and by the nature of the excellent glory thereof, it is too good for thee to possess. These are the thoughts that sometimes discourage me, and weaken my strength.
Answer. The greatness of thy undertaking does but show the nobleness of thy soul, in that it cannot, will not, be content with such low and dry things as the baseborn spirits that are of the world can and do content themselves with. And as to the greatness of the things thou aimest at, though they are, err, they are true, things that have not their like, yet they are not too big for God to give, and He has promised to give them to the soul that seeketh Him; yea, He hath prepared the kingdom, given the kingdom, and laid up in the kingdom of heaven, the things that thy soul longeth for, presseth after, and cannot be content without (Luke 7:32; Matt 25:14; Col 1:5; 1 Peter 1:4). As for thy making a trial of the successfulness of thy endeavors upon things more interim and base, that is but a trick of the old deceiver. God has refused to give His children the great, brave, and glorious things of this world, a few only accepted because He has prepared some better things for them (1 Cor 1:27; Heb 11:36-40). Wherefore faint not, but let thy hand be strong, for thy work shall be rewarded (Gal 6:9). And since thy soul is at work for soul-things, for divine and eternal things, God will give them to thee; thou art not of the number of them that draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul; thou shalt receive the end of thy faith, the salvation of thy soul (Heb 10:39; 1 Peter 1:8,9).
