th done to remove all those discouragements.

3. Show how the soul should make use of Christ for life in this case;
and,

4. Add a few words of caution.

As to the _first_, there are several things which may give occasion to
this distemper; we shall name those few:

1. The sense of a strong, active, lively, and continually stirring body
of death, and that notwithstanding of means used to bear it down and
kill it. This is very discouraging; for it made Paul cry out, "Woe is
me, miserable man, who shall deliver me from this body of death?" Rom.
vii. 24. It is a most discouraging thing to be still fighting, and yet
getting no ease, let be victory; to have to do with an enemy that abides
always alike strong, fight and oppose as we will, yea, not only is not
weakened, far less overcome, but that groweth in power, and prevaileth.
And this many times affecteth the hearts of God's children and causeth
them to faint.

2. It may be the case of some, that they are assaulted with strange
temptations and buffettings of Satan that are not usual. This made Paul
cry out thrice, 2 Cor. xii.; and if the Lord had not told him that his
grace was sufficient for him, what would he have done? Hence some of his
cry out in their complaint, was there ever any so tempted, so assaulted
with the devil, as I am? Sure this dispensation cannot but be much
afflicting, saddening and discouraging.

3. The sense of the real weakness of grace under lively means, and
notwithstanding of their serious and earnest desires and endeavours
after growth in grace, cannot but disquiet and discourage them: for they
may readily conclude, that all their pains and labour shall be in vain
for any thing they can observe.

4. The want of sensible incomes of joy and comfort is another fainting
and discouraging dispensation; as the feeling of these is a
heart-strengthening and most encouraging thing, which made David so
earnestly cry for it, Psal. li. 8, 12; when a poor soul that hath the
testimony of his own conscience, that it hath been in some measure of
singleness of heart and honestly seeking the face of God for a good many
years, and yet cannot say that ever it knew what those incomes of joy
and comfort meant which some have tasted largely of, it cannot choose
but be discouraged and much cast down, as not knowing what to say of
itself, or how to judge of its own case.

5. The want of access in their addresses to God, is another
heart-discouraging thing. They