he Lord may think good to dispense so with some, that he may give
a full proof of his wonderfully great patience and long-suffering in
bearing with such, and that so long.

6. As also to demonstrate his sovereignty, in measuring out his
dispensations to his own, as he seeth will most glorify himself.

_Next,_ Satan hath an active hand in this; for,

1. He raiseth up clouds and mists in the believer, so that he cannot see
the work of God within himself, and so is made to cry out, that he hath
no grace, and that all was but delusions and imaginations, which he
looked upon as grace before.

2. He raiseth up in them jealousies of God, and of all his ways, and
puts a false gloss and construction on all which God doth, to the end he
may confirm them in their jealousies, which they have drunk in of God.

3. Having gained this ground, he worketh then upon their corruption with
very great advantage; and thus driveth them from evil to worse, and not
only to question their perfect interest in Christ, but also to quit all
hope for the time to come.

4. This being done, he driveth the soul yet farther, and filleth it with
prejudices against God and his glorious truths; and from this he can
easily bring them to call all in question.

5. Yea, he will represent God as an enemy to them; and when this is
done, how easy it is with him to put them on desperate courses, and
cause them to speak wickedly and desperately of God.

6. And when this is done, he can easily darken the understanding, that
the poor soul shall not see the glory of the gospel, and of the covenant
of grace, nor the lustre and beauty of holiness: yea, and raise
prejudices against the same, because there is no hope of partaking of
the benefit thereof; and so bring them on, to a plain questioning of
all, as mere delusions.

7. And when he hath gotten them brought this length, he hath fair
advantage to make them question if there be a God, and so drive them
forward to atheism. And thus deceitfully he can carry the soul from one
step to another.

But, _third,_ there are many sinful causes of this within the man's
self; as,

1. Pride and haughtiness of mind, as thinking their mountain standeth so
strong, that it cannot be moved. And this provoketh God to hide his
face, as Psalm xxx.

2. Self-confidence, a concomitant of pride, supposing themselves to be
so well rooted that they cannot be shaken, whereas it were better for
them to walk in fear.

3. Want of wat