2. Consider also that he has made a beginning with thy soul to
reconcile thee to God, and to that end has bestowed his justice upon
thee, put his Spirit within thee, and begun to make the unwieldable
mountain and rock, thy heart, to turn towards him and desire after
him, to believe in him and rejoice in him.

3. Consider also that some comfortable pledges of his love thou
hast already received; namely, as to feel the sweetness of his love,
as to see the light of his countenance, as to be made to know his
power in raising thee when thou wast down, and how he has made thee
to stand while hell has been pushing at thee utterly to overthrow
thee.

4. Thou mayst consider also, that what remains behind of the work of
thy salvation in his hands, as it is the most easy part, is so the
most comfortable, and that part which will more immediately issue in
his glory; and therefore he will mind it.

5. That which is behind is also more safe in his hand than if it was
in thine own. He is wise, he is powerful, he is faithful, and
therefore will manage that part that is lacking to our salvation
well, until he has completed it. It is his love to thee has made him
that he putteth no trust in thee: he knows that he can himself bring
thee to his kingdom most surely, and therefore has not left that
work to thee, no, not any part thereof.

Live in hope, then, in a lively hope, that since Christ is risen
from the dead he lives to make intercession for thee; and that thou
shalt reap the blessed benefit of this twofold salvation that is
wrought and that is working out for thee by Jesus Christ our Lord.