'2 !0 Cafes about Self-judging. CHAP. XXXIV. [ afes a11d 1)ireflious about Self-judging. Tit. 1. Cafes of ConfcieiCce about Self-judging. BEcaufe J have faid fo much of this fubjed: in the third Part of my Saints Rej!, and in a "fmt• tifr of Self-acquaimance, and in my Direllionr for Peace ofConfoience, and btfore in this Book l llu ll behere: the briefer in it. ' Q!ell. •· What art the u[es and rtafom of [elfjudging, which jhould mevt '" toit l • Anfrv. hi the three fordaid Treatifes I have opened them at large. In a word, without it, we fhall be (\rangers tO our fclves; we can have no we.ll grounded comfort, no true repentance and hu... miliation, no jufi ellimation of Chrifi and Grace, no jufi obfervance of the motions ofGods Spitit, no true application of the Promifes or Threatning• of the Scripture, yea, we !hall perve~t them all to our own definH5tion ; no true underfianding ot the Providence of God, in profperity or adver– firy ; no jull: acquaintance with our duty : A man that knoweth not himfelf, can know neither God nor any thing aright, nor do any thing aright; he can neither live rcafonably, honellly, fafely nor comFortably, nor !itffer or dye with folid peace. Qtcll. ~. Wb., Jhould ig~or.nt pcr[ons do, w~o[o natural capacity wiR not rtacb to fobigb a,.,.,~;., ., tohJ an4 judge tbemfllveJ in ~atters fo [ublin;e l Anfw. 1. There is no one who hath mfon and part• furlicient to Love God, and hate fin, and I ve a holy lif,, and believe in Chrifi, but he hath reafon and partS fufficicnt to know ( by the ufc Of jgll mea,ns J whether he do thefc things indeed or not. 2 · He that ~annat reach a~rance mutl tah up with th~ lower degrccs of comfort, of which I !ball fpeak in the Dire6tions. Q>r•A. 3· How f•r may a weak Cb,ij!ian tal\! tbe judgemm~ of othm, whether hi< Pajlor or judicio., •cqu;1illt.zt.tct, about h.is jujfijication and frm:rrity l . . '; ( . . 4 •![w. 1· No mans j~,;~dgemmt muUbe taken as mfalhble a_hout the (mcenty of another; nor mufi lt he {o far rcfied on, as w n~glcd your fulleA: fearch your fclf : And for the ma~tc:r of fati, what yo~ ha\l'c done, qr what is in yott, no man can_be fowc.ll a~:quainted with it as your felves. 2 • But ip judg>pg wl1<thcr thofc acts ot Grace which you defcr:ibe, be fuch as God bath promifcd falvation tq, and ip direeb ng you in your felf-judging, and in ·conjetturing at your fincerity by your ex· prellions and your lives, a faithful friend oil'a!lor m~y.do that, w.hich may much fupport you, and relieve you again{\ inordinate doubts and fears, and,£hew you that your fincerity is very probablt:. Efp<ciJI!y if you arc affiued that you tell him nothing hut the truth your felves; and if he be one rhat is ;~cqulintcd with you and your life, and hat~ known you i~ temptations, and one that is skil... ful in the matlers of God and confcience, and one that is truly Judicious, experienced and fa~th· fu l, and is not by.dfed by i~h:~c~ or affection; and efpecially when he is not fingular in his judge· nlCnt, but rhe gtncraliry of JUdiCIOus perfons who know you, are of the fame mind; In this a fc you may take much comfort in his judgement ofyour juititiciltion) though it canoot give you any pro.. per certainty, nor is w be abfolutcly rdled in. TiE.::.
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