SeeTom. I• cb.,. Tit. 10. Ofderp:air. Dire/1.1. TJireflions for doubting 'fearful C!Jrijlians. 'I ,, CHAP. XXV. :Dire8ions for Jeai[ttl .trottbled ji1icerity imd juftificatioll• . ChrijliaiiS that , are perp!e~i~ ~qit/J doubts of their . ., '-I ·"~'' ,,. 9· r. HAving Directed Famities in the Duties of thcir'Relations, and in the_right Worfhipping of God, I fhall fpeak fomethmg of the fpwal dums of fome Chnllians, who in re– gard of their ftate of foul and Body. have fpecial need of help and counfcl. As, r. The Doubting •ro11bled Chrijli.m. 2· The Declining or Backfli.diug Chrifiian ; 3· The Poor• .4· The Aged. 5· The Sick. 6. And thofe that are about the fick and dying. Though thefe mrght feem tO belong rather to the firll Tome, yet betaufe I would have thnf< Directions lye here together, which the {everat fortsot perfons in Familifl mofi need, I have chofen to rcferve 1hem rather to this place. The fpecial dutit.f of the Strong, the Rich, and lhc Yombful and Healthfiel, 1 omit, becaufe 1 tind the Book grow big, and you may ~ather them from what is f.1id before, on fe~ v<ral fuch fubjcct•. "And the Dirdlio111 which I Ou\1 hrfl givo to <k.rtbting Chrijlians, !hall be but a few brief memorials, becal.lft: I h<~ve done that work.already, in my DirtliionJ or Metbod for Pta:c of Confcience and fpiritu Jl comfurt: And much is here faid be{ore, in the Directions againfi. M~lancholy and D.fpair. 9· 2· Dirctt. r. Find out the fpccia_l c.m[e of yoHr doHbt.t and troubles, and bend moft of your en· JeavQurs to remove tbo~t c:mfe. The lame Cure will not ferve for every doubting foul, no nor for every one that hath the very fame doubt• : For the CaH[<J may be v.rioMJ, though the doubts fhould be the fame : and the doubts will be continued while the caufe remainech. 9· 1· r. In fome perfons the chief caufe is a timeroiH, fl'taJt a~td pa.!Jionate temper cf hody and mind; which in fome ( efFccially of the weaker Sex) is fo N.llural a diti:afe that there is no hope of a total cure; Though yet we mull direct and fupport fuch as well as we are able-. Thefe perfons have fa weal(. ll Head, and fuch powerful p.zJ!ionJ, that Paffion is their life; and a'cording to Paf– fion they judge of thcmfelves, and of all their duti<s. They are ordinarily very high or ""Y kw: full of joy, or finking in dtfpair : Bm ufually felt is their predominant Pallion. And what an enemy to quietntfs and peace firong[r.1rJ are, i'S eafily obfc:rved in all that have them. Atfuring tvidence will not quiet fuc:h fearful minds nor any Reafon fatisfic them. The Dire6tion~-for thcfc perforis mull be the fame which I have before given againfi Mtlancholy and Deftair. Erfl'ecially that the Preaching and Books and means which they make ufe of, be rather fuch as tend ro in~ form the judgement, and fettle the wiU and guide the Life, than fuch as by the greatcfi fervency tend to awaken them to fuch pa!fions or affections which they are unable to manage. 9 4• 2. Wirhothers the Caufe of their Troubles is Melancholy, which I have long obf"ved to be: the commontjl: caufe, with thofe godly people that remain in long and grievous doubts : \Vhcre this is the caufe, till it be removed, other remedies do but little : But of this I have fpoken at large before. 9·. 5· 3• Inothers the Caufe is a h.zbit of di{content and pieiJi}Jmefs and impazie.ncy ; becJUf~ of forne wants or crolTes in the world: Becaufe they have not what they would have, their 1 UindJ grow ulcerat(d, like a Body that is fick or fore, that carryeth about with them the pain and {mart: And they are fiill complaining of the pai11 which they feel ; but not of that which rmketh the f,>re, and caufeth the pain. The cure of rhefe is either in PletJjing them that they may have their n:iO in all (hings (as you rock children and give them that which they cry for to qui<.t them ) ; or rarhcr to help to cure their impatiency, and fettle their minds again(\ their childifh linful difcontenu (of which before ): , §. 6. 4• In orhers the Caure is errour or great ignorance about the tenour of the Covenant of Grace, and the Redemption wrought by Jc;fos Chrifi, and the work of SanCbfication) and evidences thereof: They know not on what teJms ChriH dcaleth with finners in the p.udoning of fin, nor · what arc the infallible figncs of Sanctificatlon: It is found Te1ching, and diligent learning thac mull be the cure of thefe.
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