1JireElioiiS "to aatlbting ("ri_ftianr. ------ -- - _6·-~ ------------------------------------~--~---- 9· 7· 5• In others the caufc is .a cartltji li.fe or frequent fin~:ing, and keepi.n~ th~ ~v~.~n4s <?fC?n~ fciencc lli\1 bleeding: They. are ibll fre~ung the fore, and wdl not fuffcr tt to skm : Clt~er the~ live in railing and contentiOn, 9r mahce, or fome fecrct lull, or fraud, or fomc wrf fhetch and wrong their Confciences: And God will not give his peace apd comfort to the~ till the_r r:· form. It is a mercy that they are difquietcd and not given ovd to a feared Confcunce, wh1ch IS pJj! ft</ing. ' - ~· 8. 6. In others the Ctufe of their doubts is, Pl.Jcing tbeir Religi"n tOo mucb in humiliatiiJH, 011 d iu a Continu;l poreing on their btdrtJ, and overlorJ4,jng or negleliing tbt h~~h and c~ieftjl p.JrtJ of l?..elit)on, evm the d,;ily jfudit1(If th_e Love of Go4, and the ricbu .of .Grace in Jr{tt_J C/J~:ij~, arid hcrehj jiirriJtg up the foul to Love ~~~d Delight i11 God, . When they make thts more of the![ Rehgton and bu~ 1inefs, it will bring their fouls into a fweetn reli01. 9· 9• ?· In others the Caufc is fuch weak._nefl of part! and co11fufion of tboughu, and J:~.rk.ne{i of mind, tha( they ate not able to examine themfchres, nor w know what is in them : When _they ask rhemfClvcs any quc:Hion, about theirRepentance or Love: toGod, or any grace, they are fam eo anfwcr like Jlra11ger1., and fay, they cannot tell whether they do it or not. Thefc ptrfons mull make more ufc than others, of the jud6ernent of fornc: a!:Jle faithful guide. 9· IO· 8. But of all otherS, the commMu{l caufe of uncertainty, is the weak._nrfi or liult~~efi of Grace: When it is fo.. liHle as to be next to none at all, no wonder if it be hardly and feldome -di(cc:rned : Therefore, ' ' ' §. 1 l· DihCt. 2· Be not ntglellcrJ of Jt.lJ:examinalion ; hut /.,hour fot 1kjU ~o m.m.zge_ aright .fo Di.reC/. 2 ; ·great a work._: But ya let your c.JrC and dzlzgenct be much greater to get gr:zct and ufe tt, and m~ crcafe it, than totry wluther ynu b.1ve it alreody or not. For in cx;:mination, when you have once taken a right comfe to be refolved, and yet are in doubt as much as before, your over·much poreing upon thefe trying quefiions, will do you but liule good, and make you bu~ little the betccr, but the time and labour may He almofi: loll : whereas all the labour which you befiow in Getting, and Vfing and Increafing grace, is bellowed pwfitably to good purpofe; and tendeth fi,!l to your fafcty and falVt~tion, an'd nc:xt that to your eaJier certaimy and comfort. There is no fueh wax ·.jn tl\c wotld m be certain that you have grace, as to get fo much as is cafily difcerned ~nd will {hew it fc:lf> ~nd to exercife it much that it may come forth into obf~rvation: When you have a (lro11g Belief you will eafily be fure that you believe: When you have a fervent Love to Chrifl and Holinefs, and to the word and wayu and fcrvantr of God, you will eafily be affured that you love them. When you ttrongly hatt: fin· and live in univerfal conOant obedience, you will eafily difcc:rn your Re- ~mtance and obedience. But weak grace ..will have but weak aJTurance and l~de confola~ uon. 9· 12. DireCt. 3· Set your {<lvu with aU Y' ur tl;iU and diligt>tce to deflroy every fiti of b..ri Direil. 3 , and life, and maf<! it your priJtcipal care and b~tfint[J to doyo~tr duty, and. plta[e, and honour God in your place, and to do all the good you caJt in the world : ahd trujl God with your foulr, tu long aJ you wait upon him in hi! way. I.f you l-ive in wilfut· fin and negligence, be 'nor unwilling ·robe rcprovca ·and ddivered ' If you cheri!h your fenfual fie!hly lufis, and !et your hearts too eagerly on the world, or defend your unpeaceaQlenc:fs and pafiion, or neglc:Cl your known Qury tO God or man, and make no Confcience of a true reformation, it is not any ·en-quiries after fignes of ~race, that will help you to aJTurance. You may complain long enough b~forc you have eafC, WhliC: fuch a thorn is in your foot! Confcience mull be better ufed before it will fpeaK a word of found well grounded peace to you. But when you fet your felvcs with all your care and skill to do your Duties, and plea'ft: your Lord, he will not let your labour be in vai'n : H.: will take care of your peace and comfort, while you uke care of your duty: And in this way you rnaf boldly tmlt him: 0.1ly think not hardly and falfly of theGoodne[t of that God whom you lludy to {trve and pleafC. 9· 1 3· Direct. 4• Be fure whatever condition you art in, that you underfhmd and hold [aft, t~nd Virell. 4~ improve tbe General groundt of Comfurt, which Me common to mank,jnd, [o far as they are nudt'Jtnown t~ tJu~z: and they ar~ thr_ee ( which are the Foundatinn of aU our comfort). r. The Goodnr:Ji ~and Mercifulnt{t of God m hu very N"t""· 2- The {ufficienc)' of tbe [ati!fallion or _{acrifice of Cbrij!. 3· The u11iver{ality a~d freeneji and furtm(s of the Covenant, or promife of pardo;z aHd fo-/vation to aD, that by fin.:/ impcmtmce and unbeluf tt1 not continue objlina'tely to rcjeU it: (or to all that un, feignedly Bepmt and Believe). I• Think not meanly and poorly of the infinite Goodnr[t of God : Pfol.1o3, s, Evm tolV_lofet he proc.laimeth his name at the fccond delit~ery of the Law, [1he L(Jrd, the 'Lord 1 1, ''· God, mrrcifulttnd graczous, longfufferingand abundant in goodnefi a1td trutb, k,.eepl11g mercy f{)Y. tQoU· & 89· 2 • fandJ, forgivi!tg iniquity a1rd tranfgrrf!im and fin- J Exo.~. 3.4· 6, ?· His mercy is over all his:~~: i~.1 r. works: lt ts great and reacheth to the Heavens : It IS hrm and enduretl; fur ever ·: And he & u 9 . 6 4 • bth pieafure in tbofe that hope in hu me~cy, Pfal. '47: 1 r. & 100. 5· & 33· 18. & . 57 . 10 • & q 8. B. & 1c8. 4· 2. Extenuate not the Mcms and Sacnhce of Chrtll ; but know that never ma.n &, u 6. s~ was damned for "':'ant.of .a Chrifi to dye and be a facritice for his fin, but only for watlt of R~penunce and faah 10 .hun, Jah. 3· 16. 3· D~ny not the un:verfaliry of the conditional pro'~ m& of pardon and falvar~on, tO all that it is offl.!red to, and will accept it on the offerers term'S. ·AI)d if you do but feel thcfe three foundations lirm and lkdfa!l under you, it will encourage every w1lhng foul. The Lrwc of God was th:: cau(e of our R:d::mption by C~rifi: Redernncion _was the foundation of the Promife or ne:w CovcnJnt : And he that builde'h on this thr;efold ~~oob~ ·
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