14 The Life of Faith. Country people in their ticknefs, who will hearken toany of e who putteth them in hod; and promifeth them cafe, and mot} confidently tells them, that he can cure them, and faith, I was jufl in your cafe, and loch or (ueh a thing cured me : fo will the Formaliff, and the Fanatick thePapiff,and the taker fay, I was jult in your condition, [I was troubled, and could text no pace of confcience, no joy in the Holy Gho.fi, but was alwai s held in fears and doubting, till I changed my Religion; and ever line that I have been well, and O what jo,yes I have to boatl of !] And if it bean unfoundHHpocrite that is thus tempt- ed, perhaps God may give them over to find abundance of Bedlam joy, in the fudden change of their opinion: And fa/f bood may comfort that man, whom the truth which hs was falfe to, would not comfort. But if it be a weak fincere Be- liever ; if God thew him not fo much mercy as to refcue him front the temptation,hewill dou the forefaid Country patient; he will try one mans medicine, and another woman medicines, and hearken to every one that can (peak confidently, and pro- mile him a cure, till he hath tryed, that their cafe and his were not the fame, and that they were all but ignorant de- ceived deceivers; and when all fail him, he will come back again, to the faithful experienced dire&ors of,his foul. Di.re& t r. If weaknefs of grace be the carte of doubting (which is of all other, the commonefi caulk in the world) the way to comfort is that fame which is the way to ftrengtben grace. euch a one, ifever he will have joy, mutt be taught how to live the Life of Faith, and to walk with God, and to mortifie the fleth, and get loofe from the world, and to live as entirely devoted to"God; and efpecielly how to keep every grace in exercife ; and then grace will thew it felt; as the air doth in a windy feafon, or as the fire when it is blownup and flamed], There is noCurer or readier way to comfort,than to get Faith, Repentance, Love, Hope and Obedience, in a vigorous acti- vity, and great degree, and then to keep them much in aaion. Mountebanks and Secgarïes have other wales ; but this is the aontiant certain way. Díre& 12. Ifyouperceive that trouble is cauledby mifunder- snding tke Covenant ofGrace, and looking at Legal Works of merit,
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