202 ` be Jpoo; fflano,Fan u[p 'Zook. Do you not hear inPrayer what large and fad Con- feffions all Chriftians make, (both Paflors and people) of their many and great corruptions, of their Ignorance, Pride, Paffion and the like ? And do you not hear by their complaints that theyare their own grievous trouble, and make their own lives a burden to them? And do you think that they diffemble , and mean not as they (peak ? And do you not think that thofe corruptions which difturb themfelves, will difturb the Church ? It's (range if a Church which confiffeth of a thoufand felf-troublers, have not force hundreds of Church- troublers. You will be apt at your firft converfion to think that true Chriftians are nearer to perfection than they are ; as if the Godly had nothing but Godlinefs in them : But whenyou have tried them longer you will find, that Grace is weak ; and mens faults are many and very fiffand hardly cured; and your over high eftimation of the beft, may by experience receive a check ; and you will fee that men areRill but men. S. But I (hall never be able to keep up that fervent Love to the brethren which is my duty, ifI find them &bad adyou defcribe them. It will tempt me to think that Grace it Pelf is legs excellent than I thought it, if itdo no more, and make men no better. I feel al- ready your very difcourfe abate my great eftimation of Religions perfons : What then will finch eexperi., encedo ? P. -If your eftimatiot be erroneous, and you think them perfec$er than they are, th, /abatement ofit is your duty : For God would not have us judge falfly of them ; nor ground our Love to them upon miftake. But the ex- cellency of Holinefs,and the true worth of the Godly, ¡naybedifcerned through all thefe troublefome faults. The
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