308 DIRECTIQN$ FOR GETTING AND KEEPING (most women) ofsmall judgment and strong affections,who depend- ed most on that which is commonly called ' the sense or feeling of God's dove ;' and were the lowest at some times as they were the highest at other times ; dnd they that wereone month certain tobe saved, perhaps the next month were almost ready to say, they should certainly be damned. So that taking out all these sorts of persons, the sober, solid, judicious believers that could groundedly and ordinarily say, ' I am certain that I shall be saved,' have been so few, that it is sad to me to consider it. If any other men's experience be contrary, i am glad of it, so be it they be so- ber, judicious men, able to gather experiences; and so they live not amoñg mere Antinomians, and take not the discovery of their mere opinion for a discovery of. experience. Fqr I have seen, in divers professors of my long acquaintance, the strange power of 'opinion and fancy in this thing. I have known' those that have lived many years in doubting of their salvation, and all that while walked uprightly : and in the late wars, falling into thé company of some Anabaptists, they were 'by them persuaded that there was no right way to their comfort, but by being re-baptized; and associat- ing themselves with the re-baptized church, and abstaining from the hearing of the unbaptized parish-priests, (as they called them.) No sooner was this done, but all their former doubtings and trou- bles were over, and they were as Comfortable as anyothers, (as themselves affirmed,) which no doubt proceeded from partly the strength of fancy, conceiting it should be so; and partly from the novelty of their way which delighted them and partly from the strong opinionthey had that thiswasthe way ofsalvation, andthat the want of this did keep them in the dark, so long; and partly from Satan's policy, who troubleth people .least when they are in a way that pleaseth him; but when these people had lived ayear or two in this comfortable condition, they fell at last into the society of some Libertines or Familists, who believe that the Scriptures are all but adream, fiction, or allegory ; these presently persuaded them, that they were fools to regard baptism or such ordinances, and that they might come to hear again. inour congregations,seeing all things were lawful, and there was no heaven or hell but within men, and therefore they should look to their safety and credit in the world, and take their pleasure: This lesson was quickly learned, and then they cried down the Anabaptists, and confessed they were deluded, and so being grown loose while they were Anabap- tists, to mend the matter they gréw Epicures when they had been instructed by the Libertines; and this was the end of their Ifev- gottencomfort. Others I leave known that have wanted assurance, and falling among the Antinomians, were toldby them.that they undid themselves by looking after signs and marks of grace, and'so
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