SPIRITÚAL PEACE AND CQMFORT. 309 laying their comforts upon something in themselves ; whereas they should . look only toChrist for comfort, and not at any thing in them- selves at all ; and for assurance; it 'is only the witness of the Spiri$ without any marks thai must give it them ; and to fetch comfort from their own graces and obedience, was to make it themselves instead of Christ and the Holy Ghost; and was legal way. No sooner was this doctrine received, but the 'receivers had comfort at will, and all was sealed up to them presently by the witness of the Spirit in their own conceits. Whence this came, judge you. I told You my judgment before. Sure I am that the sudden loose- ness of their lives,eanswering their ignorant; loose, ungospel-like doctrine, did certify me' that the Spirit of comfort was not their comforter;' for he is also a Spirit ofholiness, and comforteth men' by the means of a holy gospel, which bath precepts and threat- enjngs as well as promises. 2. And as the experience of the slate of believers assureth us that few of them attain to certainty, so experience of the imperfec- tion of*their understanding shows us, that few of them areimmedi- ately capable of it. For how few believers be there that under- stand well what is sound evidence and what not ! Nay, how many learned men have taught them, that the least unfeigned desire of grace, is the grace 'itself, as some say, or at least a certain evidence ofit, as others say ! Whereas, alas, how many, have unfeignedly desired many graces, and yet have desired the, glory and profits of the world so much more, that they have miscarried and perished ! How many have taught them, that the least unfeigned love to God or to the brethren, is a certain mark ofsaving grace ; whereas many a one hath unfeignedly loved God and the brethren; who yet have loved house, land, credit, pleasure, and life so much more, that God bath been thrust, as it were, into a corner, and hath had but the world's leavings. And the poor saints have had but little compas- sion or relief from them, nor would be looked on in times of danger and disgrace: As .Austin and the schoolmen used to say, f' Wick- ed men do 'uti Deo, et frui creaturis,' use God, and enjoy the creatures ; godly men do ' frui Deo, et uti creaturis,' enjoy God and use the creatures." The meaning is, both regenerate and ungene- ratehive some will or love, both to God and to the creature : but the wicked do will or love the creatureas their chief good, with their chiefest love, and they only love God asa means to help them to the creature, with a love subordinate to their love to the creature: whereas the godly dowill or love God as their chief good, with their chiefest dove or complacency ; and love the creature but as the means of God, with an 'mferior love. If, then, the nature of sincerity be so little known, then the as- surance ofsincerity cannot be verycommon. More might be said
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