SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 313 that visible church then was ; and even at this day, the mast learn- ed do compute, that if you divide the world into thirty parts, nine- teen of them are heathenish idolaters, six of them are Mahome- tans, and only five of them are. Christians. And of these five that are Christians, how .great a part are of the Ethiopian,. Greek and Popish churches ! so ignorant, rude, and superstitious, and erro- neous, that salvation cannot be imagined to be near so easy or ordi- nary with them as with us : and of the reformed churches, com- monly called Protestants, how small'is the number! And even among these, what a number are grossly ignorant and profane ! And of those that profess more knowledge and zeal, howmany are grossly erroneous, schismatical and scandalous ! How exceeding small a number is left, then, that are such as you! I know this is no assuring argument, but I know, withal, that Christ died not in vain, but he will see the fruit of his sufferings to the satisfaction of his. soul ; and the God of mercy, who is a lover of mankind, will have a multitude innumerable.of his saved ones in the earth. 2. But your strongest probabilities are from the consideration . of the work of God upon your souls, and the present frame and inclinationof your soul to God. You may know that you have workings above nature in yots; and that they have been kept alive and carried on these many years against all opposition of the flesh and the world.; it batIr not been a mere flash of Conviction which hath been extinguished by sensuality, and left you in the darkness of security and profaneness, as others are. You daré not give up your hopes ofheaven for all the world. You would not part with Christ, and. say, ' Let him go,' for all the ;pleasures of sin, or treasúres of the earth. If;you had (as you have) an offer of God, Christ, grace, and glory on one side, and worldly prosperity in sinon the other side, you would choose God, and let go, the other. You dare not, you mould not give over praying, hearing, reading, and Christian company, and give up yourself to worldly, fleshly pleasures;.yet you are not assured of salvation, because you find not that delight and life, in duty, and that witness of the Spirit, and that 'communion with God, nor that tenderness of heart, as you desire. It is well that you desire them ; but though you be not certain of salvation, do you not see a great likelihood, a probability,in allthis ? Is not your heart raised to a hope, that yet God is merciful to you, and means you good? Doubtless, this you might easily, discern. The second thing that I am to show you is, that there may much spiritual comfort and peace of conscience be enjoyed -with- out any certainty of salvation, even upon these fore-mentioned probabilities. Which I prove thus : 1. No doubt but Adam in innocency had peace of conscience, and comfort, and Communion VOL. I. 40
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