SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 335 for such a certainty of salvation, as shall put you above such fears and moderated apprehensions of danger; for then it is ten to one you will lose your hold. You read in Scripture very many warnings to,take heed lest we fall, and threatenings to those that dd fall away and draw back. What are all these for,'but to excite in us those moderate fears, and cares, and holy diligence, which may prevent our falling away ? And remember this, that there can be no such holy fears, and cares, and diligence, where there is no danger or possibility of falling away ; for there can be no act with- out its proper object; and 'the object of fear is a possible hurt, at least in the apprehension of him that feareth it. No man can fear the evil which he knoweth to be impossible. Direct. XXI. The next advice which I must give you is this: 'Be thankful if you can but reach to a settled peace and compo- sure of your mind, and lay hot too much on the high raptures and feelings of comfort which some do possess: and if ever you enjoy such feeling joys, expect not that they should be either long or often.' It is the cause of miserable languishing to many a poor soul, to have such importunate expectations of such passionate joys, that they think without these they have no true comfort at all ; no wit- ness of the Spirit, no spirit ofadoption, no joy in the Holy Ghost. Some think that others have much of this, though they have not, and therefore they torment themselves because it is not with them as with others ; when, alas ! they little know how it goes with others. Some taste of such raptures sometimes themselves have had, and therefore, when they are gone, they think they are for- saken, and that all grace, or peace, at least, is gone witli them. Take heedof these expectations. And to satisfy you, let me tell you these two or three things : 1. A settled calm and peace of soul is a great mercy, and not to be undervalued as nothing. 2. The highest raptures and passionate feeling joys are usually of most doubtful sincerity. Not that I would have any suspect the sincerity of them without cause ; but such passions are not so cer- tain signs of grace, as the settled frame of the understanding and will ; nor can Fe so easily know that they are of the Spirit ; and they are liable to more questioning, and have in them a greater possibility of deceit. Doubtless it is . very much that fancy and melancholy, and especially a natural weakness and movable tem- per, will do in such cases. Mark whether it be not mostly these three sorts of people that have, or pretend to have, such extraor- dinary raptures and feelingsof joy : (1.) Women, and others that are most passionate. (2.) Melancholy people. (3.) Men that by erroneous opinions have lost almost all their understandings in their fancies, and live like men in a continual dream. Yet Idoubt
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=