SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 409 be damned ; " Mark xvi. 16. " Those mine enemies that would not I should reign over them, bring hither and slay them before me ; " Luke xix. 27. Doth any of the apostles speak more of hell-fire, and the worin that never dieth, and the fire that never is quenched, than Christ himself doth.? And donot his apostles go the same way ; even Paul, the great preacherof faith ? (2 Thess. i. 7 -9. ii. 12, &c.) What more common? Alas! what work should we make, if we should stroke and smooth all men with Anti- nomian language ! It were the way to please all the sensual, pro- fane ,multitude, but it is none of Christ's way to save their souls. I am ready to think that these men would have Christ preached as the Papists would have him prayed to; to say, 'Jesu, Jesu, Jesu,' nine times together, and this oft over, is their praying to him and to have Christ's name oft in the preacher's mouth, some men think is the right preaching Christ. Let me now desire you hereafter to be glad to hear ministers awaken the profane and dead-hearted hearers, and search all to the quick, and misapply nothing to yourself; but if you think any passage doth nearly concern you, open your mind to the minister privately, when he may satisfy you more fully, and that without.do- ing hurt to others ; . and consider what a strait ministers are in, that have so many of so different conditions, inclinations, and conversa- tions to preach to. Direct. XXIX. ' Be sure you forget not to distinguish between causes of dqubting of your sincerity, and causes ofmere humilia- tion, repentance, and amendment ; and do not raise doubtings and fears, where God calleth you but to humiliation, amendment, and fresh recourse to Christ.' This rule is of so great moment to your peace, that you will have dailyuse for it, and can never maintain any true settled peace without the practice of it. What more common than for poor Christians to pour out a multitude of complaints of their weak- nesses, and wants, and miscarriages ; and never consider all the while that there may because of sorrow in these, when yet there is no cause of doubting of their sincerity ! . I have showed before, that in gross fallsand great backslidings, doubtings will arise, and sometimes our fears and jealousies may not be without cause; but it is not ordinary infirmities, nor every sin which might have been avoided, that is just cause of doubting;, nay, your very humiliation must no further be endeavored than it tends to your recovery, and to the honoring of mercy; for it is possible that you may exceed in the measureof your griefs. You most therefore first be resolv- ed, wherein the truthof saving grace doth consist, and then in all your failings and weaknesses first know, whether they contradict sincerity in itself, and are such as may give just cause to question VOL. I. 52
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