SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 415 the latter, to hear of acertain remedy as soon as he heareth of the disease? Though some trouble he must needs have to think that he bath adisease initself sodesperate or loathsome. Nay, let me tell you, so the cure bebut well done, the less terrors and despairing fear you wereput upon, the more credit is it to your physicianand his apothecary, Christ and the preacher, or instrument, that did the work ; and therefore you shohld rather praise your physician, than . question the cure. Doubt 3. ' But it 'is common withall the world to consent to the religion than they are bred up in, and somewhat affected with it, and to' make conscience of obeying the precepts of it. So do the Jews in theirs; the Mahometans in theirs. And I. fear it is no other work on my soul but the mere force of educátion,that maketh me religious, and that I had never that great renewing work of the Spirit upon my soul ; and so that all my religion is but mere opinion, or notions' in my brain.' Answ. 1. All the religions in the world, besides the Christian religion, have either much error and wickedness mixed with some truth of God, or they contain some lesser parcel of that truth alune, (as the Jews ;;) only the Christian religion bath that whole truth which is saving. Now, so much of God's truth as there is in any of these religions; so `much it may work good effects upon their souls; as the knowledge of the Godhead, and that God is holy, good, just, merciful, and that he showeththem much undeserved mercy in his daily. próvidences, &c. But mark these two things, (1.) That all persons of false religions do more easily and greedily embrace the false part of theirreligion than the true ; and that they are zealous for, and practice with all their might, because their natural corruption doth befriend it, and is as combustible fuel for the fire of hell to catch in ;, but that truth of God which is mixed with their error, if it be practical, they fight against it, and abhor it while they hold it, because it crosseth their lusts, insomuch that it is usually but some few of the more convinced and civil that God in providence maketh the main instrument of continuing those truths of his in that part of the wicked world. For we find that even among pagans, the profaner and more sensual sort did deride the better sort, as our profane Christians do the godly whom they called Puritans. (2.) Note, That the truth of God which in these false religions is still acknowledged, is so small a part, and so op- pressed by errors, that it is not sufficient to their salvation, (that is, to give them any sound hope,) nor is it sufficient tomake such clear, and deep, and powerful impressions in their minds,as may make them holy or truly heavenly, or may overcome in them the interest of the world and the flesh. This being so, you may see great reason why a Turk or a hea-
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