t'ONB1Rhfta eF1Yl5r1AN. 513 the Quakers and Behmenists, that live ingreat austerity, and some of the religious orders of the Papists', who afflict their flesh.' Anssv. Some of them undergo their fastings and penance for a day, that . they may sin the more quietly all the week after; and some of them -proudly comfort themselves with the fancies and conceit of being and appearing more excellent in austerity than others ; and all these take up with a carnal sort of pleasure. As proud persons are pleased with theirs own or others' conceits of their 'beauty, or wit, or worldly greatness; so prouder persons are pleased with their own and others' conceits of their holiness. And 't verily they have their reward;" Matt. vi. 2. But those of them that place their chief happiness in the love of God, and the eternal fruition of him in heaven, andSeek .this sincerely according to their helps and power, though they are misled into some superstitious errors, I hope I may number with those that are sincere, for all their errors and the ill effects ofthem. XXIV. 1. A confirmed Christian doth ordinarily discern the sincerity of his own heart, andconsequently hath some well-ground- ed assurance of the pardonof, his sins, and of the favor of God, and of his everlasting happiness; and, therefore, no wonder if he live a peaceable and . joyful life. For his grace is not so small as to be undiscernible, nor is it as a sleepy, buried seed or principle; but it is almost of continual act ; and they that have a great degree of grace, and also keep it in lively exercise, do seldom doubt of it. Besides that, they blot not their evidence by so many infirmities and falls. They are more in the light, and have more acquaintance with themselves, and more sense of the abundant love of God, and of his exceeding mercies, than weak. Christians have ; and therefore must needs have more assurance. They have boldness of access to the throne of grace, without unreverent con- tempt; Ephes. iii. 12. ii. 18. They have more of the spirit of adoption, and therefore more childlike confidence in God, and can call him Father with greater freedom and comfort than any others can; Rom. viii. 15, 16. 'Gal. iv. 6. Ephes. i. 6. 1 John v. 19, 20. . "And we know.that we, are of God, and that the whole world lieth in wickedness ; " &c. 2. But the weak Christian bath so small a degree of grace, and so much corruption, and his grace is so little in act, and his sin so much, that he seldom, if ever, attaireth to any well-grounded as-. surance, till he attain to a greater measure ofgrace. He differed' so little from the seeming Christian, that neither himselfnor others do certainly discern the difference. Whenhe searcheth after the truth of his faith, -and love, and heavenly-mindedness, he findeth so touch unbelief and averseness fromGod, and earthly-minded ne s, that he cannot be Certain which of them is predominant; and rot. 1. 65
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