.. , ·part ·rr, referre thy· cafe to thy fe!f (rcferving fhil the Gna1 jtldgement to the Lord) npon thefe JUfi and refonabl conditions. I. Wilt t~OIJ firfl:.thy felf .but ufe ~hofe neceffary meang for -knowledge, m.Readmg., I:afltng, Pr~ymg,Watchmg,Meditation, Conference Wtth the wtfe, and fuch ltke, as all thofe do that come to ripe and faving Knowledge ·? If Irefcrr my health to thee as m~ Phyficion, thon mufl: not refufe to try my p~lfe, and fee my urme, and ufe the means to find om the dtfeafe. Wouldfl: thou be my Lawy_er, and refufe ro.read my Evidences, al1d fiudy mycafe? And wtlt thou needs be Judge thy felf of the matters of. thine own felicity or mifery, and yet refufe to read and hear and ·, pray and 11'\,Cditate, and ofe the neceffary means of underfiand- ,ing? Wilt thou lie in bed and work out thy falvation? Wilt thou make ufe of no ones eyes but thy own, and yet wilt thon wink or draw the Curtains, or iliut the windows, and cafi away thy fpechcles, and neither come into the fuoiliine, nor ufe a candle? This is but to fay, I will willfully condemn my foul, and none !ban binder me. 2. But yet another conditionI mufl propofe. Ifthoa wilt out (as I faid before of mhers) a while make Tryal of a beJy life~ and try in thy felf what Faith, and Hope, and Chuity are, and try what felfdenyal is, I wi-ll then referr the matter to thy fClf. Go back from God if thou find any Reafon for it : and turn fcomChrifl: and Heaven and Holinefs if thou do not like them. Bat if thou wilt needs be the jadge, and wilt not be perfwadc:d to try the thino-, thou art a partial felf-deceiving judge. - 3: But if this much cannot be obtained, at leafi be Confi-de· rate in thy judging. If thou wilt but rake thy felf afide from the noife of worldly vanities and deceits, and corr.mune feri– mlfly with thy hean,and betbink thee as before the .Lord, and as one that knows he muil fhorrly dye, Whether Heaven or Earth fhould be fought mofl: carefully J and Whether God or thy fl fh ihou1d be ferved moil: refolvedl}' and diJigcnrly ; an4 if thou wilt but dwell fo long upon thefe manlike thoughts ti~l they aredig~fied,andTruthhavctimecofhew its face, I dare then leave the quefiion to thy felf. The hext time that: theS~rmon or any affiidion comes near thee and awakeneth thyConfm:nce, do hut withdraw thy felf into fecret, and foberly bethink thee of the matrer; what hopu thou hail: from the world, a~d ~hat tho.u maift ha·vefrom G9d: fV'hatTimeis, and whatEtermry ls,andgtve buc --· · - (onf,~,ncc
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