55 2 Box' of precious Oiatment Or, Doubting is not a vertue, as the Papifts would make us believe, but l'tis a fruit of the flefh, and a thing molt contrary and oppofite to the nature of faith, Jam. 1. 5. Mat. 2.1. 2, r.& t 3. 3 t. And therefore Chri- fUans fhould pray hard to be rid of their doubts. all forts and degrees of fears and doubts, is not attainable in this life ; vvhila we are in this old world we shall have wa- , ter with our wine, gall with our honey, and forne with our brighteft Sun-fhiny dayes, & c. Mott Chriflians think,that /Ong as they have any doubtings they have no af- !furance ;but they confider not that there are many degrees of infalible certaintyibelow a perfe& or an undoubting certain- , ty Doubtlefs fame darknefs, more or lefs, will overfpread the face-of eve,ry,C,hriftians, foil, and unbelief in one degree or another will be making head againft their faith ; and hy- pocriiie in one degree or another will be making head againft fincerity, and pride in one degree or another will be making head againa humility, and pa:lion in one degree or another will be making 4.ad againft meeknefs, and earthly-minded- nefs in one degcee or another will be making head againft heavenly-mindednefs, &c. yet as long as a Chriftian has the fight of his graces or his gracious evidences, he may and ought to walk in much peace, comfort wejoy. Such Chri- fWns as are refolved w lye down in forrow, till they have at- tained to a perfea affurance, muff refolve to lye down in forrow till they come to lay down their heads in the dull. Our graces are imperfea, and therefore that affurance that 'arifes from the fight and evidence of them, mutt needs be 4mperfe6 ; perfea figns of grace can never fpring from im- perfect grace. NON, if this were ferioudy apprehended, flu- diedand minded .by many weak Chriaians, -they would not at every turn call their fpiritual eflaties into quellion as they do, becaufe they find,fome feeds and ftirrings of pride, hy- pocrifie, vain-glory, and other finful humours and paffions Working in them. But, The eleventh Propofition is this ' viz.. Whedall your figns and evidences of thenappinefs and bleffednefs of your con - dition fails you, and are fo clouded, obfcared, darkned and blotted, that you can't read them, that you can't take any comfort from them, then it highly concerns you to keep up ,high,
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