Ver.4. complaintifruitlefand heartle f tobe avoided. is the way to take the Kingdom of Heaven. Thcfe things are not Peace,they are not Af urance, but they are part of the means that God bath appointed for the attainment of them. What then is the peculiar Inf}ruction that is proper for fouls in this condition ? that plainly of the Apoilie, 2 Pet. i . t o. Give all diligence to makeyour Caning and Election Pure. Alas ! faith the foul, I am at nocertainty, but rather am ofiaed and toE= fed, and not comforted ; my heart will come to no (lability ; I have no Afurance, know not whether I am chofen or called ; yea fear that my latter end 'will be darknefs and forrow. There is Iconfersforgivenefs with çod,but jufily fear that I (hall never be made partaker of it. What.is the ufual courfe that is taken in fuch complaints by them to whom they are made ? Mofily they have a good opinion of them that come with there com- plaints : They judge them to be godly and holy, though much in the dark ; if they knew them not before, yet upon there complaints they begin to be well perfwaded of them. Hereupon they are moved with pitty and companion, and troubled to fee them in their perplexities; and fet thernfelves to tender relief unto them: They hind them of the gracious promifes of the Gofpel ;. it may be fix upon fome one or moreof them in parti- cular, which they explain unto them : Thence they n,inde them ofthe abundant Grace and tender Love of the Father, of the mercifull care ofour High Prieff, his readinels and ability to Cave, his communications of fuch favours unto them as they perceivenot. By fuch waies and' means, by fuch Applica- tions do they Peek to relieve them in the Efate and condition wherein they are. But what is the ifl'uc ? Doth not this Re- liefprove for the mat part like the morning cloud, and as the early dew ; a little refrefhment it may be it yields for a feafon, but it is quickly again dryed up, and thefoul left in its heart-. lets withering condition. You will fay then, do you condemn this manner ofproceed- ing with the fouls of men in their doubts, fears anddifirefres ? or would you have them pine awayunder the fcnle of their condition, or abide in this uncertainty all their daies ? I anfwer, no; I condemn not the way, I would not have any left com- fortlefs in their depths.But yet I would give there twoCautions- Kr 3 3''
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