A Brief and Pithy TREATISE ABOUT COMFORT, Which Gods Children have or at least earnestly desire, and long after whilst they are in this World:  
Together with the Observations of Comfort, and the Removal of them.  
By John Clark, Master of Arts, sometime Rector of Cotgrave in Nottinghamshire.  
LONDON, Printed by E. T. and R. H. for William Miller, at the Guilded Acron in St. Paul's Churchyard, near the Little North Door, 1670.   

The Contents of the several Sections.  

1 OF comfort in general.  
2. The hindrances of comfort.  
3. Other hindrances of a Christians comfort.  
4. The Authors of a Christians trouble.  
5. Of the connexion between Grace, and comfort.  
6. The sum of what remains.  
7. Of Conversion.  
8. Of sorrow for sin.  
9 Of the pardonableness of sin.  
10. Of the sin unto death.  
11. Of the day of grace: the time of visitation, or the accepted time.    

SECT. 1. Of Comfort, in General.  
IT ill becomes Christians to conceive of God, as of an Egyptian Taskmaster, who only requires from his servants, the performance of their task, without respect to their comfort, and refreshment. Surely it is the entertainment of some such like thoughts, which discourageth many from entering upon the service of God, and that which for a long time makes it tedious to many, who having engaged themselves already in his service, do proceed very heavily, and yet are so far convinced of the necessity of continuing therein, that they dare not entertain any thoughts of going back.  
This no doubt is a very great injury to him, who is justly styled, the God of all consolation; and who hath by the Gospel so infinitely remitted the burden of that task, which was required of man, when he was sufficiently able to undergo it: yea, and hath from age to age, been remitting it, till at length, the Yoke be easy, and the burden light; to all those who do impartially judge of it, and in the bearing of it do not make it grievous to themselves.  
Far be it therefore from any that own themselves for the servants of the most high, to cast such an imputation upon their Lord and Master, and to disgrace his service by misrepresenting it to themselves, or others; as a yoke which neither themselves nor their Forefathers have been able to bear; although of necessity they have been constrained to bear it, only lest they purchase his displeasure, and so run themselves inevitably upon the ruin both of their souls, and bodies.  
We cannot but receive the word of God, as a system of truths, the least title whereof will not admit of any appearance, or shadow of falsehood, and if we are conversant therein, we meet with thousands of places, wherein it is not only attested by credible and unsuspected witnesses, that God is the God of peace, joy, and consolation, but demonstrated also by those gracious, and precious promises, which he hath made for our comfort and encouragement in the ways of holiness; and the many historical reports, of those who have professed themselves to have received the abundant consolations of Christ, in their subjection to the Gospel, though called thereby to passive duties, which of all others are the hardest, and heaviest.  
But because it is matter of undeniable Experience that many of God's true, and faithful servants complain of that small portion of these consolations, which they are made partakers of, which rather support them under the yoke of Christ's service, than enable them to bear the burden with cheerfulness and delight: It will not be amiss to inquire whence this comes to pass, that afterwards we may the more effectually apply the remedy.   

SECT. 2. The hindrances of comfort.  
As the barrenness of land, where there is no defect on the husbandman's part, doth commonly proceed from one of the two contrary extremes of wet, and drought; so likewise the want of comfort in the souls of believers.  
For on God's part there is no defect, he being truly styled, (as was said before) the God of all consolation, and Christ the Prince of peace, and the Holy Ghost, the comforter, and the Gospel glad tidings to all that receive it in faith. But there are two extremes, into which believers do commonly plunge themselves, if not to the total loss, yet to the very great abatement of those consolations, which they might otherwise in a very large measure be partakers of. For either they seek for, and expect comfort independent on duty, or else they wholly suspend their comforts on the performance thereof.  
1. Sometimes a Child of God may grow careless, and slothful in the performance of duties, so that if he omit not that part which consists in bodily exercise, as praying, hearing, reading, etc. yet he is not careful to exercise those graces, which are the very life, and soul of duty, and which indeed do give them the denomination of duty in the sight of God: And then no wonder if God withhold from him those consolations, which in this spiritual distemper might rather encourage him in his sloth, than quicken him to a more effectual endeavour to walk closely with God. Now therefore for such an one to expect an infusion of spiritual consolation in the way of his sloth and carnality, is altogether vain; because he doth thereby but invite God to encourage him in an evil way, which the holy God will never do.  
How much less than have they any reason, to expect a share in these consolations, who not only neglect the internal exercise of grace, but also in a very great measure, through a greater prevalency of this spiritual sloth, do frequently omit the external performance of required duties?  
Yea, so great sometimes is the deceit of a Christians heart, in this particular, that they are apt to say, I cannot do duties; I have no heart to go to ordinances, for I have no comfort in my heart, when I am about them, I have no smiles of God's countenance upon my soul: if the Lord would but bestow some comfort upon me, than I could do duties cheerfully, I could go to ordinances willingly; but while I am without comfort I can do nothing.  
Thus some by an error on the left hand, do in vain, seek for comfort, before and out of a way of duty.  
2. Others sometimes fall as much short of their desired comfort, by an extreme on the right hand: for they are indeed very painful, and diligent in the performance of every known duty, and do not only mind the outside of duty, but do also very seriously engage their hearts to accompany their outward performances, by the exercise of every suitable and necessary grace, to the utmost of their power: but then they suspend their comfort on such an exquisiteness, and perfection of performance, as is either very rarely, or not at all attainable on this side heaven.  
This, according to the best of my observation, is that spring of trouble, which feeds the minds, of many of God's dear servants with a perpetuity of disconsolateness, drawing out their distempers to months, and years, and sometimes to the end of their lives. As they grow more diligent and serious in the performance of duties, they still discover more & more of their own imperfections, and weakness; so that, though they do in good earnest make a progress in grace and holiness, yet their defects coming more to their sight and view, they think they do believe, whereby their troubles increase upon them daily, and their expected comfort flies further and faster, from them.  
It fares with them herein, as with a man that sails by a rock, which seems to move from him, and the faster he sails, the more the rock seems to mend its pace flying from him, though in truth the rock neither mends its pace, nor moves, but the ship in which the man is carried. So these persons, the swifter they row in the ship of duty to overtake comfort, the faster comfort seems to fly from them, when as in truth, it is not comfort that flies from them, but they fly from their comforts, while they place sincerity in a certain degree of perfection; and therefore will not own, nor receive those comforts, which the Gospel holds out to their sincerity, till they have attained that degree of their self-limited perfection. To clear this by an instance.  
A Child of God being convinced of the evil of sin in general, or of some sin in particular, knows that there is no hope of pardon without Godly sorrow, and repentance; and that every kind, or degree of sorrow is not sufficient. Therefore in order to his own practice, he lays down these two rules. First, that his sorrow must be true, and unfeigned. Seondly, That his sorrow must be proportionable to the evil of his sin.  
Hereupon he sets himself seriously by praying, reading, etc. to discover the evil of his sin in the several aggravations thereof, that so the sense thereof may excite in him a proportionable sorrow.  
Now the issue hereof is this: the more he searcheth, and sees into the nature, and evil of his sin, the more unproportionable he still finds his sorrow to be to the heinousness of his sin; so that his sorrow in comparison thereof seems to be no sorrow, and much less, that true and right sorrow, whereto the promises of pardon are made; and therefore while he lies under this apprehension, he utterly refuseth and putteth away all that comfort, which in the promises is held out to the penitent sinner.  
This may suffice to discover the second hindrance of a Christians comfort; but what a poor soul is to do in such a case, shall (God willing) be showed afterwards in its proper place, when I come to speak of the remedy of these Evils.   

SECT. 3. Some other hindrances of a Christians comfort.  
BEside those forementioned most usual lets of a Christians comfort, there are yet two other, which are of no less malignant influence upon the soul, for the disturbance of the peace thereof, and powerful for the exclusion of that joy, which would make a course of holiness sweet to a believer, and render his Religion the more amiable in the sight of the bystanders.  
1. The first is a suspicion of the defect of Grace, as to the being, truth, or necessary degree thereof. And what comfort can any one take, who is but serious about the things that concern his everlasting welfare, who apprehends himself to be wholly void of grace; or looks upon his grace but as common, not saving grace; or if it seem to be saving grace; yet is so small, weak, and altogether unproportionable to the time, and means, he hath enjoyed, that he seems rather to have less than he once had, which one thing is enough to make him suspect the truth of it, because true grace is a growing grace.  
But the trouble arising upon this account, is not at all times, nor in all persons alike: for sometimes it is more fixed and Chronicaled, and sometimes more volatile and transient.  
1. Sometimes this suspicion of the want of true grace, is rooted upon some mistaken notions, which through the want of means of better information, or being pertinaciously retained, do long grow, and bring forth this uncomfortable fruit in the soul.  
So some looking upon conversion as a very great, and manifest change wrought by the spirit of God, upon the whole man; because they are not sensible of any such manifest change wrought in them at any particular time, they lie long under the suspicion, that then sure they were never converted, and therefore have no true grace.  
Or, although the signs whereby they prosecute the discovery of grace, be proper, yet through misapapplication, or weakness in the application, they are not able by the use of them to discover that grace which they seek after.  
There are not many that have that skill, and dexterity; in the application of signs, thereby to attain any probable and comfortable evidence of their state; and sometimes the signs they make use of, are such, that though if they could find those signs in themselves they might conclude grace, yet they find it no less difficult to find the reality of those signs than of that grace, which by them they seek for. Hereupon they are necessitated to seek for the signs of those signs, & then for the reality of those subordinate signs, etc. till they have lost themselves in a maze of signs upon signs, and find it next to an impossibility to attain any clear discovery of grace, by the use of them: by which means it comes to pass that they lie long without that comfort, which some good probable evidence of the being and truth of grace might afford them. For instance, It is a true sign of grace, when we can find in our hearts an universal hatred of sin, as sin: It is not any kind of hatred of sin, but the hatred of sin, as sin: so that though we do find in our hearts, an hatred of sin, yet there is need of other signs whereby we may know whether we hate sin, as sin. Again,  
Where there is true grace, there is a concatenation of all graces. Now before we can conclude from this sign, we must have the evidence of every particular grace, before we can come to the evidence of grace in general.  
So when any one shall go about to seek for grace by its prevailing degree; it requires many signs, long observation, and much experience, before they can possibly know whether they have grace in a prevailing degree, or no.  
2. Sometimes this suspicion of the want of grace is but occasional and accidental: and then commonly it is of no long continuance. This many times happens to those, who for the most part have such a probable evidence of the truth of heir grace, as doth quiet heir hearts, and enable them comfortably to press on towards a further measure of grace, and a fuller assurance of their interest in the heavenly inheritance. But occasionally in reading, or hearing, they meet with some such signs of true grace, or necessary properties of a child of God, which, because at present they do not easily discern in themselves, it raiseth some doubts and fears in them, which eclipse their former comfort, and disturb their peace, till by looking again over their former evidences, they find no cause of continuing those new raised jealousies. But the notes of difference that are assigned, between true and counterfeit, saving and common grace, a child of God and an hypocrite, do not seldom raise these jealousies, which sometimes may be occasion of long discomfort, yet (I say) they are but of short continuance.  
2. An other grand hindrance of comfort, is a suspicion of the unpardonableness of their sins or at least of some particular sin, which they imagine was committed with such aggravating circumstances, as do exclude them from the benefit of the promises, viz. that it was committed wilfully, against their own light, and knowledge, and against the checks, and reluctancy of their own conscience, etc.  
This cloud, though sometimes at first appearance it seems but small, yet in process of time it so overspreads, and darkens the soul, that it becomes the principle of dismal trouble and confusion, specially when it grows (as frequently it doth) to an imagination that they have sinned against the Holy Ghost. Then they throw off all offers of comfort from scripture and promises, as easily as Samson broke the new cords wherewith he was bound. They give themselves up for reprobates, and account the scriptures and blood of Christ to signify no more to them, than to the damned in hell.  
This is a sad condition indeed, and commonly proves to be such a stuborn and untractable distemper, that the means applied for cure, seems rather to increase than abate the distemper; and indeed many times is not perfectly and throughly cured, till in the end of their days, God bring them within sight of heaven.  
3. Sometimes poor Christians, though they look not upon their sins, as in themselves unpardonable, yet they think that their day of grace, and the accepted time for them is already past, and therefore that there is no room left them for hope.  
This proceeds from the review of time past, wherein they see how many tenders, offers, and opportunities they have neglected, and how unprofitable, and barren they have been under the plentiful means of Grace, that they formerly have enjoyed, especially if God seem now to have deprived them of those means and opportunities: whence they conclude that God will wait upon them no longer, but hath concluded them in a state of unbelief, and reprobation, and that therefore it is a vain thing for them to strive and hope any longer, seeing that time passed cannot be called again, nor neglected opportunities be redeemed.  
4. To these may be added another froward distemper of mind, wherein the heart refuseth and slighteth all comfort, which comes not in by the way of assurance. Hence it comes to pass that so long as they find not their corruptions so perfectly subdued, and their graces heigthened to that degree as may be to them a sufficient ground of full assurance, they are to themselves the authors of a very disconsolate condition, which many times, as it needs must, proves to be of long continuance.  
For conclusion of this part of my discourse, I shall only add, that outward troubles, and a melancholy disposition of body and mind, are sometimes, if not the primary inlets of disconsolateess, yet they are at least efectuall obstructors and excluders of that comfort, which otherwise might be asweet refreshing to their souls.  
For although God bestow upon some, such a cheerful lightsome disposition, as easily admits every beam of comfort, and goes more lightly under the burden of afflictions; yet are the souls of others so grossly darkened with that black distemper of melancholy, & so deeply pierced by the dint even of light afflictions, that no indifferent cause of comfort will suffice to expel the blackness of the one, or heal the wounds which are made by the other.  
Thus I have briefly discovered what those things are, which do not only hinder comfort, but also produce, augment, & continue those inward troubles which many of God's people fall into, and so rob them of those sweet consolations which are their present portion, which their heavenly father hath assigned them for their support, in the midst of those many discouragements, which they meet withal in their holy pilgrimage towards the heavenly Jerusalem.   

SECT. iv The Authors of a Christians trouble.  
HAving now spoken of the immediate causes of a Christians trouble, it will be very useful to say something, before we pass any further, concerning the Authors of these troubles.  
1. It appears in the forementioned particulars, how much the blame lies upon themselves, either through ignorance not knowing where to seek comfort, or through error going in a wrong way, or through weakness though the way be plain before them yet cannot they walk therein, or else through wilfulness when they, with the Psalmist, refuse to be comforted, although there be sufficient ground whereupon to stay their souls: So that if they enjoy not that refreshing and reviving light of God's counnance, they may in a great measure thank themselves as authors of that evil.  
Neither may we excuse the Devil, who no doubt hath an hand to the utmost of his power in all the troubles and discomforts that befall any of God's people.  
Questionless his implacable malice doth drive him on with utmost fury, to endeavour the destruction of God's people, and therefore it is not to be doubted, but that if he cannot turn them out of the way to happiness, yet he will make it as uncomfortable to them as he can. If he cannot separate them from the love of God in Christ Jesus, yet he will interpose betwixt their souls and the light of God's countenance, as much as he can.  
This he attempteth either by temptation, whereby he endeavoureth to draw them to the commission of those sins, whereby he knows that God will be provoked to withdraw his comforts from them; or else by casting in suspicions, and blowing upon the fuel of their own homebred misconceived jealousies concerning their state, that thereby he may bring them to put from them those comforts, that do of right belong to them, and are held out by God in his word to them.  
3. But is there any evil in the City, and the Lord hath not done it? Surely in these, as well as in all other afflictions, God also hath his hand, though in a far different kind from ourselves, and the Devil we foolishly, the Devil maliciously, but God most righteously, and wisely, yea, and compassionately too. Yet may we for the most part thank ourselves for Gods having any hand in our discomforts, so far forth as they are evil and afflictive; for he doth not willingly grieve the children of men; but, we by our security, presumption, sloth, worldliness, or some other particular sin, do provoke God to hid his face from us, and to let lose our enemies upon us, yea and to deliver us up to our own jealousies, and suspicions to be our tormentors; and then no wonder if we be troubled, until we return to meet the living spring of our comforts again.   

SECT. V Of the connexion between grace, and comfort.  
I shall now pass on towards the remedy of these evils, and so to make enquiry after that true comfort which all believers desire, but not many attain unto, at least in that degree and measure which they might, were it not for some or other of the forementioned hindrances. In order hereunto I shall lay down some preparatory propositions, concerning the connexion between grace, & comfort, the want of knowing, or believing whereof is sometimes matter of ill consequence to the people of God, in respect of their comfort.  
1. Prop. Wheresoever there is true grace, in how weak and small a degree soever it be, there is a foundation for solid comfort, yea even for assurance, and the comforts that do naturally flow there from.  
Many have proved sufficiently against the Arminians, that whosoever hath true grace, shall certainly be saved, because it is impossible (respecting the decrees and promises) that a truly sanctified person should totally and finally fall from grace, and so be damned. This is said, not of any certain degree of grace, but of the truth of grace, how small soever the degree be; for grace in the smallest degree is as truly grace as in the greatest degree. Now the consequence is undeniably good, that if they, who have the least degree of true saving grace, shall certainly be saved, than the least degree of that grace is a foundation in itself, sufficient for comfort and assurance; For assurance of salvation, and the comforts thence arising do naturally flow from the assured knowledge of the truth of grace, and there is none that hath true grace, in what degree soever, but he is in a capacity of knowing that he hath that grace. I know that the comfort of assurance is not an ordinary companion of the weakest grace: however sometimes at first conversion, when we may reasonably suppose grace to be in the smallest degree, it pleases God to make the infusion of grace so manifest, to the converted person, as that they have thereby the comfortable assurance of their salvation; although that assurance do continue sometimes but a very short while, and is seldom of long continuance before it be darkened again by temptation. However if there were not a sufficient foundation for assurance, there could not be any true comfort upon that account, no not for a moment.  
2. Prop. The smaller degrees of grace are very hardly discernible. This comes to pass in some by reason of the many lusts & corruptions, which upon the first entrance of grace are not all at once expelled, or subdued, but continue opposing themselves, and making head against grace, for the rooting of it out again; which though they cannot effect, yet do they often prevail against grace (yet in its infancy) and by their strength and multitude do so overwhelm, and as it were, bury that small grace, that the poor soul is not able certainly to say whether there be any such thing or no.  
In other some, a good natural disposition, specially if meliorated, and mended by civil or religious education, doth bear so near a resemblance to true grace, that it is no easy matter to discern the one from the other; so that the sincere soul being ever suspicious of itself, doth not dare to conclude that there is any thing at all better in it than moral virtue. And then, beside all this, the grand enemy of our comfort and salvation will be sure to take advantage of these, and all other occasions of suspicion, and by his temptations and suggestions to improve them to the utmost disadvantage to the soul, whereby (if possible) to hinder it from the comfortable evidence of the truth of Grace.  
3. Prop. There is no degree of grace so large, evident, and conspicuous, but that it may sometimes disappear: Even the Sun itself hath suffered an Eclipse, when the Sun of righteousness in his desertion cried out, my God my God, why hast thou forsaken me? How much less than can any of the stars, though of the first and greatest magnitude, be secure from being obscured sometimes by a thick cloud? Great graces do not absolutely secure the owners thereof from great falls, and no wonder then if great falls bring an Eclipse upon greatest graces, and so obscure the elearest evidences, and brightest comforts, that might flow from them. Remember Adam, Noah, Lot, David, Peter, etc. and let him that stands take heed lest he fall; and when thy mountain doth stand strongest, know that possibly God may hid his face, and leave thee under the power of troubles.  
These three propositions I have laid down as a ground work whereupon to build, and they are useful to the production of these three corollaries.  
1. That there are none of God's people excluded from comfort, how weak and small soever their graces may be, that none may reject their own mercies, and say, comfort belongs not to me, because I have not yet attained to such a degree of grace: formuch as every child of God is, though not equally capable, yet capable of equal comforts with others, the weakest with the strongest, and the middle size with both.  
Yea, God is pleased sometimes to impart those comforts to infant-grace, which he may deny to others throughout their whole course, though they may arrive to good attainments in grace; unto whom that speech of Christ may fitly be applied, that the first are last, and the last are first.  
2. That degree of grace which constitutes the middle size, and so includes the generality of true Christians, though in itself it render persons more capable of solid comfort than the former, yet is more liable to fears, doubts, and troubles, than any other; which will not seem strange, if we consider this threefold ground thereof.  
1. That, that peace, & comfort which they have, is commonly rather negative than positive, consisting rather in the absence of trouble, than in the sureness, and solidity, of the grounds, whereupon they build. For, alas! it is too common even with those that have true grace to content themselves with common probabilities, and such hopes as spring therefrom, without frequent renewing the engrafting, and justifying acts of faith, or rifling into their evidences to find out those of them that are unerring, and will not fail them when they come to a pinch: Like a man that hath been long in possession of an estate, though he have good writings for it in his box, yet contents himself with his present quiet possession, and is not able on the sudden to prove the firmness and goodness of his title, when it comes to be questioned.  
2. Hence it comes to pass that when their peace comes to be disturbed, they are not able so clearly to discern and make out the truth of their graces, as to shut out and repel the assault of temptations and fears. They have then their indubitable evidences to seek, and as it often falls out in other things, when we are most in haste, we lest of all know where to seek or find the thing we want; so when the sudden onset of temptations constrains us to make good our title to Christ, and the love and favour of God, in that hurley burley and confusion, which is raised in the soul thereby, we know no more for the present how to make good our title, than if we never had any.  
3. We may yet assign this higher reason, that it pleaseth God to restrain Satan from assaulting the infant-grace of his little ones, that they may not be discouraged from a way & course of holiness, before they are hardened and habituated thereunto. As a Captain will not set his freshwater Soldiers to bear the brunt of the day, lest he discourage them for ever after. But when God hath for a certain time trained up his servants in their postures of grace and holiness, he than leads them forth to the trial, to see how they can endure the shock of temptations.  
3. None can promise themselves an uninterrupted course of peace & comfort, how high degrees of grace soever they may possibly have attained unto. Nay, many times God suffers his strongest servants to encounter with the strongest interruptions; so that although there be no true comfort, nor can be, where there is no true grace, yet the several degrees of comfort do not necessarily and constantly accompany and flow from proportionable degrees of grace.   

SECT. VI The Sum of what remains to be done.  
HAving now laid the groundwork, I pass on to the superstructure: yet I must premise thus much, that those troubles and disquietments of mind, which many times befall the people of God, are for the most part grounded upon some mistakes and misapprehensions, which if once rectified, there would need but little, if any thing more, to reduce them to a quiet and comfortable state and posture of spirit. Therefore the remainder of my present task will stand in two attempts:  
1. To lay down some propositions, for the rectifying of those mistakes, and the answering of all objections that are grounded thereupon.  
2. To give some plain, easy, and brief directions for the attaining of true, solid peace and comfort, so grounded, as that it may be less liable to the common assaults, or more easily recoverable, if at any time it be overclouded.   

SECT. VII. Of conversion.  
I Shall begin with those propositions, which relate to conversion, because it is the first saving work upon the soul; and therefore some sound believers being in the dark concerning that first necessary work, they are much tempted to suspect all their evidences of after-grace.  
The substance of this work consists in that real change, which is wrought in the whole man, whereby he is turned from sin and Satan unto God, and is brought out of a state of nature into a state of grace.  
But those doubts and fears, which arise many times in the hearts of God's children, are not about the nature, and notion of conversion, but spring from mistakes about the circumstances thereof; concerning which therefore I shall lay down these following propositions.  
1. Prop. A man may be converted, or in a state of grace, yet not know it. And this either,  
1. For some time immediately after conversion: as in all probability an infant, for some time after its birth, doth not put forth any of those reflex acts, whereby it judgeth itself to be alive. Though I may not say, that a new convert is, like an infant, uncapable of exerting such reflex acts, yet certainly many do not, or if they make attempts, yet sometimes the reality of their conversion is too obscure for them to discern, in that infant-state.  
2. This also may be the condition of a true believer in his adult or grown state, to be ignorant of his conversion, and that either from the beginning of the work of grace in his heart, or by some after-occasionall darken. I do not mean, that a man may know he hath true grace, and yet not know whether ever he were converted or no, but taking conversion for the first entrance into a state of true grace, whosoever doubts or is ignorant of his being in a state of grace, by what means soever it comes to pass, must needs also be equally in doubt of his conversion; except with the Arminians, Socinians, etc. he think that true grace may be totally lost: which is an error of very dangerous consequence, and therefore of necessity to be rectified.  
2. Prop. A man may be in a state of grace, and yet not know the time of his conversion: nay, he may have good evidence that he is in a state of grace, and from thence conclude, that for certain there was a particular time of his conversion, and yet not know when that time was.  
Indeed when he is once come to that conclusion, that he is in a state of grace, he may probably conclude that such a particular time was the time of his passing from death to life, but yet some cannot go so far in conjecturing at the particular time, that work having been wrought in them while they were very young; or otherwise wrought by such gentle and gradual means (as good education, or the like) that it was not possible for them almost, to discern when they passed from the utmost bounds of common grace, into a state of special grace. And this I take to be a common case among many believers now adays.  
3. Prop. That change which is wrought in conversion is more in the inward, than in the outward man. I speak now in respect of reality, and not in respect of outward appearance; although it be true also, that many times that change which is wrought by conversion hath so great an influence upon the outward man, in point of action & conversation, that the change is very manifest and visible: yet I say that the radical and principal change is in the inward man.  
This is manifest by the word, by which repentance is generally expressed in the new Testament, a a member of conversion: as in that remarkable conjunction of repentance, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  and conversion in Act. 3.19.  
Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out. The word which we translate [repent] signify a changing of the mind, which is the primary act of repentance, and part of conversion; although secondarily, there be divers other things that pertain thereto.  
This is also manifest in that other expression, whereby Christ recommended the same thing to Nicodemus, under the name of regeneration, or a new birth. For it is evident that the body is not born again (which was Nicodemus' gross apprehension at the first) neither is the soul, as to the being or substance thereof born again, yet no doubt but some very great change and remarkable alteration is noted to us by such an expression.  
It remains therefore that this grand alteration must needs be in the moral principles, dispositions, and affections of the soul, which also hath a suitable influence upon the external actions and conversation, producing a greater or lesser change in them, according as there is need, in respect of the greater or lesser preceding depravation of them, by custom in sinning, or otherwise.  
4. Prop. There may be a great change wrought in the outward man, without true conversion.  
Many faults may be reform, many sins forsaken, many duties taken up, with a profession of religion, and yet such an one come short of true conversion; because all this may be done upon such grounds and reasons as are far inferior to that of true conversion; such as are carnal fear or hope, gripes of conscience, the outward inconveniences and discommodities of their sinful courses, as diseases, poverty, disgrace, and the like.  
5. Prop. On the other side, there may be 〈…〉 conversion where the change of the outward man is but small. A good disposition may restrain a man much from the commission of many gross sins, and the fear of penal laws may do something; but religious education, or an hypocritical profession of religion may carry men far, not only in avoiding all open sins, but also in putting them forward to the performance of all visible duties, yea, and of many secret duties also, so that there may be little wanting to the making up of the whole carcase, and outside of religion. Yea, they may go so far herein, that their outward conversation may be more commendably religious, than the conversations of some truly converted persons: there may be nothing manifestly wanting, but an inward principle of holiness, to make their actions and conversations truly holy. Then when it once pleaseth God, by his renewing grace to convert them, i. e. to work in them an inward principle of holiness, this makes little, or no alteration in the outward man, but only actuates and informs their wont actions and conversations anew, whereby that which before was evil and displeasing to God, not in the matter of it, but in the principle from whence it flowed, now becomes acceptable to God, and truly holy. As an army of rebels may be good Soldiers and have good military discipline among them, but their only fault is, that they follow the conduct of a rebel general: and these only by accepting a new General, and owning their true Lord and King may become saithful Soldiers and loyal subjects, without new moulding their army, or changing armour or discipline.  
When God first form man out of the earth, he fashioned his body complete in all the parts and proportions thereof, yet was it not a man while it was without a soul, but when God breathed the the breath of life into it, there was no alteration made in the body, but by the only addition of a soul it became a living man. In like manner by the common workings of the spirit there may be the outward form and lineaments of a Christian, without the truth and life of Christianity, till the same spirit by his special operation actuate that carcase of Christianity with a new inward principle of spiritual life and holiness; and then there is a Christian indeed, although little alteration appear in the outward conversation and visible part of Christianity.  
6. Prop. If any through evil education, example, custom, disposition, or gross ignorance, have lived a lose, vicious, debauched, profane life, have been a contemner or opposer of the ways of God, or a neglecter of the common known duties of Christianity, (I say) if ever such an one be converted, certainly they pass under a very great change, not only inwardly in their mind and affections, but also outwardly in all the visible parts of their conversations. As is to be seen in the instances of Zacheus, Mary Magdalen, Paul, and the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 6.9, 10, 11.  
I have purposely forborn any formal answer to objections, because whatever scruples do ordinarily arise in the doubting soul concerning this business of conversion, the answer to them, I think, may be easily gathered, out of the foregoing propositions, and therefore I may save myself that labour. As for instance,  
If any one think that if ever they were truly converted, they must needs know the time or at least the thing itself, and are therefore ready to conclude, that the work was never wrought in them, because they know it not: to this they may have satisfaction from the first, and second propositions. Or if they doubt of their conversion, because they never knew of any such remarkable change in themselves, as conversion is ordinary supposed to import: to this they may receive an answer from the fifth proposition; and so of others. And this method I have thought most convenient, and therefore shall observe it in the following part of this discourse.   

SECT. VIII. Of sorrow for sin.  
1. Prop. TRue godly sorrow for sin may be occasioned at first by something else than the sense of the evil of sin in its own nature. Sickness, losses, disgrace, and the like, may be the first exciting cause of sorrow; but by these streams of affliction God may, and many times doth, (by the conduct of his word) lead the sinner to the fountain of sin; so as that which at first appeared evil and hateful to him only in the sad effects thereof, may now at last be found by him to be much more evil and loathsome in its own nature, and in those more dreadful effects which it produceth in spiritual respects; as, the loss of God's favour, the debasing of the soul here, and the damnation both of soul and body hereafter. Thus that sorrow which at first was but carnal, may by this means come to be swallowed up of that which is more spiritual, and so become an holy, and godly sorrow. Yet it may be that all carnal sorrow may not hereby be so swallowed up, as that nothing thereof shall remain: so that the mourning sinner is not therefore to judge all his sorrow to be carnal, because there are some mixtures of carnality in it; forasmuch as this grace, as well as all other graces, is but imperfect in this our state of flesh and imperfection; but rather judge it to be true, because there is a manifest appearance of some mixture of godly sorrow. Yet must you strive daily to refine it from the dross of carnality, it being the perfection of a Christian on this side heaven, to be daily perfecting by degrees those graces whose perfection (or abolition) is reserved for heaven.  
2. Prop. There is no sorrow of what nature, or in what degree soever, that bears a legal proportion to any, though the least, sin.  
By a legal proportion, I mean, that which the law requires, which is no other, nor less than will make satisfaction for the breach of the law: so that if any kind or degree of sorrow bear a legal proportion to any sin, it is satisfactory to justice, and so meritorious of pardon. Whether therefore any one should suspend their comfort upon such a kind or proportion of sorrow for sin, may without difficulty be rightly determined by any one but a Papist or a like principled. So then, while the troubled soul rakes in its own sores to find a sorrow proportionable to the sins they stand guilty of, they too much justify that doctrine, which in their principles they will most fearlessly deny; and while through this error they seek righteously by the law, they do unwittingly keep themselves under the curse, at least as to their own sense, and lose the benefit of the Gospel, at least as to the present comfort of it. Gal. 3.10, 21.  
3. Prop. Every degree of true godly sorrow bears a Gospel proportion to every sin: that is, it is that sorrow which the Gospel requires, not by way of satisfaction, as the law doth, but to put the sinner into a preparative capacity to receive Christ and pardon through him. For this is not the difference between the law and the Gospel in requiring the same thing; that the law requires a greater degree, & the Gospel is content with a less degree; but the true difference consists in this, that what the law requires, it requires in perfection, in order to justification immediately; but what the Gospel requires, it requires in sincerity with reference to Christ and life by him.  
But what then? Is the least degree of this or any other grace in sincerity and truth, the most that the Gospel requires?  
No verily: for the Gospel call s for perfection, yea and a greater perfection than the law itself doth; but this is the indulgence of the Gospel, that the first and least degree of grace in truth and sincerity, puts the person into a respective capacity, of partaking of the promises and benefits of the Gospel, it allowing him and requiring him all the remainder of the days of his life, to be perfecting his graces, & thereby to be growing up in Christ, his head, when he comes to be fully and perfectly united to Christ, he may in him be perfect in holiness, and happiness together.  
4. Prop. That is true sorrow, which produceth a willingness to be delivered from the power of all sin: a real willingness, though the flesh may gainsay and be unwilling. For it is no strange thing for such contradictions to be found in God's children, so long as they have flesh as well as spirit, the flesh will be lusting against the spirit as well as the spirit against the flesh, and these two are contrary.  
I choose to note out sorrow by its effects rather than by describing it in its nature, because it is much more discernible in its effects than in its nature, and the truth of it in this effect, as much, if not more than in any other effect thereof.  
5. Prop. That is godly sorrow which produceth a sight of our need of Christ, and a willingness to close with him on the terms of the Gospel. For whereas the tenor of the Gospel is comprehended in those two words repent and believe, such a repentance is spoken of, as prepares and leads a man to Jesus Christ, and that is the repentance which God requires, and in the Gospel calls for.  
I need not precisely distinguish between godly sorrow and true repentance, which are frequently used as terms of the same import in scripture, although it do distinguish them also, but so as that godly sorrow doth certainly produce repentance to salvation; and therefore whether mediately or immediately, it matters not; but certainly that sorrow is according to God and the Gospel, which prepares the heart to receive Christ by faith; and than it is easy to judge whether that sorrow for sin, which brings a man to see an absolute necessity of Christ, and produceth a willingness to close with him upon the terms of the Gospel, be a godly sorrow or no.  
6. Prop. The fear of Hell and damnation is no unlawful or ungospel ingredient of godly sorrow. It is matter of great perplexity to the souls of many of God's Children to find upon serious consideration, that the fear of being everlastingly damned, hath a great influence upon that sorrow for sin, and fear of sinning which they really find in themselves, judging all such sorrow to be carnal, because it proceeds not purely from a principle of love to God. Indeed I cannot but look upon it, at least as a piece of great inconsiderateness in some, who teach, that godly sorrow for sin doth purely respect God and his goodness, and that, that which respecteth the safety of the soul from damnation is legal, and carnal; which is a doctrine that is contrary both to the principles of nature, and the word of God, and Gospel of Jesus Christ. Whoever thought it unlawful to fear the plague, sword, famine, poison, or the like, upon this very account, because they are destructive to the body? or to sorrow for those outward evils when present, as well as to fear them, when they are yet but imminent? and that for the body's sake, the being whereof is endangered thereby? And if it be lawful to fear and grieve, for the sake of the body, those evils, which threaten the ruin thereof, how much more consentaneous to reason is it, to fear and grieve for sin, and its consequents, upon the souls account, which is thereby endangered to be lost for ever.  
But to let pass such argumentations. Hath not God also in his word both permitted and commanded that we should have so much respect to our own immortal souls, as well as to his pleasure and honour, as for the sake of them, and their safety to fear sin, hell, & damnation, yea, and God himself too because of his power to destroy, Heb. 4.1. Mat. 10.28. And if to fear sin, upon that account, so as to avoid the commission of it, than also upon the same account to grieve and sorrow for sin, when committed; and if we may fear God because of his power to destroy, then may we also sorrow for sin, through fear of God's displeasure, and the displaying of that his power for the everlasting destruction both of the soul and body of the sinner.  
I say not, but that sorrow for sinners arising from a principle of love to God, may be esteemed the more childlike disposition, and an higher attainment, and therefore to be laboured after: yet this I say also, that it is not at all alien from the property of a good Son to grieve for an offence committed against his father, for fear of the effects of his father's displeasure.  
These propositions may be so applied, as to resolve all doubts and scruples that may arise concerning the occasion, measure, truth, or Gospel rectitude of sorrow for sin, whereby it may be distinguished from legal and carnal, or defective, which are usually the matter of the troubled souls perplexities about this point.   

SECT. IX. Of the pardonableness of sin.  
AS the assurance of the pardon of sin cannot but be matter of great joy to the people of God, and is that which in all their troubles their hearts pant after; so also to be assured that their sins are pardonable, is matter, at least, of negative comfort: But to lie under the sense of sin as unpardoned, and to apprehend it as unpardonable too, cannot not but be matter of great horror to the soul.  
But these apprehensions do proceed many times, partly from the violence of temptation, and partly also from some mistakes about the pardonableness of sin; and therefore obviating the one, and removing the other, I shall lay down these following propositions.  
1. Prop. All sin how great or small soever is unpardonable after death, i. e. if it be unpardoned at death. For death doth absolutely fix every one in that condition, wherein they die; so that if sin were then pardoned, it is pardoned for ever, but if it were then unpardoned, it is not only unpardoned, but also unpardonable for ever.  
2. Prop. All the sins of an unregenerate person are unpardonable, while he is such. But this is not such a fixed unalterable unpardonableness as the former, but only in relation to that state; so that those sins, which to an unregenerate person are altogether unpardonable, while he continues in that state, are all pardonable, yea, and actually pardoned, as soon as ever his state is changed from unregeneracy, to regeneracy. Therefore saith the Apostle, Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blatted out.  
3. Prop. All the sins of every one of God's children are pardonable, by virtue of their state, as being in Christ, and so reconciled to God; although the actual application of that pardon be suspended upon their actual repentance and faith for the most part. However all those that are once engrafted into Christ by faith, are so provided for by him, that as they cannot sin any sin that is in itself unpardonable, so neither can they commit any sin with such circumstances, as that eventually it should prove unpardonable to them, but shall sooner or later be certainly pardoned upon their certain performance of the condition of pardon through Christ.  
4. Prop. All sins are in themselves pardonable, except the sin unto death.  
For God hath not, by any peremptory decree, made known unto us in his word, so forestalled the pardon of any particular sin, whether we consider it in the horridness of its nature, or in the heinousness of its circumstances, but that upon the terms of repentance, and faith, it is pardonable, except that sin which is called the sin unto death.  
Of this also (I suppose) we cannot properly say, that it is unpardonable, although the person guilty thereof should repent and believe; but it is a sin of that nature, that doth absolutely bind up the heart of the sinner from repenting and believing, so that his repenting and believing are as impossible as his being pardoned.   

SECT. X. Of the sin unto death.  
I Hinted before, that the troubled souls apprehensions of the unpardonableness of their sins doth sometimes rise so high, as to an imagination that they have sinned against the Holy-Ghost; and then we may easily conceive, what unspeakable horror is consequent thereupon, and how incurable this distemper must needs be, till that conceit be removed; because the scripture hath so expressly said of this sin, that it shall never be forgiven, neither in this world, nor in the world to come.  
But what this sin is? Wherein it doth consist? Whether there be but one, or more of this nature? Whether it be any particular act? Or whether any sin may become a sin unto death, or the sin against the Holy-Ghost, by reason of such circumstances as may attend it? These are matters of controversy, wherein I will not now undertake, to be an umpire between the differing parties; because I suppose it would little conduce to the healing of that distemper, which I have now in hand, in regard that when I have said all I can, these things will be matter of controversy still: and besides something else may be said of this matter which will not be matter of dispute, and yet may be more effectual for curing the forementioned distemper.  
1. Observe therefore that there are but four places found (at least that are commonly taken notice of) in the new Testament, which make any mention of an unpardonable sin, two whereof give us only the names without any description, and the other two give us descriptions without any names.  
The first of those two places where such a sin is named, is Matt. 22.31, 32. where it is called, the blasphemy against the Holy-Ghost.  
The other place is 1 Joh. 5.16. where it is called, the sin unto death.  
Whether these two names express to us one and the same thing, it matters nothing to the present purpose (though I incline to think they are but the same) but this is out of question that both these expressions note out to us an unpardonable sin. For of the first Christ saith expressly, that it shall never be forgiven: and of the other, and it is employed in the very name, that it obligeth the sinner inevitably to death.  
Yet in these places there are no clear descriptions of the sin so named although in the first, the occasion of Christ's speech may give some hint what his meaning is, but not without some obscurity.  
But if the attributing of those miracles which Christ did by the power of the Holy-Ghost which he had without measure, to a Diabolical art or power, be that sin (as seems most plain from the place) than I suppose there will hardly be any troubled soul found, which can with any show of truth, charge this sin upon itself.  
2. But if this fact of the Scribes and Pharisees for which Christ chargeth them with the Blasphemy against the Holy-Ghost, be but one particular branch of the sin against the Holy Ghost, we shall hardly know what other branches fall under this head, except we find them in Heb. 4.5, 6. and Heb. 10.26, 29. which are those other two places, wherein we find an unpardonable sin described without any special name.  
And indeed it is the received opinion, that these places do describe to us the sin against the Holy-Ghost, which wants not its probability, because it is apparent that these places describe to us an unpardonable sin, and Christ in the other places seems to tell us, that there is no other sin unpardonable, but only the sin against the Holy-Ghost. But however, whether it be the sin against the Holy-Ghost or not, which the Apostle describes in those passages to the Hebrews, yet this I have observed, that those who in the trouble of their souls do charge themselves with the commission of the sin against the Holy-Ghost, do generally ground, and build their charge upon this notion, that the sin there described, is the sin against the Holy-Ghost, and they conceive that they have committed some sins like unto those there described: And therefore it will be most pertinent to the case in hand, to clear the meaning of those places.  
It would be but little satisfaction to the troubled soul to say (with some) that the Apostles [it is impossible to renew them again to repentance] doth not speak of an absolute impossibility, but of a very great difficulty; as when Christ seemed to make it an impossible thing for a rich man to be saved, yet that it was not impossible with God.  
I will not take upon me to disprove that interpretation, but that which will be most satisfactory, is to suppose the worst (as to be sure the troubled soul will do) and so to look upon it as real impossibility for such an one, as the Apostle there speaks of, to be renewed again to repentance.  
And then I shall first lay down these unquestionable propositions by way of premisall.  
1. Prop. It is certain that those, who have not only received some enlightenings, and common graces of the Spirit, but are also really and truly sanctified, may through temptation and infirmity, do those things, which they know to be sin: as no doubt but David knew murder and adultery to be sins; and Peter could not but know it to be a sin to deny Christ; and to common experience will bear witness to the same.  
2. Prop. It is as certain that the will may consent to the commission of known sins. David was not constrained to the commission of the forementioned sins.  
3. Prop. And it is no less certain that such may be renewed again to repentance: as David and Peter were. Yet no doubt but such circumstances do render the sin more than ordinary heinous.  
From hence we conclude, that except we make the doctrine all and historical parts of Scripture absolutely repugnant, and contrary to each other; yea one doctrinal part to another, we may safely say, that a person who hath been enlightened, and received the knowledge of the truth, hath tasted the heavenly gift, been made partaker of the Holy-Ghost, and tasted of the good word of God, and of the powers of the world to come, may with external evident compulsion commit great and known sins, without being sealed up under impenitency, or his sin necessarily acquiring the black and horrid die of unpardonableness thereby.  
But then as touching the meaning of the Apostle in the forementioned places, to me it seems plain to any considerative and impartial eye, that the Apostle speaks only of total Apostasy, and pronounceth that dreadful doom only against Apostates, i. e. those who having received and owned the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, do afterwards without any compulsion, or other seeming necessity, wholly renounce Jesus Christ, and all the truths of the Gospel, and become open and professed enemies thereunto.  
This is apparent in the former place, where the Apostle saith not, if such shall fall into sin, but if such shall fall away, that is, wholly turn away from Christ and the Gospel, utterly renouncing them as fables and impostures. And for the other place, it is as apparent that the Apostle speaks not of every wilful sin, or sin against knowledge, but such wilful sinning, as whereby a man declares himself an adversary and professed enemy to Christ and the Gospel, as it were, trampling upon Christ, in that he makes no more account of his blood, than of the common blood of a malefactor; and doing despite to the spirit of grace, by whom he had before been brought so far onward in Christianity, as to own Christ, and to acknowledge the truth of the Gospel, and make a profession of religion.  
For further satisfaction, I refer you to Dr. Gouge upon these places, in his Comment on the Epistle to the Hebrews.  
But these things are so clear, that whether we look upon these places as containing a description of the sin against the Holy-Ghost or not, yet it is manifest that howsoever the troubled soul may apprehend itself guilty of sins aggravated with wilfulness, or other like heinous circumstances, yet if they come short of total apostasy from Christ, and open renouncing of the Gospel, they cannot reasonably conclude from these places that there sins are unpardonable, and themselves sealed up under a state of impenitency, and there fore they are to look upon these thoughts as temptations cast in by the Devil, for the hindrance of them from returning to Christ for the cure of their spiritual distempers, and the recovery of the joys of their salvation.   

SECT. XI. Of the day of grace, the time of visitation, or the accepted time.  
IT is certain that there is nothing so irrecoverable, or irrevocable as time when it is once past and gone, so that if any one's salvation do depend upon any certain particular, or limited time, it is as impossible for such an one to be saved, if they overslip that time or opportunity, as it it to call time back again. Hence it ariseth that unspeakable horror, which sometimes seizeth upon the soul, by apprehending that the day of grace is past and gone, equal with that which ariseth from the apprehension of having committed the sin against the Holy-Ghost; because it is equally impossible to recall that time, which God hath fixed by a firm decree; as to obtain the pardon of that sin, which God hath absolutely pronounced unpardonable.  
Now therefore for extricating the troubled soul out of this Labyrinth, it will be necessary to inquire, whether there be any such fixed or limited time? which it is? and how it may be discovered?  
There are three expressions in scripture which are commonly looked upon, as pointing out to us such a limited time. In Luke 19.44. it is called the time of visitation. In 2 Cor. 6.2. there is mention of the accepted time, and the day of salvation.  
It will be necessary to premise something for explication of these expressions, that the way for resolving the doubts hence arising may be the more clear.  
We must observe that the time, or day of visitation, is used very variously in Scripture. For sometimes there is mention of a visitation in a way of judgement, and sometimes in a way of mercy. And indeed in the old Testament it is most frequently used for the time of Gods Punishing or destroying a people for their sins, as in Jer. 10.15. Jer. 50.27. Isa. 26.14. And in Numb. 16.29. it is used to signify an unusual and strange kind of death and destruction. This kind of visitation is desirable to none.  
But otherwhile it is used to signify Gods merciful providences to a person or people. By his common providences of mercy he is said to visit, as Psa. 8.4. and Psa. 65.9. But in the new Testament the word is most commonly used to signify more special blessings.  
1. As the great and general blessing of sending Christ into the world to redeem his people Luk. 1.68.78. Luk. 7.16. And the particular time of this visitation is over to all, not to the prejudice, but to the general benefit of the world.  
2. It is used to signify all means of grace and offers of mercy by Christ in the Gospel, Luk. 19.44. How the time of this visitation is passed away, shall be showed anon.  
3. It is used to signify the effectual blessing of the means of grace to the conversion of the persons so visited, as 1 Pet 2.12. Now happy are those blessed souls, whose day of visitation in this sense is past, that can say, that the day and time is past, wherein the Lord did effectually visit them with offers of Christ and grace, to their acceptance and conversion.  
As for the accepted time and the day of salvation, they signify one and the same thing, which is no other, but the time, wherein means of grace are afforded, and offers of Christ, and life by him are made to the soul. This is called the accepted time, because it is the time wherein, if we close with the offers that are made, and make a right improvement of the means that are afforded, God will accept of us in Christ. And it is called the day of salvation, because the means of grace and offers of Christ, are means and offers of salvation by Jesus Christ. So that the sense of these two latter expressions falls in with the second sense of the day of visitation in mercy.  
So then the meaning of those expressions in reference to the present case is this, viz. that there is a time wherein God doth mercifully visit a person or people with the means of grace, and offers of life, & salvation by Jesus Christ, wherewith if they shall close by unfeigned repentance and saving faith, God will accept of them in Christ, according to the tenor of the Gospel.  
Now for the clearing of such doubts and difficulties as may arise, concerning this day of visitation, and the accepted time, I shall lay down these following propositions.  
1. Prop. In reference to God's decree, the accepted time can no more be passed now or another time, than it was from all eternity.  
For the decrees were made from all eternity, and do remain unchangeable to all eternity.  
But whatsoever there is in these decrees, which concerns the salvation or damnation of any particular persons is altogether secret, God having no where written them, nor any way made them known, nor made them possible to be searched into, any further than the event doth declare them. And therefore for any one to conclude himself, either from the beginning, or from any particular time or day past, to be in an unalterable state of reprobation, is no better than an horrid presumption proceeding from the Devil and a deluded heart, and not any way from the word or spirit of God.  
2. Prop. The time of a Nations or People's visitation in general may evidently expire, and be visibly past. The Gospel may be removed, and ordinances taken away from them, or so overwhelmed in a deluge of ignorance and error, that it may be truly said, that the accepted time and day of salvation is ceased unto them.  
Yet this neither bars offers of grace, from being made to particular persons in that nation, nor makes them void to such, as are willing to accept and close with them. It is evident that there was such a cessation of the day of salvation to the Nation of the Jews, upon their rejection of Christ, Matt. 23.37, 38. Luk. 19.42, 44. And upon their rejection of the doctrine of the Gospel published by the Apostles, Act. 13.46, 51. Act. 18.6. Act. 28.25. etc. 28. So that they became no Church, no peculiar people in that special relation to God wherein they had stood for many ages before. Yet we know that there were many particular persons of that nation, yea some thousands at that time and afterwards, that, accepting of the Gospel-offers of grace, were accepted of God, added to the Church and made partakers of Gospel salvation, Act. 2.41, 47. Three thousand at one time were added to the Church, and no less than five thousand at another time, Act. 4.4. besides those that came in daily in smaller numbers.  
3. Prop. The day of grace cannot be said to be passed to any particular person, so long as they continue under the general call of the Gospel, and have any desire to close therewith. And this is to be understood, not only of such calls as may or shall be made afterwards for time to come; but whosoever hath at any time received, a call by the general publication of the Gospel, though they have hitherto rejected and made light of all those invitations, yet if at any time while they live, they shall have an hearty desire, to come to Christ for life, and to close with him upon the terms of the Gospel, then is the accepted time, then is the day of salvation; they shall in no wise be cast off.  
4. Prop. Yet without question it is very dangerous to put off invitations, and to make excuses, and delay the time of our closure with Christ. For while we are delaying and rest in good purposes for the future, death may come at unawares, and put an end indeed to the time of our visitation, and put us past a capacity of accepting, if we would.  
Besides, by continuance in sin, the heart is hardened through the deceitfulness thereof, and becomes more, and more unfit, and unwilling to be brought in subjection to the Government of Christ, and the terms of the Gospel.  
And moreover, by delays and excuses, the spirit of God is grieved, and may withhold his motions, and cease to stir up desires in the heart after Christ any more. Therefore it is good, to take the spirits advice, to day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts; take Christ, and grace, and life, while they are to be had; for if we delay, though it be but to another call, or another day, we know not what a day may bring forth to our eternal prejudice.  
5. Prop. If after all this, we could suppose that the time of any particular persons visitation could be passed while he lives, yet without all doubt it leaves him under that stupidity and obduracy in sin, that he is altogether senseless of his condition, and the misery of it: so far is he from bewailing the loss of his opportunities, and wishing in that respect, that time past could be called back again.  
So that I never desire a more sure evidence, that any ones particular day of grace is not past, than to find him mourning under the fears of it, bewailing his sins and want of grace, and thirsting after Christ and his righteousness.  
To this head I shall only add one word by way of explication of that expression of the Apostle Paul, now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation.  
This word [Now] is not to be understood so restrictively, as if the Apostle limited the accepted time to that day or hour, wherein he spoke or writ, but now, that is, now that the partition wall betwixt Jew and Gentile is broken down, the limits of the Church enlarged, the Messiah revealed, the Gospel preached, and all indifferently called to faith and repentance; now is the time wherein all without distinction may come in for a share, in the benefits purchased by Jesus Christ, and whosoever comes and closes with Christ upon the terms of the Gospel, shall be accepted and saved.   
FINIS.  

courteous Reader, be pleased to take notice that these Books following are Printed for, and sold by, William Miller, at the gilded Acorn in St. Paul's Churchyard, near the little North-Door.  

Jwenall with Cutts by Sir Robert Stapylton Knight. F. l.  
cradock's Harmony of the Evangelists. F.  
— Principles Octavo.  
Clarks lives of Worthies, Quarto.  
— Christian good fellowship, or love and good works, Quarto.  
— An Antidote against immoderate mourning for the dead. Quarto.  
— Description of Germany. Quarto.  
— Minister's deuce. Quarto.  
— Golden Apples. Octavo.  
Fettiplace the souls narrow search for sin. Octavo.  
Archees banquet of jests, Octavo.    

Clark about Comfort.