THE DOUBTING BELIEVER: OR, A TREATISE CONTAINING 

1. The Nature  
2. The Kind's  
3. The Springs  
4. The Remedies    
of Doubtings, incident to weak Believers.  
BY OBADIAH SEDGWICK, Bachelor in Divinity, and Minister of Coggeshall in Essex.  
LONDON, Printed by M. F. for Thomas Nicols and are to be sold at his shop in Popes-head Alley at the sign of the Bible. 1641.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, ROBERT, Earl of Warwick, Baron of Leez, etc. My Noble Lord, and free Patron.  
MY LORD,  
RENEWED heart is a very Heaven in our little world, and Faith is the only Sun in that Heaven. The sinner never comes to be precious, till he comes to be pious; and the value of that piety still advanceth, according to the quantity of true faith, as the Ring is the more considerable with the Diamond. I cannot conceive of a more compendious way for any Christians full and constant revenues, than this, To get faith, and still to use it: The sum or product of which would be this, Grace and Glory, Heaven and Earth are ours.  
Satan well knows what a serviceable channel Faith is for all our traffic, either for our ship to launch out into duties, or for God's ship to come laden in to us with mercies: & therefore there is no Grace which he batters, and conflicts so with, as with faith: If we weaken or shake foundations, this hath a spreading influence into the whole building: A Christians faith cannot be wronged, but presently all the spiritual frame becomes sensible of wrong and loss.  
In my weak judgement, it were a great prudence to secure that, which being secured, now secures all. Nothing grows weak, where faith grows strong. My Lord, This poor Treatise which I presume to front with your name, is like Aaron and Hur, who stayed up the hands of Moses; So doth this Treatise endeavour to stay the hand of faith in a weak Believer, who hath an ample estate on the shore and at land; but those waves of doubtings (when he is thrusting in) too often make him to fall back and stagger: Whence follows this great unhappiness, That whereas his faith might have served in many precious comforts, it is (almost a whole life) employed only to answer fears and doubts. I humbly present the subsequent Work to your Lordship's personal use, and public patronage. Be pleased (at your leisure) to peruse it, and regard it as the first cognizance of my thankfulness to your Honour, for the Living which you did so freely and lovingly confer upon me, wherein I shall desire faithfully to serve your Lord and mine.  
Now the Almighty God, and blessed Father, abundantly enrich your noble heart with all saving graces, and continue you long to be an instrument of much glory to himself, comfort to his Church, and good to our Commonwealth.  
Your Honours perpetually obliged, Obadiah Sedgwick.   

To the Christian Reader.  
THis Treatise which now is presented to a public construction, was (many years passed) the subject of my private Meditations and Sermons. I did not affect any farther publication of it, then in the Pulpit; but the importunity of others hath compelled it thus to appear in print: Not that the manner of handling the Subject (here insisted on) is excellent or exquisite, but that the matter handled may be supposed to be of common use and benefit; as a little star hath influence, though not that glory which is proper to the Sun.  
The Case which is here put, and discussed, is a Case of common experience: There is no Believer, but some time or other will confess it is his. The Sun being seated in an heavenly Orb, shineth with a very pure and constant light, but the candle (though set and burning in a golden candlestick, yet) burns with a snuff, and much variableness. When Christians are translated, and transplanted from earth to heaven, than their graces shall become perfections: There are no defects in heaven, there are no mixtures in heaven, but whatsoever is pure there, it is altogether pure: Yet on earth it is otherwise, neither the habits of Grace, nor the acts of Grace are alone 〈◊〉 any Christian: When I would do good, evil is present with me, said Paul: And, I believe, Lord, help my unbelief, said that poor man in the Gospel.  
Where is the Believer who insists not more on his fears then on his faith? and is not oftener lamenting his doubts, then rejoicing in his assurances? None have an interest in Christ, but Believers; None have title to a solid and settled peace, but they: And yet we see the children fearful, and bondmen confident; the best of men still in suit, and the worst of men quiet, as if in full possession; none doubting less than such as have most cause to doubt, and none doubting more than such as have most cause to triumph in Christ. And in truth thus it will be whiles gross ignorance veils over presumptuous sinners, and mis-belief is incident to tender spirits.  
And is not the hand of Joab in this business too? Is not Satan in all the sins of wicked men, and in most of the troubles of good men? either he tempts us to sin, and that will cause us to doubt; or else he tempts us to doubt, and that will cause us to sin. Surely it is not the shortest of his wiles and arts, in matters of Religion, to keep the judgements of some still staggering; and in matters of a soul's interest in Christ, to keep the heart still doubting. Doth he not know that the Christian cannot so happily improve Christ, who is still in suit to prove his title to Christ?  
For the better expediting of these soule-suits, peruse (if thou pleasest) this ensuing Work, which is (I confess) not a garden for every one to walk in, but only physic for the sick or weak. It is intended as an Hospital for the lame, only for a troubled sinner, only for a weak believer: And the Father of our Lord jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, even he who establisheth us in Christ, prosper it for his glory, and the help of some one or other.  
Thy Faith's servant, Obadiah Sedgwick.   

A Table of the Heads in this TREATISE.  

CAP. I.  
THe nature of doubtings. page 6   

CAP. II.  
Four sorts of doubtings. 11  
Those of inquietation are Either 

1. Real, or  
2. Personal. 13     

CAP. III.  
Quest. Whether doubtings may consist with a true faith.  
Sol. They may:  
This is 1. explicated. 16  
2. Proved. 17   

CAP. IV.  
The springs of doubtings are  
1. Original sin. 24  
2. Imperfection in faith. 26  
Which 

1. Wants ability to argue. 28  
2. Insists most on discouragements. 29  
3. Is unacquainted with our armoury. 31     

3. The life of sense. pa. 33 

What it is. 34  
Three daemon strations that it is a cause of doubtings. 35    
4. Restraining of faith. 38  
5. Special sins after conversion. 46.  
Four reasons thereof for doubtings. 47. to 53  
6. Spiritual indispositions. 55  
Two knots are made by them. 

1. Whether our graces betrue. 56  
2. Whether our services can be accepted. 58    
7. Fruitless endeavours. 59  
8. Imbecility of judgement. 64 

Which 1. wants the strength of truth, because it wants the apprehension of it. 66  
2. Is easily overmastered with error. ibid.    
9 Ignorance of the doctrine of Justification. 70  
10. Disputation against the Promises. 81  
Three arguments confirming that to promote Doubtings.  
11. Suspension of divine favour. 89  
Four Grounds for doubting in this  
12. Crediting of Satan's testimony. 94  
13. New rise of old sins. 98  
Now we question, 

1. Reality of pardon. 99  
2. Sincerity of repentance. 100    
14. Silence in conscience. 102 

Four occasions to doubt by reason thereof. 105. to 107     

CAP. V  
The cures of doubtings. 109  
1. Mortification, a cure of inherent corruption. 110 

What kind of mortifying doth it. 118  
Specially of unbelief. 121  
Three deirections for that. 124    
2. Faith is to be perfected. 125  
Some rules for that.  
3. Keep down the life of sense. 137  
Some directions concerning this. 138  
4. Scope is to be given unto faith. 146  
Three considerations about this. 147  
5. What to do concerning special sins after conversion. 160  
Three directions, with encouragements, if followed.  
6. The case of indisposition. 177 

The differences twixt a dull heart and a dead heart. 178  
All indisposition is not fundamental. 182  
The bent of the heart may be right, notwithstanding dulnesses. 186  
And a way of acceptance. 190    
7. Considerations and directions about supposed succeslesnesse in duties. 194  
8. Knowledge, 1. Distinct, 2. Distinguishing, necessary. 210 

Derived conjectures are to be reduced to the prime truths. 215  
Four things of which a weak Christian should be more fully informed.  
1. Of preparations to grace. 222  
2. Of the operations of grace. 227  
3. Of the degrees of grace. 231  
4. Of the fruits of grace. 235    
9 Concerning Justification 

Five singular comforts concerning pardon of sins in it. 239  
Other supports from the imputation of Christ's righteousness. 262    
10. Two kinds of dispute against the Promises. 269 

Five helps about this. 270    
11. Search the causes of the suspension of God's favour. 286 

The ways of regaining Gods favour. 290  
Quest. How a Christian may support himself in the interim. 302    
12. Satan's testimony of our estates is illegal, and not to be admitted. 306  
13. Several times, 312. and causes, 316. and ends of reviving of old sins. 320 

Quest. How to know whether is be Satan's work or no. 333    
14. How a silent conscience may be made to speak. 343 

How to support ourselves under the silence of conscience. 344    
In the Additionall part. 346 

1. Ob. Sense of sinful workings.  
Sol. Five considerations about them. 347. etc.  
2. Ob. Sense of wrath. 353  
Sol. Several kinds of it. 355 

The way to cure it. 358      
3. Ob. A condemning conscience. 359  
Sol. Difference betwixt condemnation of the sin, and of the person. 359  
4. Ob. A fear of the sin against the holy Ghost. 363  
Sol. What that sin is not. 364  
What the ingredients of is are. 367    

A TREATISE OF DOUBTINGS: FROM MATTH. 14. 31.  
O thou of little faith, Wherefore didst thou doubt?  
THese words contain in them the sum of a Christian in this life, which is this: That he is truly, but yet weakly good. Christ here seethe in Peter (though a Disciple) a defective faith, and then a defect of faith: Faith he saw in him, yet it was defective. It was little faith: There was truth, but there was not such actual strength in it as might or should be: And besides this, he espies in him a defect of faith; not for the habit of it, but for the act of it Wherefore didst thou doubt? Which words are a conviction that he did doubt, and likewise a correction, Wherefore, Wherefore didst thou doubt? q. d. Thou didst doubt, but thou didst ill so to doubt.  
There are many excellent points which might be observed from the Text, I will name some, and insist only on one of them: Thus then.  
1. A true Believer may be but a weak Believer, [Thou of little faith!]  
2. Christ takes notice even of a weak Believer, [O thou of little faith!]  
3. Though Christ likes believing, yet he dislikes doubting, [Wherefore didst thou doubt?  
4. A person may be truly ●eleeving, who nevertheless is sometimes doubting: In the ●●me person here you see a commendation of the one, and a condemnation of the other, ●hich suppose necessarily a pre●ence of both.  
This being the Subject on which I purpose to treat, for the benefit of weak Christians, I ●hall declare five things concer●ing it: Namely,  

1. The nature of Doubtings.  
2. The kinds and diversities of them.  
3. Their possible consistence with true faith.  
4. Their grounds, & springs, and occasions.  
5. Their cures and remedies.   

CAP. I. The nature of Doubtings.  
TO understand this, you 
Four qualities in the soul. Joh. 12. 48 Heb. 12. 25  must know, that in the worst part of the soul, there are several qualities, viz. 1. Infidelity, which strictly and amongst those which profess the Gospel, is a positive rejecting of heavenly truths, with their secret goodness; herein men forsake their own mercies by plain dissents and sleightings of the good word of grace: as is evident in the Pharisees, Luk. 7. 30. who rejected the counsel of God, etc.  
2. Despair, which is a manifest dissent, not so much in respect of the thing, or object, (for this is assented unto as true in respect of itself, viz. That God is merciful, and Christ did die for sinners) but in respect of the person or subject, wherein the soul gives up itself as lost, as without the compass and 
As Jer. 2. 25. There is no hope: no.  hopefulness of the divine proclamation: It is persuaded that there is no possibility for it to recover the shore, and therefore sinks in the depths: My meaning is, That such a soul, 
Esa. 38. 18 They that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth: This holds not only in the pit of the grave, but also in the pit of despair.  though it sees that in God, and that in Christ which can save, and doth save others, yet cuts off itself as not at all capable of any interest in the mercy of God, or blood of Christ, and so eternally falls under its own weight, as is evident in Judas and Cain.  
Now Despair, so fare as it makes assent unto Truths, it is opposed unto Infidelity; and so fare as it dissents from special goodness in them, it is opposed to Faith; and so fare as it concludes impossibility of that good unto itself, it is opposed to Hope.  
3. Fearful opinions, which are positive assents unto Truths, yet raised upon such probable inducements only, that the soul is left with a suspicion, that the contrary may be true. They are like a man upon a 
Simile.  weak plank in a great river, there he sits, and there he fears, because he knows not certainly how long he shall sit there.  
4. Doubtings, which are the suspensions or inhibitions (the holdings up) of the soul from any determinate inclinations one way or other: they are the pawsings of the mind.  
As take a man in a journey, 
Simile.  where he meets with two ways, he looks on this, and inclines it may be the right, and then he looks on that, and supposeth that it may be the right, and then he looks upon both, and ●●akes a stand, and goes on in neither: So it is with the so●le in doubtings (spiritually) There are two ways before it, two objects, two works, to believe, ●r not to believe, and 
* Dictated from the spirit, and from the flesh; from that, by way of persuasion; from this, by way of dissuasion.  arguments to incline to the one, and ●o the other, drawing into some equality of strength and weight; ●ust like a pair of scales, answerably balanced, so that both are ●at a stand, there is no turning either to the right hand nor to the left. Therefore the Schoolmen say well, that Dubitatio est motus supra utramque partem contradictionis, cum formidine determinandi alteram partem ejus.  
That you may yet conceive 
3. Things to be further observed.  this clearly, remember 1. In our minds there are Assenting, which are the adherents of the understanding to truths known: And there are Dissenting, which are the bearings off from those truths. There the soul positively inclines, here it declines; there it puts out the hand, and here it keeps it in.  
2. Doubtings properly stand between them both; they are not plainly the one, nor plainly the other: If I may speak freely, I conceive them to have a twang of either; they are a medium, a middle thing, as your mixed colours are which you cannot style directly white, or directly black.  
The soul hath a desire to join unto Truth, it hath a desire to share in that goodness which it apprehends; yet it neither 
Doubtings are stagge●ings. Rom. 4. 20  fastens, nor yet rejects, but like the fish to the bait, it likes it, and is striking at it, but dares not, and swims about; or like 
Simile.  a wave of the sea, (that is the Apostles comparison, James 1. 6.) thrusting to the shore, and yet drawing back; or like a Meteor hover in the air twixt up and down: Such rolling, reeling actions of the soul are doubtings; they are a recoiling adventuring: The soul sees reason of either side, to draw, and withdraw, to give on, and to give back. It sees Christ and the promises, knows the goodness and bounty in the one and the other, whereupon it is giving on upon them, and putting out the hand, but then instantly it checks itself, and is stayed with contrary arguments and fears; I may not be so bold, Perhaps they belong not unto me.  
So that the person is hanging betwixt hope and fear, I would, but I may not; I may, but I dare not: It is just with the soul as with those at Chess, they set out a man, and think to take a King, but then presently they are checked, and draw him back again: God he is my Lord and my King, nay and yet he is not; He will do me good, yet I fear he will not; He hath pardoned my sins, and yet I fear he hath not; He doth hear my prayer, yet I doubt he doth not; My estate is good and happy, nevertheless I suspect it is not.  
Thus doth a man waver, and roll, and is like a man in the 
Simile.  ungrounded places, he no sooner plucks up one leg out of the dirt, but the other ●inks in▪ the soul is not determined one way or other.  
3. One thing know more, that though the mind doth not pitch or rise unto a determinate action in spiritual doubtings, yet it ever inclines towards a determinate object: That is, 
Note.  though the doubting Christian cannot come yet to quit those uncertain, and trembling, and shivering motions, and bring them to a staidness, and positive fixing, yet his mind hones, it looks after Christ and the promises; it doth not reject, nor doth it give up all hopes; it keeps in it two things, which Infidelity and Despair want.  
1. One is, that it prizeth 
2. Things.  Christ and the promises, though it cannot clasp them.  
2. Another is, that it gives not up the case as desperate and impossible; but though it cannot fix, yet it will be hover about them.   

Cap. II. The kinds and diversities of them.  
THe second thing respects the sorts of doubtings, and these I must also touch.  
I conjecture that there are 
4. Sorts of doubtings.  four sorts of doubtings.  
1. Some are of admiration: in these the mind doth not gainsay simply, no, it doth believe, and is only solicitous about the hidden manner, or way of performance, or accomplishment. Such a doubting was that of the Virgin, Luke 1. 34. How 
Luk. 1. 34.  shall this be, seeing I know not a man? Non doubit at esse faciendum, sed quomodo fieri possit, inquirit, saith S. 
* Tom. 5. de Mariae interrog.  Ambrose.  
2. Others are of confirmation: Where the soul believes, but desires something more to secure and settle it, so that it might be put out of all doubt, as was that of gedeon's, Judg. 6. 
Judge 6. 36, 37.  36, 37, 39 Which kinds of doubtings are the cravings of a little more indulgent security from God in matters of extraordinary concernment; not that we properly question the verity of him, but that (in respect of ourselves) we might work the more confidently upon clearer evidence and warrant.  
3. A third sort are of negation: and this is such a form of scrupling, wherein we plainly suspect God of his good word of truth; and is incident unto evil men in their general course, and to good men in respect of some particular carriages and businesses, as is evident in Za●●arias, Luke 1. 18. Whereby shall 
Luk. 1. 18.  〈◊〉 know this? This question was ●question of doubting, and this doubting, no question, was an unbelieving one: It did not cre●● the Angel's message; so is it ●●pressed, ver. 20. Thou shalt be ●●mbe, because thou believest not ●y words.  
4. A fourth sort are of inquination, where the mind is diversely carried, and is not come ●● a rest, as when a cause is not ●ome to a sentence, but hangs 〈◊〉 suspense. Now of this sort of ●oubtings we speak at this ●me, which again may be branched,  
1. Into Real, which questi●ns the principles themselves, ●ther for truth or goodness, ●nd so they respect matters of ●aith; or else they question action's touching lawfulness or un●awfulnesse, and so they respect ●atters of fact: In which respect they are more specially styled Scruples of conscience▪ which are nothing else but some grating and painful doubts about points 
As Rom. 14. 23.  practical: O● which see the Casuists.  
2. Into Personal; Where no● the things in themselves, but i● respect of ourselves, are questioned, and only questioned, no● peremptorily denied or rejected: viz. I know and beleev● that God is a Father, that Chris● is a Redeemer, and the Saviour of sinners; I now doubt, Not whether there be any truth, o● good in these, (for these I yield but upon view of my great sin● fullness and many defects, now only question (and this i● enough) whether my interes● be in that truth and goodness What is said here of a case respecting spirituals, the sam● may be said of that other respecting the promises for temporals, 
See Luke 12. 28.  because that doubting ●●e extend to both.  
3. Again, there are two sorts personal doubtings.  
1. Some are privative, which move all presence of faith: ●● which see 1 Tim. 2. 8. and Jam. ●6.  
2. Some are contrary, which ●e minuere, but not negare; they 〈◊〉 impair, and keep faith low, ●●t not wholly deny or extin●ish it, as in our present Text.   

Cap. III. ●f their possible consistence with Faith.  
ANd here lies the kernel, Whether personal doub●●ngs, Quest. (i. e.) doubtings of a man's particular interest in God, and ●hrist, and the promises, may consist with personal Faith?  
To which I answer, They may: Sol. ●or (and mark it well) though  
1. Doubtings be sinful, for they are the smoaking of corruption.  
2. They be no part of Faith.  
3. They cannot consist at the same instant with the acts of faith; for it is impossible that faith should formally doubt. As it is impossible that I should lay 
Simile.  hand on the rock, and not lay hand at the same time; or that mine eye should see and not see the colour at the same time; or my hand receive, and not receive the gift at the same time: So is it impossible that the soul when it doth believe, should doubt, forasmuch as Faith in 
In sensu composito.  act, and doubt in act, are opposite; and the soul cannot possibly set out from one faculty at the same time opposite acts; I confess successively it may, yet simultaneously it cannot: But now to believe, and to doubt, are opposite; for in the one I embrace, in the other I do not embrace; in the one I rest, in the other not, etc.  
Yet fourthly, Actual doubtings 
Actual doubtings may consist with habitual faith.  may be in a person who hath habitual faith; for this you must know, that faith and doubtings are not opposed as life and death, where the presence of the one determinately concludes the total absence of the other; but as cold and heat in remiss degrees in the subject, where though the nature of cold be not the nature of heat, but naturally one is expulsive of the other, yet both lodge in the same room; So Faith is not Doubting, and Doubting is not Faith, one of these is expulsive of the other, yet both may and do meet in the same person:  
Who is notwithstanding called 
How one is styled a Believer, yet hath doubtings. Simile.  a Believer from the most eminent part: For as we truly call many persons beautiful persons, though in some one or other limb there may be some faulty incongruity in nature, (because that which is better still denominates or gives the name) so we say that Christian● are true believers, because they have faith really in their souls, notwithstanding many culpable doubtings which they feel and express.  
It were a folly indeed that men should think their fields had no corn, because there are many filthy weeds; or that the heap hath no wheat, because much chaff; or the pile no gold, because much dross; or the soul no faith, because many doubtings.  
I had almost said (let it go, I think it is a truth) there is none had faith, but hath found his doubtings. Did you ever see a● fire without smoke? Smoke is no part of the fire, yet it steams from that fuel, to which fire is put: So it is with faith, and doubtings, etc.  
Nay see this truth put out of 
Believers have doubted.  all doubt by several instances in Scripture: Let this of Mat. 14. 31. be the first, O thou of little faith, (said Christ to Peter) 
Peter.  Wherefore didst thou doubt? Where, though Christ did reprehend him for doubting, yet as he doth intimate his doubting, so his faith too: He had faith, though little, and doubtings, though he had that faith; there was the one, and there was the other, they were both in Peter; For he had not stepped out, but for faith, and he had ●not sunk, but for his doubtings.  
Observe Abraham himself, 
Abraham.  the father of the faithful; yet we find him winding and turning, shuffling and doubting more than once, if we read Gen. 12. and Gen. 15. 2, 3. and Gen. 20.  
So David had his tremble, 
David.  his faintings, his suspicions; all in him was not faith; He in his haste falls out with some for liars, who yet spoke nothing but 
Ps. 116. 11  the truth of God: And so again, 
Psa. 31. 22 God hath forgotten me, etc.  in his haste, he is cut off from before the eyes of God, who yet heard the voice of his supplications.  
Job also, a man of great sorrows, and of great faith, yet had hee● 
job.  not his qualms? his shake? his questionings? Indeed in some places he seems Heroic in his faith, graciously victorious over all calamities, and riding above all waves; yet in other places we find the Man a● well as the Believer; he staggers, he fears, he is giving up.  
The faithful in Scripture are compared oftentimes to Trees, which though they be well rooted, yet may be shaken; and t● Noah's Ark, which though i● was a safe harbour, yet it was tossed; and to an house built o● a rock, which though it be fir● and cannot be removed, yet 〈◊〉 may be moved; and to Stars, which though they be heavenly, yet are twinkling; and amongst them, much to the Moon, which with her light hath yet some dark spots.  
What should I allege examples? 
Experiences.  Let your own experiences, and daily complaints sufficiently answer to this; let them give verdict: Some of you have not yet risen above your fears. Let God hold up his favour, do you not presently doubt? Let him hold in his hand, do you not also doubt? O how we toss, ●nd roll, and stagger in every ●ensible difficulty! In matters of this life, scarce a contrary occurrence which doth not distracted us. Thus is it with most ●f us in our infancy, and in our ●ettings out▪ But for you who ●re of further perfection, who ●re ripened unto an assurance, perhaps unto a full assurance, ●an you never remember any bowings, shake, shiverings, doubtings? Or think you never to meet with any more? I have known the Sun one day bright, and the next covered; and David's mountain strong: But Thou didst hid thy face, and ano● I was troubled, Psal. 30.  
Besides all this, consider th● nature and condition of tru● faith in this life; It must the● be granted that there may b● doubtings with it, forasmuch as no grace is perfect in this life it hath its contrary in the sam● subject in some remiss degrees And it is one work of faith sti● to be casting out of doubt which do rise in the mind which working could not b● unless there they were.  
But will you say, When● Obj. should these arise? Doth God alter in his love, in his nature, 〈◊〉 his fidelity? Or do the Promises (which are the great sta● of faith) go and come, ebbs ●nd flow? Do they vary from themselves, either for truth or ●oodnesse? Or doth Christ the mundation, the rock on which ●ur faith is built, is not he the ●●me yesterday, to day, and for ever? ●f so, how, why, whence is it ●●at a Believer should doubt?  
I answer, That though there ●●e the sameness in God, in Sol. ●hrist, in the Word, yet there is ●ot an oneness in us; and the ●ariations in us do in no wise conclude any thing in them, no ●ore than the several alterati●ns in the air do infer a diversity in the Sun, which is ●●e and the same in respect of ●selfe, however the changes ●ee multiplied here below. ●herefore know that the   

Cap. IU. Springs, Causes, and Occasions o● doubting are or may be these.  
1. Natural corruption: Thi● 
The first cause of doubtings.  is a corrupt root, th● seed of all sin, and of unbe●● lief. This is that flesh whic● 
Original sin the fountain of unbelief  doth lust against the spirit, a●● thrusts up abundance of mot●● on's, and corrupt reasonings, a●● motives to interrupt our fai●● in its great business of belee●ving: So that when we wou●● 
It corrupts and misinforms the mind, and withholds the will.  do good, evil is present wit● us; and when we would be● leeve, unbelief is prese with us.  
It is very true, that in our co●● version, the soul is gracious● enlarged, and the powers of 〈◊〉 
It is a disease hanging about the best.  are crushed, Yet so, that still▪ 〈◊〉 go with a chain about 〈◊〉 leg: And though sin hath 〈◊〉 deaths-wound, yet so much li●● 
Note.  is still remaining as to interrupt our graces, to resist them; yea (and if we look not well unto it) to stay and bind them.  
He who hath a maim in 
Simile.  his leg, cannot move in that manner or measure as he desires; and a wounded hand or arm hand or arm cannot stretch out itself, and lay hold at all times. Corruption is in the best, and will do its part, and that is one reason why we cannot do all our part in believing.  
You know in the Wars, 
Simile.  how the intentions and motions of one side are stopped, and kept up, by the malice, and subtlety, and power of the other; and that there may be many veins of sweetest water under the earth, which yet are many times checked and controlled by the falling down of earth. O this body of sin, which (nolentes volentes) we must yet carry about with us, how backward is it to come to Christ? how unbelieving is it? how suspicious? how fearful? It will not be persuaded, it will not hearken, it will not credit, it will not yield, it will not embrace.  
The very Disciples, who had the presence of Christ, who saw the Miracles of Christ, who heard the voice of Christ, how often did they doubt? did they question? Whence shall we have bread to feed so many? * 
Luk. 24. 21  We had trusted it should have been he who should have redeemed Israel. So that Christ reproves them more than once or twice, O slow of 
Luk. 24. 25  heart to believe, etc. 
* 38.  Why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: But Christ apologiseth for them, The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.  
2. Imperfection of faith; 
A second cause of doubtings.  this is another cause of doubting. Why should a child fall so much, and a man so seldom? is it not the weakness in the 
Simile.  nerves, and sinews, and low motive parts? When fire is newly kindled, it is but little, and hath much smoke; so is it with our faith, the more imperfect it is, the more doubtings it finds.  
Matth. 14. 31. O thou of little 
Weak faith and many doubtings go together.  faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? Little faith, and great doubtings go together; like a little heart, and great mists. Some men are but Babes in Christ, they are but plants in the garden, they are but lambs in the fold: Now children are apt to fear, and plants to shake, and lambs to flag behind, and weak believers to doubt: Lay a little burden on 
Simile.  a child's shoulder, he knows not what to do; show him the water, he cries out: So is it with weak believers; Their strength is not proportioned unto unusual exigences; Neither have they experiences, nor that quickness of art to hie them to their helps.  
And these are great matters, 1. when a man wants strength to deal with his enemy, and 2. when he hath not had experience: Therefore let us consider this yet more; Where faith is weak or imperfect, there are three things incident unto those Believers.  
1. They want ability to 
Three things in weak believers.  argue: for their experience is little, and therefore their judgements are not so settled; so that they cannot always maintain their ground. David, 
David.  because of former experiences, he is not amazed at the uncircumcised Philistine, but rests upon that God for victory here, who had granted him former deliverances from the Bear and the Lion. And so 
Paul. 2 Cor. 1.  Paul confirms himself, 2 Cor. 1. 10. who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver, in whom we trust, that he will yet deliver*: but weak 
David was right in Psal. 9 10. They that know thy name will put their trust in thee, for thou Lord baste not forsaken those that seek th●e.  faith hath little experience of God's truths, and of God's power, and of God's method and times.  
2. They see their wants and hindrances, more than their helps and encouragements: like Elisha's servant, who saw the multitude of the enemies compassing the city with horses and charionts, and the reupon cried out, Alas my Master, 
El●sha's servant, 2 King. 6. 15, 16, 17.  how shall we do? but (at first) he saw not the mountain full of horses, and chariots of fire round about Elisha, which might have stayed and upheld him.  
It is with new and weak Believers, as with the Israelites, 
Israelites.  who did hear of the sons of Anak, those mighty Giants, and of the high & mighty walls about the city of Canaan, they looked on these, and were greatly perplexed and discouraged, but they did not look on the strong and Almighty God, who did promise to go with them, and conquer for them: So do these, they look upon the mere temptations and suggestions of Satan, they look upon the powerful stir of remaining corruption, they look upon the strength of present crosses they look upon their own weaknesses against all these, they look upon God's delay, upon their own dulnesses, and whatsoever may keep them down; but they look not upon that God who hath promised, who hath performed the oath to Abraham the father of the faithful; they look not upon Christ, who hath by his blood ratified and sealed the Covenant, they look not upon that mighty spirit of grace in them; they look not upon other standing Christians, who can tell them that God is true in all his promises, and assuredly righteous, and a present help, and who never fails them that trust upon him and wait.  
3. They cannot repair unto the establishments of faith as strong believers can: They are not yet so acquainted with the Armoury of faith; the Promises, 
The Armoury of faith.  they are the Armoury of faith; but now these Promises are many, and are graciously framed to the variety of our conditions; which because the beginning Believer knows not, therefore in the times of changes, being not so ready, having not his weapons, nor being so presently able to send them out, hence it is that doubtings do so arise, yea and so grow upon him in such strength, that he is like to faint.  
You shall experimentally 
Note.  find many good people, who have in some cases maintained their ground with credit to their faith, (for they have traversed a particular vein of the Promises, they have found them out, they have applied them, and made use of them, by virtue of which they have borne down the many rise of doubt and fear in that kind, and have singularly enabled and comforted their hearts against distrust and fear.)  
But these selfsame persons on a sudden have been and are strangely puzzled, distressed, afraid, doubtful, full of fears and dejections, and all that they can do is to bear up, yea and that is hardly done too: Why? what is the matter? have they not faith? Yes; and doth not that faith work? Perhaps it doth in a general way, but with particular efficacy they cannot yet observe it: How so? This, there is a new kind of trouble, a new burden, which yet they were not put unto, and they cannot find any promise to reach that same: and hence it is that their fears and doubtings do exceedingly sprout up and distract them.  
And this is found to be very true, that in particular and sensible distresses, (be the matter 
Till faith doth settle we shall be unsettled.  and kind what they may be) the soul remains in a hurried perplexity, in a waveing unsettledness until that faith can find out a Promise to answer it either expressly or virtually: One of these two ways it must reach us in our conditions, or else our fears are up.  
●. The studying of the life 
The third cause of doubtings.  of sense: This is another spring of doubting: which is evident in Thomas, John 20. 25. Except 
Joh. 20. 25  I shall see in his hand the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe: He must see and feel, or else he is faithless.  
Now to study the life of sense is this, viz. To place the disposition of God, and the issues 
The life of sense what it is.  of our condition in our feelings and sensible apprehensions: As to believe that God is my God, because I find him so; That he is gracious, because I find a sensible answer of my prayers; That he doth accept of my services, because I find that life of affections. So on the contrary, that he is not my God, because I find not those ●ensible reports of his favour; I find not that quickness, and former smartness of affections; I find not present answers unto all my desires & requests; That I am not in the estate of Grace, because I feel not the vigours, and secret increasings of grace; That I do not believe, because I do not rejoice, nor see my sins blotted out, etc.  
Which kind of life must verily be exposed unto infinite and continual doubtings: 
Three demonstrations, that the life of sense causeth doubtings.  For,  
1. The soul here hath no constant bottom to settle upon; our feeling is sometimes more, sometimes less, sometimes none at all. Indeed it is 
A bowl upon a bowl, etc.  true, that faith may b●eed feeling, but than it is as true, that faith may be without it: As 
Sense meets with contrarietics, & cannot resolve them: but faith can reconcile all by resting on God and his Word. (Da●id, job, and Paul, etc.)  the soul doth breed seeing and hearing in the eyes and ears, yet the soul may be in the man when these do not see, and these do not hear: A man cannot but be perplexed in his thoughts, if he holds this opinion, That meat doth not nourish him, unless he presently sees how the parts grow bigger by it; or, That his father doth not love him, because he is not always smoothing and stroking of him; or That his seed is lost, because it is not a present harvest; or That the channel will shortly be dry, and without water, because the Tide is gone out, and hath left it naked: In 
Conclusions can never be firm, which depend upon variable & changeaable principles.  like manner, to conclude against our souls from Sensibles, and Mutables, exposeth it to the labyrinth of daily fears and scruples.  
But secondly, the soul hereby doth advantage Satan in his suggestions; for the life of sense (like the rolling sea) is open to all winds, it hath a secret, restless, unquiet distemper of its own; but besides that it is open to the singular disturbances and inquietations from the devil: For the life of 
Note.  sense hath made two propositions for him of the despairing Syllogism, and he can easily make the other: viz.  
He who hath not the sense 
The syllogism of sense.  of God's favour, present answers from God, feelings of his graces in their nature and measure, cannot be in the state of grace and salvation, (this is the Maxim of sense) But thou (saith Satan) hast not the sense of God's favour, etc. Ergo, saith he, Thou art not, Ergo also sayest thou, I am not in the state of grace and salvation.  
Lo here the issues of the life of sense! And now, no marvel if the soul gives not on upon Christ or the promises, but is tossed to and fro, and hangs in extreme suspense.  
Yet thirdly, it is a life which doth much dishonour God, and therefore exposed to many fears and unsetlednesses: What? To measure the truths of God by our feeling? and the graciousness of God by our sense? what is this but to arraign God both for truth and graciousness? What is 
God will not stoop to our unbelieving way of sense, but we must rise to his granting way of faith.  this but to set upon God, and give the sentence, which he hath kept in his own hands? What is this, but to limit the holy One of Israel? yea, to correct his wisdom, as not being skilful to order the business of our salvation, unless we always have an eye or a finger at every turn to know his particular intentions and proceed with us?  
It is a glorious and singular 
Note. We know not what a promise will do, till we lay hold.  way to believe so long, until we come down to feeling; But to begin with feeling, and so rise to believing, is a delusion both dangerous and impossible; for thou canst never truly feel, unless thou dost first believe: Canst thou truly warm thy heart with that divine favour which faith did not let in? 
The fourth cause of doubtings.   
A fourth cause of doubtings, is, when we deny Faith its 
We give not faith its perfect work and full scope to all objects and all occasions.  matter and grounds to work: How is that? It is, when we guide the whole business below, and not above; I will give you some instances.  
1. You know that the condition of Grace is exposed to many short allowances in externals; 
Four instances.  and the condition of sinful men is capable of large 
Prosperity of evil men, and adversities of good.  prosperity in worldly things; A good man may have many wants, and an evil man may have, in this life, his good things, (as Abraham speaks of Dives.) Now when a person looks upon the bulk, upon the outward part, upon the shell, upon the rind of things, and sees plenty with evil men, and poverty with good men; honour shining there, and contempt clouding here; fullness for them, and leanness for these; pleasures and liberties attending them, and sorrows and restraints befalling these; when I say he looks on this, and no higher than this, it is possible that suspicions and doubtings may start up; it is possible that the soul may sink down somewhat at it. See an evidence in Asaph, Psal. 73. 2. 
Psal. 73. 2.  My feet were almost gone, my steps had well-nigh slipped. 3. When I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 12. These are the ungodly who prosper in the world, they increase in riches. 13. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. 14. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. Observe here his distrusts and doubts; As if his gracious course did no way benefit him, or as if he had served God for nought.  
And thus he goes on, whiles he bends his thoughts downward, whiles he keeps in his faith, whiles he denied it matter to work upon; but ver. 17. 
But 17.  there he gives scope for faith to work, and then he is free again, and well again, [Until I went into the Sanctuary of God, then understood I their end.]  
2. In case of the sinful condition; Whiles we look on it, and deny Faith its matter also to work upon, we shall be full of doubtings. Let a man look only 
Sinful condition.  upon his sins, upon the nature of them, the aggravations of them, what will come of it? 1. Strong humiliations, and those are good. 2. Doubtings and despairs, and those are bad. The single considerations of sin, are the matter only of our fear; they are a grievous burden: David was not able 
Psal. 38. 4.  to stand under it, My sins are too heavy a burden for me to bear, Psal. 38. 4.  
For what hope is there in 
Nothing in a sinner to uphold a sinner.  ourselves? What is in a sinner to uphold a sinner? No burden is an ease to itself. Let people behold their sins, and not use their faith, they cannot but doubt; for now sin appears in all the motives and causes of fear, and now God appears not in the nature of a friend, but with the countenance of an enemy, and of a severe Judge; and where now can the troubled soul anchor, or fasten, or ease itself?  
God (you know) hath given unto Man two ears and two eyes; if we make use of one only, our lives will often hang in doubt and suspense, If we have not an ear 
* Psa. 81. 8 I will hear what God the Lord will speak, etc.  to hear what God saith to an humbled sinner, as well as an ear to hear what Conscience will say unto a sinner: If we have not an eye to look unto Christ, as well as an eye to look unto our sins; an eye to behold the brazen Serpent, as well as an eye to behold the biting, fiery Serpent, we cannot then but doubt: As we must give conscience 
Note.  its scope to work upon sin, so we must give Faith its scope to work upon Christ, else we shall neither be freed from our doubtings, nor yet from our sins which cause those doubtings.  
3. In case of bodily distractions 
Bodily distractions.  and occurrences, which put us into an exigence or strait; if we look below only, if we look upon their strength, and our strength only, it will now be with us, as with David tired out, and almost 
David.  spent by the hunt and pursuings of Saul, 
* 1 Sam. 27. 1.  I shall surely one day fall by the hand of Saul; or as with Peter, who 
Peter.  looking upon the waves, (and not upon Christ) began to sink, and cried, Lord save me; 
Mat. 14. 30  or as with Jehoshaphat, whiles he looked upon the great Armies, 
jehoshaphat. 2 Chron. 20. 12.  We know not what to do. Not long since, we might have read this in our very faces, 
Ourselves  when the Churches abroad 
A little before the K. of Sweden came into Germany.  were in great distress; we looked on their dust and ashes, their ruins and weakness; we looked on man, and gave up all for lost; We did not look upon God, and therefore our ship was full of water, our hearts did fail us, doubts and fears like a black cloud did overspread us: Nay at 
* This was preached in the times of the great calamities of the Church in Germany.  this very time we hear of an externally disproportionable strength, that the enemies are more in number, they are confederate, they complot, they intent a great design, and now I find the fears, the doubts wagging; and assuredly whiles we look downward only, and not upward; whiles we lay events & issues upon the creature; 
Whiles our eyes are down, our fears will up.  whiles we give faith no scope to look up and work upon that God who can save by a few as well as by many, we shall never be freed from doubtings.  
The very same is true in our personal occurrences; as long as we look on the things only which we meet withal, and oppose our own strength unto them, it will be with us as an 
Simile.  house without pillars, tottering with every blast; or as with a ship without an anchor, tossed with every wave: For every cross is too hard for us, though none can be too hard for God.  
4. So for temptations; 
Temptations.  Here also our doubtings fly up, because our faith flies not out. O say we, we are not able to bear, to withstand, to overcome; the temptations are strong, and many, and daily. Suppose so; And what do we? Verily we are soon ready to sit down, and to give the day to Satan, never considering that God gives his Soldiers his Arms; never considering that the quarrel and battle is the Lords, he is engaged in the fight, for all is for his sake: We think that God looks on only, and believe not how much he curbs Satan, and sustains us; As if Satan might do what he pleased, and God left us alone to grapple; whereas the Lord makes manifest his power in our weakness, and 
2 Cor. 12.  his grace is sufficient for us, and 
Rom. 16.  he will bruise Satan shortly under our feet.  
A fift cause of doubtings, 
The fift cause of doubtings.  may be particular and special sins after conversion:  
Which are like water dropped 
Simile.  into a candle, making it to burn flat and dull, with a black snuff at the top, and catching as it were, going up and down for hold: or as a rheum, a salt rheum, fallen into the eyes, which intercepts the sight, and darkens it for a time: So do our special sins after conversion, they do dim, and darken the soul, and like those enclosed spirits of the air in the bowels of the earth, they cause many fearful shake and tremble, as is evident in David after his great 
David, Psal. 51.  sins of Adultery and Murder, they did exceedingly weaken his spiritual condition, and wiped off all his comfortables.  
Beloved, these sins, they must needs be a strong spring of doubtings if we do but consider,  
1. That it is their nature to 
Four things here about special sins.  set us off from the shore and harbour: You know that a Ship which lies quiet in the harbour, or by the shore, thrust it out, launch it into the 
Simile.  sea, it is tossed again: Now in all known sins which wound the conscience, (after conversion) we loosen the Anchor, and put off: The Promises, and Christ, (upon which our confidences 
Special sins, though they lose not the estate, yet they loosen our hold.  were anchored) do now seem to give, they will leave, they will withdraw.  
But suppose, in their sensible virtue they should not, (which yet they do) nevertheless we cannot fasten now, for the very temper of the soul is injured, our spirit is wounded. You know though the staff 
Simile.  doth stand where it did, and as it did, yet if my hand be wounded, I cannot clasp it, nor use it as formerly.  
Now, what think you, must not the soul needs be filled with fears, and with doubts, which hath thrust itself thus from such a gracious harbour as the mercies, the loving kindnesses, the sweet and blessed promises of God? may it not say now, as David once, Psal. 77. 3. I remembered God, 
Psal. 77. 3.  and was troubled? and well mayst thou be troubled, who wouldst for such a sin pull away thy hand from such a God.  
2. God doth really take these sins ill, very ill, from those upon whom he hath conferred such fruits of his love: For this is a truth, that 
God's goodness aggravates our sinning.  in case of offences, Love and Bounty can give in the strongest and heaviest aggravations: As in that of David, 2 Sam. 12. 7. I anointed thee King over Israel, and I delivered thee out of 
2 Sa. 12. 7.  the hand of Saul: 8. And I gave thee thy master's house, and gave thee the house of Israel and judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. 9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight, etc.  
Observe how the Lord pleads it, and aggravates it up●● David. Now when a child 
Simile.  knows that he hath committed a fault, (concerning which his father gave him a special charge, See thou do it not) and withal he knows that his father is fully acquainted with all the business, it is likely (we find it so) that fears and doubtings gather within the breast of the child; He dares not keep off, and yet he is afraid to come in; he knows that his father hath taken it ill at his hands.  
So it is with us after our special sins, we know that God hates them, (he hates them 
Note. Sin in any, hated of God.  not personally, but naturally; not because in such persons, but because in any persons) Their nature is repugnant 〈◊〉 his: (as we hate poison 〈◊〉 
Simile.  self, and therefore ●et it 〈◊〉 a Toad, or in a Prince's 〈◊〉 we hate it still) and they 〈◊〉 have fall'n upon such sins, 〈◊〉 have incensed a gracious 〈◊〉 there, what notable fears, what strange misgivings, what appaling get up now upon the heart?  
Where is my Father? (saith the offending child) He is within, (saith one) away he runs; or he is abroad, and then down he sits, and weeps, and bewails his loss, I shall never gain his favour again.  
Thus it is with us after our special sins; If God seem to draw towards us, we are ready to fly from him: I heard thy voice (saith Adam) and was afraid, and hid myself: And if he doth not draw towards us, we sit down, wring our souls, and fetch many a deep Ah, Ah what have I done! Ah me, 〈◊〉, Where am I now? I 〈◊〉 provoked my God, and 〈◊〉 afraid to come unto him, etc.  
3. God doth not easily open 〈◊〉 favour unto those who thus abuse it: There was free intercourse twixt God and the soul before; but now the door is shut, which before was open, and God himself will keep the key, so that nothing, no means or ways shall open unto us, until he doth please. You remember how David kept his distance 
David to Absolom.  from Absolom for his lewdness, he kept him off a long time, he might not see the King's face: And David himself for his sins against his Father, could not (without 
And God to David.  long suing) see the face of God, as before, Psal. 51. 
Psal. 51.   
And now think you it strange that the soul should doubt? Assuredly great desires 
Note.  delayed and prorogued do cause great fears; yea, it breeds singular suspicions, May be I shall be still put off; will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? Ps. 
Psal. 77. 7.   
4. Nay, now the soul being made sensible, and having weighed all circumstances, can and doth teach itself many 
Tender & wounded hearts apt to multiply exceptions against themselves.  arguments and reasons to keep off; It is apt enough to fall upon itself, and to keep down any readiness which it observes to give on upon God or Christ.  
It is some time before faith can find a way to ingratiate this offending soul, and to espy a sufficient medium by and through which it may close with God for pardon and favour: And when faith hath found it out, than our mis-giving hearts beat us off; and as our weak children pluck 
Simile.  down the bird soaring up, with a string, so do our weak hearts pull in our faith which is now speeding towards heaven by the blood of Jesus Christ for us.  
The more tenderness we we gain of the sins, the more shyness and fear grows on us, and seldom doth the soul recover its former hold, and ancient correspondence and intimateness with God, until there hath been a proportionable humiliation, and spaces of settled reformation: Twixt which, and the great discovery of special and renewed assurance, the heart meets with many a wave, with many a sad day, with many a fearful rising, with many strong and terrible doubtings.  
So than you see, that special sins after conversion, do cause great doubtings in the soul, because they make a jar, a wound, they lay a bar twixt us and God, they keep up God, and keep down faith, and give up all the matters of disheartening and fear, they make the soul to be at a stand, to go away from the gates of heaven many times with singular checks and heaviness.  
6. A sixth cause of doubtings, 
A sixth cause of doubtings.  may be indispositions unto or about spiritual duties: when our Altar seems to have no fire, our bodies to have no souls, our affections to be estranged from our services; when we pray, but not with that fervency; when we hear, but not with that attentiveness; when we set upon any sort of duty, but not with that alacrity, with that joy, with those becoming spirits.  
Nay sometimes there is a strange listle●nesse, a kind of flat dulness, drowsiness, that we hardly move upon our 
Like the Disciples.  work, much ado to draw ourselves unto duty. Like the Disciples, 
It troubles a Captain when he cannot make his men come on and fight.  the soul is so heavy, that it can hardly watch and pray.  
Out of which kind of slumberings, the hearts of Christians do ordinarily awake with doubtings, and that about two particulars especially.  
1. One respects the verity 
Two places of doubtings hence.  and being of Grace: As Gedeon in another case, (Judg. 6. 13.) If the Lord be with us, why then is all this be fall'n us? So here, If truth of Grace were in me, how should all these indispositions, dulnesses, deadnesses accompany me? Where the Spirit of Christ is, there is liberty, but I am as one chained up: Where Grace is truly 
Note.  kindled, there is a holy fire to warm the heart in duty; I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, (Psal. 1 19 14.) and 
Ps. 119. 14  with my whole heart have I sought thee, So David. Thy word 
David.  was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart, for I am called by thy Name O Lord of Hosts, saith Jeremiah, Chap. 15. 16. And the 
jer. 15. 16.  Prophet Esay, Chap. 56. 7. saith, 
Esay 56. 7.  God will make his people joyful in his house of Prayer: And besides all this, we are commanded to serve the Lord with gladness, Psal. 100 2. 
Psa. 100 2   
Whereupon the soul misgives, How can my condition be good, which differs so much from the secret and lively dispositions of Grace? How can it be good which is so unanswerable to that quickness promised, and found in the people of God? How can I be good, who about the actions of good am so dull and heavy, awkward and flow? etc.  
2. But then, suppose the soul can clear and assoil itself from this fear, (by knowing that fire may be where it doth not always flame, and the root may live where the branches do not always flourish, and by finding some answerable dulnesses in some eminent Davids, who often have prayed for quickening) yet there ariseth another doubting from our dulness and indisposition, which is a fear of acceptance, The Lord will not accept of these services, because they are so heavy, they are therefore without any efficacy. Suppose I may be good, yet they are bad, and can win no favour with God. Thus the soul is ofttimes much perplexed by reason of its indispositions; as if either it were totally bad, or God intended little good unto it, because it is not quickened, and more enlivened in the services presented unto him. And verily it will much trouble a tender and sincere heart to observe in itself such flat and dull opinions of God and Christ, and such an ineptitude in itself in doing that, which to do with the best of its strength, and might, and affections, it sees reasons, and hath desires thereto.  
7. A seventh spring or occasions 
A seventh cause of doubtings  of doubtings may be fruitless endeavours: I call them so, because we think them so: What is that? This it is; When we find out defects in our particular graces, and in particular duties, or some effects of particular corruptions; and have gone to God by Prayer, and in his Ordinances, so that we have a long time prayed for the filling up and enlarging of our weak faith, love, sorrow, joy, assurance, and prayed against that hardness, passionateness, or whatsoever sinfulness observed in the heart: And yet we seem to be still where we were, we creep on with the same impotencies in grace, and move on with the same burdens of sinful motions and propensions: O now the soul sits down with much sorrow, and with doleful conclusions: Well, it is in vain to seek any more, God will make that good to me which he threatened unto Moab, Esay 16. 12. He shall 
Esa. 16. 12  come unto his Sanctuary, and shall not prevail. I have sought him a long time and have not prevailed; I shall never rise above these rise: If God had a purpose to do me good, I should have been sped ere this.  
The opinion of succeslesnesse must needs cause doubtings, because,  
1. God seems to have a controversy 
Three things in this.  with the soul; Surely, saith the heart, something is the matter that I cannot have audience, all is not right and even twixt God and me.  
2. The very stays and supports of duty seem to fail us. You know that the Promises are the great encouragements of all our services; and what have we to bind God but his own Promises, by which he hath bound himself? He hath said that he will hear, and answer; Upon which assurance of his, we came in, and prayed, but cannot get any thing, though we press God upon his own promise; Whereupon the soul is brought to a stand, If God will not answer his own word, how shall he answer me?  
3. Now we suspect not our petitions, but our persons, and uncomfortably judge or fear, that we have been deceived in our progress towards heaven: God would be to us as to his, (a God hearing Prayers) if we had been to God as his, serving him with a perfect heart, for God heareth not sinners, Joh. 
Joh. 9 31.  9 31. But If any man be a worshipper of God, and doth his will, him he heareth. Whereupon the soul strongly argues against itself, My heart is sinful, or else my prayers had been successful; I regard iniquity in my heart, therefore it is that the Lord hears me not, Psalm. 
Psal. 66. 18  66. 18.  
Beloved, you who deal with observation and experience can acknowledge  
1. That there are spaces 
Observe 3. things.  twixt our prayers and Gods answers: God hearkens what David speaks, and David must hearken what God will speak: Prayer is our angle, our feed, our dove, our messenger, it doth not always take at first, it doth not return us always a present harvest, it comes in sooner, and sometimes later, it waits the time of the master.  
2. God is wise in causing these spaces, he hath ends, singular ends both for his own glory, and for the good of our Graces.  
But thirdly, corruption takes occasion hereby, and Satan vents his envious malice hereupon: As the backbiters, and 
Simile.  slanderers, and contentious spirits, who love to set variance twixt faithful friends, let the least occasion happen, a wry look, a misplaced word, a mis-intended neglect, a forbearing of present dispatch in some desired service; let these fall out, presently the backbiter, envious, malicious, contentious spirit, catcheth; Lo, you see his love, his backwardness, his slighting of you, etc.  
Thus do our corrupt hearts and Satan; Look you now, you see how needless, how 
Hence david's Why is the Lord so far from hearing? etc. Is his mercy clean gone? etc.  fruitless all the care and service of God is; Alas, he thinks not on you, he regards not your prayers: If he had loved you, if he intended to do you good, could this be? would he have held up after so many prayers, so many tears, so many importunities, so many press by his mercies, by his Christ, by his promises? No, no, Thou art not in favour with God, his mercies, his promises belong not to thee, etc. Thus they.  
8. An eighth spring may 
The eighth cause of doubtings.  be, imbecility of judgement about the essentials of salvation; And assuredly, here lies the great spring of doubtings. An erroneous mind is the forge which hammers all our suspicions; it is the womb which bears and breeds all our fears; If it doth not find, yet it makes all our knots for us.  
What one speaks of a plain place of Scripture, This verse, said he, had been easy, had not Commentators made it so knotty; That we say of a Christians condition, It is gracious, happy, clear, sure, did not erroneous judgements disturb, and vex, and unsettle them. This is true, that a weak judgement and a tender conscience are seldom without fear and doubting. You see it in the Romans, about practical matters, whereupon the Apostle presseth the stronger not to receive the weak to doubtful 
Rom. 14. 1 22.  disputations; and if they had a particular faith, to keep it unto themselves, knowing well, how weak judgements, like weak plants, are easily stirred and shaken.  
You may see it also in the Ephesians, about doctrinal matters; for Paul giving an Item unto them to overthrow their childishness, Eph. 4. 14. he 
Eph. 4. 14.  doth paraphrase it to be such an estate wherein men are tossed to and fro, and carried 
Two things incident to this.  about with every wind, etc.  
Two things are incident unto shallow judgements, (by virtue of which they are objected (with ease) unto doubtings.  
1. One is, They have not been conversant in the compass of Truths, there be some Truths which yet they know not; they have not all their holds and strength.  
2. New Doctrines contrary to old Truths, are not so easily overmastered by their understandings, 
A man must have good eyes to find out cunning glosses.  but do either win misbelief, or else disturb their true belief. You shall scarce hear any new things started, but withal we hear of many personsstartled, as if their faith had hitherto been in vain; for tender consciences are apt to believe the most, and therefore sometimes do believe those points which are false.  
Shall I give you instances 
Instances.  amongst ourselves? 1. One is an equality of humiliation before conversion: as if no man were truly converted, who hath not equalled the greatest penitent in the highest degrees of contrition and terror. And hence it is that many distressed, bowed, broken souls, do exceedingly labour to grind themselves, and to fall into the flames of horrible fears, thereby to assure themselves of a good estate: Whereas, 1. All Christians are not equal in their preparations. 2. No man can judge his estate at all, simply, by legal humiliation.  
2. A full assurance at first, or else no faith: As if jacob's ladder had no degrees, and the 
Simile.  Sun at his first peeping were in the height of heaven; Or that a Scholar must be placed in the upper form, as soon as he enters the School. Such inconsiderate deliveries as these, they trouble the faith of many, (as the Apostle speaks of those in 2 Tim. 2. 18.) If faith cannot be without full assurance, than I am no Believer, saith David, for I had my faintings; Nor I, saith Peter, for Christ himself tells you, I had my doubtings.  
It is a most vain and dangerous way for any Divine or ordinary Christian to impose Rules, and to deliver a thing as a dogmatic and common truth, which he or he have in a special way only observed in themselves: The Spirit of God bestows upon all the Elect of God, the same substantial frame of grace; but the making up, and the making out of these, is different: As, No man must say he hath 
Simile.  no soul, because he feels not those particular workings of reason and desire which another doth; So, No man must conclude another to be out of the estate of Grace, if haply there be not a plenary answerableness in them both, for every method and measure of working grace.  
Therefore let me caveat a 
An Item to the stronger Christians  little here, to you who are grown Christians: Remember that there are some who are weak, yet true members of the same body: and do not you indiscreetly insist upon your only personal experiences, & those only in some particulars, in all companies, because you have (perhaps) risen high, therefore none are right, who are below you: Consult the Scriptures, and deliver us what it directs, and wherein it supports: You know not yet the aptnesses in tender consciences to throw down themselves, and to catch at matters and arguments of trouble. Thou sendest (perhaps) from thy company, a poor, a laden and troubled heart, with a bitter and amazed opinion, that it hath now no faith, which yet came unto thee with some weak and strong desires of firmer faith.  
Weak judgements (as I said before) cannot bear all things, but (like some men's stomaches) are presently oppressed with meats unusual: And when we have mistaken an error for truth, it may prove to the soul as the mistaking of poison for medicine, a business of troublesome and dangerous consequence.  
9 Ignorance of the Doctrine 
A ninth cause of doubtings.  of Justification; This is another cause of doubting.  
The Doctrine of Justification is a Doctrine of Life. Rom. 
Rom. 5. 18  5. 18. The free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. And it is a Doctrine of Peace, Rom. 
Rom. 5. 1.  5. 1. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, etc. And therefore the ignorance of it must needs be a cause of fear and doubting.  
Here consider four things. 
Four things.   
1. The Christian condition is subject to many sensible impressions: We are seldom without assault or combat; and those pierce us most which 
Sensible guilt is troublesome, as a disease when one is awakened.  the conscience throws up. A man may bear any wound with more ease, then that which he hath given himself. When the Law powerfully reveals, and the Conscience closely applies the guilt of our nature and lives, now it is a sad and heavy time. Job cries out in the sense of this sting, Chap. 13. 26. Thou writest bitter 
Job 13. 26  things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth. S●lomon, tells us that the wounded spirit is hardly sustained, 
Pro. 18. 14  Prov. 18. 14. David is even dried up by his roaring, 
David.  and worn away with the pain of it. And Paul cries out 
Paul.  as a man almost lost, Rom. 7.  
2. The soul makes out at 
Something to answer & account for it.  such a time for some stay and help: It seeks where it may lay his burden, and find something to ease and deliver. It is with a sick soul as with a sick 
Simile.  body, which turns from one side to another, from this part to the other part of the bed and of the pillow, and craves help of this friend and of another, would have ease from any, but perchance can get none from all.  
Here is sin, saith the person; here is a sinful soul, and there is a righteous Law broken, and a righteous God offended, who yet must and will be satisfied: He calls upon me, and hath arrested my Conscience; Now good Lord, what shall I do? I have nothing to pay, or that can give satisfaction. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? Shall I come before him with  offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be 
Micah 6. 6, 7.  pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression? the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? q. d. Those are nothing, those can do nothing; my sins are many, great, deep; my righteousness is none, or too weak to answer for my unrighteousness: All the good I have, or can do, cannot expiate the evil which I have done, or make up that good which I should have. Here is some sorrow, but what is that? it is but as a drop to the Ocean of guilt which lies upon me: Here is some duty, but what is that? it is defective in itself, and no amends to the many thousands of breaches which I have made. 
Nothing in our s●lves.   
3. The soul cannot stay it self upon itself: God calls for satisfaction; I have it not saith the soul: God will have satisfaction: Lord! what shall I now do? The Conscience works upon us, and tells us, God is just, and if these sins be not pardoned, and a righteousness found and presented, we are lost. Now the soul is at a stand, seriously and sadly bethinks, What have I? Nothing but sin, yet sin cannot answer for sin: Perhaps some imperfect holiness, but that cannot make up a perfect satisfaction.  
O my brethren! our blood and spirits must needs go and come, when the arrest is upon us, and none appears to bail us: when the ship is split, and no rock is near to save us: when the sentence of death is read against us, and none is at hand to pardon us: when the Avenger of blood pursues us, and no city of refuge opens to shelter us: unrighteousness, unability, and Conscience and God meet, and none yet, nothing is yet found to answer for us, or to pacify us.  
4. Without us there is something able to stay us, of which the soul being ignorant, is still perplexed: it cannot conclude its fears, and scruples, and doubts.  
What is that? 
Ob. Sol.   
I answer, Justification is the stay, and therefore the soul must needs be burdened, being unacquainted with it: As,  
1. Till we know where to 
Three things.  lay down our sinful burden, we must needs be troubled: If a perplexed soul could find any to charge his debts upon, who would bear and answer for him, than it might have rest: Now Christ in Justification takes our guilt upon him: As Paul said to Philemon concerning 
Philem. 18  his servant One simus, If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee aught, put that upon mine account: So saith Christ to the broken and laden sinner, If thou hast any guilt, and sinful debts to be answered for unto God, put them upon mine account; If thou hast wronged my Father, I will make all even, look for thy discharge and acquittance by me; for I was made sin for thee, that thou mightest be made the righteousness of God in me, 2 Cor. 5. 21. and God 
2 Cor. 5. 21  was in me, (ver. 19) reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; And 1 Joh. 2. 1. If any man sin, 
1 Joh. 2. 1.  he hath an Advocate with the Father, etc.  
2. Till we know our justifying righteousness, we cannot but be troubled: That righteousness which justifies us, is not in us: No righteousness justifies, but that which is every way perfect and full; now this is in Christ, and not in us. Rom. 5. 19 By the obedience 
Rom. 5. 19  of one, many shall be made righteous. When a sinner is to stand before God for acceptance and life, he stands not before him in his own rags, but in the garment of his eldest Brother: He cannot say, Lord, here is a righteousness in me which hath fulfilled thy Law; here is a righteousness in me, against which thou canst make no exception; here is a righteousness in me, for which thou art to account and pronounce me just: But this he may say, Lord, though I have no perfect righteousness to answer thee, yet thy Son hath for me, and he is made unto me from thyself, my righteousness, wisdom, sanctification, and redemption, 1 Cor. 1. 
1 Cor. 1. 30  30. And being justified by faith in it, he may have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, Rom. 5. 19  
Brethren, no man can be free from strong fears and doubts, who thinks to be acquitted or condemned by what is in himself: If a man thinks this, The Lord will or doth enter into judgement with me, and I find nothing to satisfy him, all the powers of my heart, and of my graces are insufficient, and therefore there is now no hope but I shall be cast and condemned; you see here is ground of doubtings: yet if a man could look out of himself, and know that his righteousness is to be found in Christ, and God hath appointed it so, that I am to be justified by that righteousness only; now the soul may have a stay to rest on: Yet my Saviour's righteousness was perfect, was accepted, and he is mine, and his righteousness is mine.  
3. Till we know the dispositions (if I may so speak) in God about our justifying, we cannot but doubt: for a man reasoneth thus: I have committed great sins, which now do grieve me, and I hate them, and I have left them, but I know not how they may be pardoned; those will now cause doubtings. Until we know that God for Christ will justify us from great sins, as well as small, 1 Cor 6. 8, 9 and that 
1 Cor. 6. 8, 9, 10.  he blots out the thick cloud, as well as the cloud, Esay 44. 22. 
Esa. 44. 22  I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins: and that there were expiatory sacrifices not only for infirmities, but also for enormities, all which typified the virtue of the blood of Christ, which justifies from great sins, etc.  
But I have nothing to move Ob. God to pardon them.  
Yet pardoning is a gracious Sol. work: God pardons sins, not for thy sake, but for his own sake. Esay 43. 25. I, even I am 
Esa 43 25  he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake: and for his Christ's sake, Eph. 1. 7. In 
Eph. 1. 7.  whom only we have redemption, even the forgiveness of our sins.  
But God will call me hereafter Ob. to account again, though for a while he seems to be graciously pleased.  
No, the Lord in his new Covenant Sol. of Grace assures the contrary: Jer. 31. 34. I will forgive 
Jer. 31. 34  their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. So that you manifestly see, how the ignorance of our Justification leaves the soul in great doubtings, because, 1. A man knows not where to cast his burden. 2. Where to find his righteousness. 3. What is the virtue, and fullness, and love, and graciousness, the fidelity and irrevocablenesse of God in justifying a sinner by Christ.  
10. A tenth cause of doubtings, 
A tenth cause of doubtings.  is disputation against the Promises: You have heard (heretofore) that the ignorance of the Promises is an occasion of doubting: and now I am to show you, that the arguing of the soul against them, is also another cause.  
But you will say, Doth any Ob. man dare to dispute against God's Promises?  
I answer, The Promises may 
Sol. The Promises considered two ways  be considered, 1. In respect of their absolute truth and goodness: thus they are not disputed against, unless by Atheists and positive unbelievers, as were those scoffers, 2 Pet. 3. 4. who said, Where is the promise of his coming?  
2. In respect of their application and extent: Thus many weak believers are subject to argue against them: Not, whether they be verity and mercy; not, whether righteousness and peace do meet in them; but, whether these do reach to them, and may be applied by them. Nay, that is not all, they do ofttimes upon unjust grounds thrust away the Promises from themselves.  
And now the soul must needs be hurried with fears and doubtings, in case the condition be sensible, because  
1. The Promises are to faith 
Three reasons of it.  as ground unto the Anchor; cast out an Anchor, and if it hath not ground to fasten, or 
Simile.  hitch in, the Ship rowls still: This is a truth, If faith cannot pitch and fix, the soul cannot be quiet and settled. David in one place useth the comparison of a bird, that his soul did hie unto God, as a bird unto her nest. Whiles the bird is in 
Noabs' dove found no rest for the sole of her foot.  the air, it is hover, and flying, and restless; so is it with the soul, until faith can settle it under the wings of a Promise.  
Nay, again, the Promises are called the breasts of consolation: When the child is hungry, and distempered, nothing quiets it but the breasts: And assuredly, if the Promises do not still the soul, nothing can.  
Now when a man will rove from this ground of faith, when he will fly from his rest, when he refuseth the breasts of consolation, no marvel if his soul be full of doubts and fears: For this is all one, as if a lame man should throw away his crutches, or a weak man his staff, or a sick man his cordials, or a sinking man the bough which holds him up.  
The goodness of the Lord (promised to David) was that 
Psa. 27. 13  which did hold up all his faintings; and so all God's people have still been held and staffed up by God's Word: And therefore that person must needs be full of doubts, who withdraws his shoulder from such a stay and rock, upon which he should lean and rest himself.  
2. This is but selfness, which is ever accompanied with unquietness: for why dost thou refuse to apply those Promises which God hath made? Is it not because, 1. Thou wouldst have more goodness first, 2. Less unbelief first? And is not this a selfseeking, yea, in some sort a self-standing? What an odd and unseemly 
Note. So thou hast promised to pardon sins, etc.  method of worshipping of God is this? Lord, I have but weak grace, and thou hast promised to strengthen it, and perfect and finish it, but I will not believe thy Promise belongs to me; until I have first a greater increase of my grace. Or thus, Lord, I find much unevenness in duty, and thou hast promised to give thy Spirit, which shall cause me to walk in thy way, but I will not believe this Promise, until I be first more enabled in duty. Or thus, Lord, I find much sinfulness in me, and thou hast promised to change & cleanse the heart, and to subdue iniquity, but I will not believe this Promise, until first I see my sins subdued: When I find my graces increased, than I will believe that thou wilt increase them; when I find my 
When thou hast done it, than I will believe that thou wilt do it.  obedience continued, and my sins subdued, then will I believe that thou wilt cause me to walk, and wilt subdue sins. q. d. If thou wilt perform thy Promise before I do believe thy Promise, than I will believe thy Promise. This is as 
Simile.  if a man would see the blood in the veins, before the veins are opened; or wash his hands clean, before he hath turned the cock to let out the water.  
3. A man is still held by the powers of his corruption: And where corruptions, or wants are still found in their former measure, there the tender soul will doubt and fear.  
Let a man bestow himself much in hearing, or much in praying, or much in conferring, yet if he have the art of thrusting away the Promises, he will be still as he was: v. g. Suppose a man to be sick, call 
Simile.  unto his help a College of Physicians, let them consult upon his estate, prescribe the most fitting potions, & quickening cordials, and when the patiented hath heard them, he efuseth their prescriptions, he will not take them, but saith, These belong not to me; will his disease at all abate?  
So is it with us; when we hear, or read, or confer, and many Promises fall in to our help, if yet we put them aside, we now keep up our sinfulness, our weaknesses, and therefore keep up our doubtings and distrusts.  
But you will say, All Promises Ob. are not appliable by all men in all conditions, and therefore good reason for us to hold off.  
To which (briefly) thus Sol. much: Though all Promises cannot be applied by all men at one time, yet some Promises may be applied by an humbled and sensible sinner at some time or other. v. g.  
Suppose thou feel the power of sin stirring in its motions 
Note.  and workings, and (as Paul complains) leading thee captive; though every Promise cannot now be applied, yet thou dost ill in not fastening on the Promises of Mortification, which are made for this end, that the sensible and weary sinner should lay hold on them for the subduing of his sins.  
Again, suppose thou findest weakness of Grace, (that thou canst not do the good that thou wouldst do) dost thou now well to thrust away the Promises of assistance and strengthening, by saying, What is that to me, if God hath said, I will uphold, and I will strengthen, and My grace is sufficient, and My power shall be manifest in weakness?  
So again, suppose thou feelest the guilt of sin, piercing and afflicting thy conscience, and God hath promised to pardon iniquities, transgressions, and sins, and to love freely, and to receive graciously, dost thou now well or wisely, to thrust away the pardoning Promises, and say, What are they to such a one as I am? If any beggar should say, What is that to me, that there are bountiful alms at the rich man's gate? Or a Malefactor, What is that to me, that the Prince will pardon Traitors? Or a sensible sinner, What is that to me, that Christ did die for sins, and God will be merciful to returning sinners? etc.  
11. An eleventh cause of 
Eleventh cause of doubtings.  doubtings may be the suspension of divine favour: When God holds up his countenance, the light of it from shining into the heart, ●o that a Christian doth not enjoy his day as before, his God as before, in the sensible evidences of his loving favour, now the soul may (possibly) fall into singular distrusts and fears. See it in David, Psal. 30. 7. Lord, by thy 
Psal. 30. 7.  favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong; Thou didst hid thy face and I was troubled. A Christians life, is in some respect, like a Courtiers, who is near his Prince, upon his countenance or forbearance all his comforts or discomforts do depend. We may say of him, what Mary spoke, when she lost Christ, Luke 2. 48. Behold, 
Luk. 2. 48.  thy Father and I have sought thee sorrowing, (i) with an heavy heart. So, etc. But,  
How appears it that this Ob. suspension of divine favour should occasion our doubting?  
Thus. 
Sol. Four things.   
1. God's favour is the greatest good; Thy favour is life, Psal. 30. 5. He there expresseth 
Psal. 30. 5.  God's favour by that good which of us is most desirable: Nay, Thy favour is better than life, Psal. 63. 3. Therefore he 
63. 3.  cries out, Psal. 36. 7. O how excellent 
Psal. 36. 7.  is thy loving kindness! and prays, ver. 10. O continue thy loving kindness. And Psal. 106. 4. Remember me, O Lord, 
106. 4.  with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people, 5. That I may see the good of thy chosen, etc.  
Now the sensible absence of the greatest good, must needs imprint the motions of greatest fear, and suspicion, and trouble as you may see in David, Psal. 77. 3, 7, etc. For now the glory seems to be departed from Israel.  
2. Again, In these times nothing can comfort the soul, or stay it without much difficulty: Our very graces will hardly uphold us. You know 
Simile.  that if the King clouds his countenance, they are not the dignities conferred which will content us; they are not our revenues & possessions which will cheer us: So is it with us, when God draws up his loving countenance; They are not our riches, or our gifts, or our graces, or our services, which can delight us; These do it, whiles in them we see God's love shining towards us; but if that draw back, these are all put to a straight: All is nothing to David, whiles he is under this enquiry, Will the Lord be favourable no more? Psal. 77. 7. 
Psal. 77. 7.   
3. God doth seldom draw up his favour, but for some unkindness on our part: Our sins (ordinarily) are the clouds which hid his face from us; they are the wall of separation: perhaps some great sin, as David's; perhaps some careless esteems of him, speaking in his Ordinances; perhaps some sleight passing by of his secret motions and counsels; As the Church, Cant. 5. 2. Open to me 
Cant. 5. 2.  〈◊〉 sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled, etc. To which voice of Christ, how doth the Church demean herself? 3. I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on? At length, though ver. 6. I opened to my Beloved, but my Beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone; my soul failed, etc.  
How can the soul but be greatly trouled, when it hath turned its day into night, and shut up that light which once it enjoyed to its great comfort and solace? Woman, why weepest thou? (said Christ to Mary, Joh. 20. 15.) Because (said she) they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him: So may we justly weep, when our sins have taken away our God from us in his comfortable favour, and we cannot easily regain him, and find him.  
4. These times of suspension, ordinarily are times of trial: wherein God leaves the Christian to some notable combats, and to the great exercises of Graces; at which time, corruptions and tentations will stir, and therefore no marvel if they be times mixed with some fears and doubtings.  
12. Another spring of doubtings, 
The twelfth cause of doubtings.  is, the crediting of Satan's testimony touching our estate; when we rest upon his judgement, and see our conditions through his informations.  
You know that objects are diversely represented unto the eye; Sometimes from themselves in their proper nature, as when a man sees a green colour 
Simile.  as it is; sometimes mediately, by other things, as when a green colour is seen through a red glass; now it doth not appear in its native colour, but in the likeness of that through which it is perceived: So is it with our spiritual estate.  
Sometimes it is represented unto us, as it is truly existing; and thus we shall see it, when we look upon it, and judge of it by the word of God: And sometimes it is represented unto us, not as it is, but as it appears in some corrupt and deceivable testimonies and reports unto us: As joseph's 
joseph.  chastity appeared to his Master under the nature of abominable uncleanness, when he took the testimony of it from his filthy wife: So shall our most innocent & upright frame appear unto us to be nothing else but basest hypocrisy, if we put the issue of it upon Satan's informations: For as Satan hath an art to colour over the true condition of sinful bondage, keeping close & in covert the proper image, or (rather) deformity of it: So he hath a delusion too, in hiding from our eyes the true powers of gracious sincerity, and fetching up to the judgement all our weaknesses and present imperfections, with all former known evils, with which he doth so totally possess the mind, that it can hardly see any thing that good is in itself, or if it doth, yet it sees so much corruption and imperfection, as that it is ready almost to turn the scale and balance.  
And here our crafty enemy ceaseth not, but taking the advantage of a tender conscience, he exaggerates upon us the large distance of this condition in which we now are, from that which God commands and expects, and hath found in some of his righteous servants; in the citation of whose piety he is not very sparing, that by the consideration of their fullness and our own emptiness, we might the more easily suspect our condition, and credit his relations.  
Which if we once do, Bone Deus! into what labyrinths do we wind ourselves? into what fears? into what doubts? We shall never set out to believe any Promise, but he checks us back with the hollowness of our condition; we shall never set upon any ordinance or duty, but he foils us with suspicions (at least) that all is in vain, God will not bless and prosper his Ordinances unto such; And in those Ordinances, if any matter of bitterness or uncomfortableness be delivered, he brings home that to us, and tells the soul, This is thy portion.  
Now where our estate rests upon a deceitful informer, where we take things as Satan makes them, where we judge of sin as he pleads it, and of God's love to us as he conveys it, and of God's Promises as he interprets them to us, and of our own Graces, and holy temper, as he clears and evidenceth them unto us, there can be nothing but jealousies, fears, distractions, and daily doubtings in the heart.  
13. Another spring may be 
A thirteenth spring.  some new rise of old sins after humiliation, and some singular assurance of their pardon.  
David gives a touch at this 
Psal. 25. 7.  (I think) Psal. 25. 7. when he prays, Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. So doth Job, 13. 26. Thou writest 
Job 13. 26  bitter things against me, and makest me possess the iniquities of my youth.  
It would trouble us to see a man rise up out of his grave, (who hath been buried a long 
Simile.  time) and now to haunt us: So these sins which we have long since committed, and long since bewailed, and long since renounced, and after long humiliations their discharge hath been obtained; to meet these sins (like an enemy with a sword in his hand) with guilt in their faces and countenances again, this will amaze the soul, it will appall it, and startle it, and make us more than once to sigh and inquire, Why is it so?  
Two things will now fall into 
Two things.  question.  
1. The reality of pardon: Where God saith, he pardons sin, there he saith, that he will remember it no more: But it seems he doth remember it, (else how comes it thus upon me as a debt not yet discharged, as a guilt not yet removed?) and if he doth thus remember it against me, I much fear, that as yet the Book is not crossed, this sin is not pardoned. Upon which, something else may fall in; If this sin be not pardoned, perhaps the rest are not; and if this be risen up against me, how can I tell but all the rest may (afresh) set themselves in array, and give a second charge upon my conscience too?  
2. The reality of Repentance: For where God calls for sound repentance, (as Esay 
Esay 1. 16.  1. 16. Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your do from before mine eyes, cease to do evil) there God doth promise, (ver. 18.) that Though our sins be as scarlet, yet they shall be as white as snow; and though they be red like crimson, yet they shall be as wool: in which words are expressed a plain change of the sinful condition; our sins shall not be what and as once they were.  
Whereupon the soul misgives for its part: God will do what he hath promised, 
Note.  if I had done what I was enjoined. If my sins had been truly left, they had been fully discharged; but now I possess them again in their guilt, and therefore I exceedingly fear that I did overtly discharge myself of them in my repentance. If Christ had slain them by his blood, or if I had drowned them by true sorrow and repentance, they could not thus revive in their guilt, but I fear that I did only skin over these sores, which I feel now to break out, or that I laid them asleep only, and not dead, because they awake upon me with such terror and clamour: And if so, then there hath been a long and fruitless vein of rotten hypocrisy in me; & whereas I had thought my work almost finished, I am as yet to begin again.  
Beloved, this is a secret and piercing fountain of strong fears and doubtings, especially when the sins rise up, and set on us afresh after a course of humiliation, and some singular assurance of their pardon: and yet it is the case of many Christians, incident unto them in their days of great losses, or sicknesses, or death.  
14. Another spring or occasion 
A fourteenth cause.  may be some long silences in the conscience.  
God (you know) hath set in ourselves, our Lawgiver, our Judge, and our Witness: Conscience doth sustain, and should discharge the offices of all these: In a doubtful day it should clear our condition, and witness for us against the testimony of Satan, and of our own fears: And therefore God hath given unto it an excusing and comforting power, as you may see, Rom. 2. 15. Their thoughts excusing one another, or accusing. And 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, etc.  
Here consider some particulars,  

1. Concerning Testimony.  
2. Concerning our Condition.   
1. There is a threefold testimony 
A threefold testimony.  about our estate; 1. One is from the Spirit, which shines in the renewed heart by an unspeakable light, 
1 Cor. 2. 12  and manifests unto it the things given unto it of God, and so seals, and witnesseth the truth and goodness of our particular interests in God and Christ, according to the word of God. 2. Another is from faith, which doth testify the interests of the soul in that happiness which it finds revealed in the Word: For that which faith believes by a direct act in the Word, it may testify of the same to the person by a refexive 
* By assurance.  act. 3. A third is from Conscience, which beholding the simplicity and godly sincerity of the heart, testifies unto it (against all opposition) that this blessed frame is in the soul; and this testimony being concordant with that of the word, the soul is thereby greatly sustained, forasmuch as this is known before, viz. A sincere temper is happy; and now Conscience clearing that temper, the soul hereupon is much cheered.  
2. Our condition falls under a threefold consideration.  

A threefold estate.  1. Sometimes under the accusations of Conscience: Conscience doth speak and testify, but it is either that our hearts are totally base, and sinful, and corrupt, or that in such and such a particular it is not right, it was not perfect, but sinful and degenerating.  
2. Sometimes under the excusations of Conscience: where Conscience testifies, and acquits, and speaks peace, either 
As in Paul, loc. cit. As in David about Saul.  about the frame of the heart, or rectitude of some particular action and course.  
3. Sometimes under a neutral act or work of the Conscience: (i) The Conscience (like Absolom to Ammon, 2 Sam. 13. 22.) speaks unto a person neither good nor bad: It doth not accuse him, nor doth it excuse him; it doth not speak terror, nor doth it speak peace; it doth not charge any special guilt, nor doth it give us a particular discharge of any.  
Now this is the time of fears and doubts; I will show you why: because,  
1. A negative state satisfies not a tender Christian; It doth not satisfy a tender soul, that God looks not like an enemy, unless also he looks as a friend; or that Conscience doth not check, but that it should excuse. It doth trouble us many times, that in our exemptions from trouble, we yet find no Peace-speaker.  
2. It gives suspicion of a neutral estate: because Conscience seems to behave itself as a neutral, neither against us, nor for us. I call that a neutral estate, which is not eminently evil; it hath some good in it, and doth some good, but is not so good as to be gracious: therefore the civil estate is a neutral; it doth not rise to be so bad as the worst, nor to be so good as the best people are. Now this estate (absolutely considered) is bad, it is an evil estate, it is an estate in which if a man lives and dies, (and goes not beyond it) he cannot be saved.  
3. It may breed an expectation of the worse testimony of Conscience; for withdrawments are (sometimes) the forerunners of some bitter intentions: It fell out ill with Saul, when God withdrew himself from him: So when Conscience withdraws, perhaps my Conscience hath found matter against me; and as it doth not now speak peace, so (perhaps) shortly it may speak bitter things unto me.  
4 Nay, Conscience is God's Vicegerent, it is his Deputy, and therefore in the silences and withdrawments of it, we look through and fear the disposition of God himself towards us; because the servants do ordinarily express the conceits, and inclinations, and affections of their masters: And this is certain, that we do in an angry conscience behold 
Conscience is the lookingglass.  always an angry God, and so in a cheerful conscience a gracious God, and so shall we in a silent conscience suspect a doubtful God: We do ordinarily judge how God is towards us by what we find and feel Conscience to be towards us: This is the glass in which we see his favours or frowns.  
These are the springs of Doubtings, which I have enlarged in their opening unto you; it is likely there may be more than these, (I could also deliver you more about the temporal estate; but that is out of our scope and compass now) It now remains that I descend to the closing up of these springs, to the cures and remedies of these Doubtings, which is the last thing proposed.   

CAP. V The Cures and Remedies of Doubtings.  
HEre lies our next and greatest work: And therefore as Physicians in this part are more cautelous to administer things which are in their qualities most proper, and in their measures most convenient; so must we in the healings and closings of the spiritual distempers of the soul. And therefore that this work may be happily performed, I shall (desiring God's grace to assist and bless) prescribe unto you, 1. The particular cures which 
Two sorts of cures, Particular, General.  shall answer all those particular springs of doubtings before mentioned. Then 2. The general Cures and Remedies which may extend to the help of all, or most of our doubtings, if time and leisure hold out.  

The particular Cures.  
1. Natural corruption was 
The first cure, answering the first cause of doubtings.  the first spring of Doubtings, and Mortification is the first help and remedy: That is the Disease, and this is the Cure. I may say that of our faith, which the Apostle speaks of our persons, Rom. 8. 13. If ye 
Rom. 8. 13  through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. The more our sins do die in us, the more our faith will live in us. We are diseased men, (take us in our best condition) 
Similes.  and you know the more any disease doth lose of its strength, the more doth our health rise up and thrive: and so we are as a garden which hath many plants, and several weeds, the abating of these, the rooting up, and killing of these contributes the greater relief and strengthening to our plants.  
The Apostle (Heb. 10. 22.) 
Heb. 10. 22  would have them to draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith: he would have them to cast out their doubtings in their approaches unto God, he would have them to come with assurance, with a full assurance; to come so, as verily to be persuaded of God's acceptation of them; not indifferently to come with, May be I shall be accepted, may be I shall not; this is a doubtful approaching. But what doth he adjoin to this exhortation? Observe the next words, Having your hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience. d. As long as your hearts are evil, as long as Conscience can charge you for entertained evil, you will be wavering and doubtful; But if your hearts were sprinkled, if the evil of sin were washed from them, than you might come with a full assurance of faith, (i) Then faith might fully persuade you to come confidently unto God; for Faith cannot well persuade, if Conscience can yet truly charge and condemn.  
Therefore saith S. John, If our hearts condemn us not, then 
1 Joh. 3. 21  have we confidence towards God. (i) If sin be mortified, if conscience finds no sin harboured, but condemned, if it cannot condemn us for not condemning our sins; then we have confidence towards God: (i) Then if we come to God in Prayer, and ask any thing of him in the Name of Christ, Faith may confidently rest upon it, that God doth hear, and will answer. Whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, ver. 22.  
There are two effects of our sins.  
1. They keep down our faith. I am so troubled (saith David) that I cannot look up. See the place, Psal. 40. 12. Innumerable 
Psa. 40. 12.  evils have compassed me about: Mine iniquities have taken 
Two effects of sin.  hold on me, so that I am not able to look up: They are more than the hairs of my head; therefore my heart faileth me. You see here that his sins made his heart to fail, to misgive itself; and like a heavy rheum they fell on his eyes, that he could not well look up. They are a hindrance to faith, our natural inclination is a very clog unto the spirit of faith; and when faith would do some good for us, it ever (like a malicious person) throws in doubts & scruples, and breeds withholding arguments and reasonings against the Truths and Promises of God.  
2. They make the encouragements 
By contrary reasonings and denials.  of faith to be difficult; they keep off the things which would edge & quicken our faith. As Peter said in another case, Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man; So the heart here, God is or will departed from me, because I am such a sinner; He will not hear my prayer, because of my sins; nor be gracious to me, because of my sins; nor may I pitch upon his Promises, because of my sins.  
Now consider, if that which did keep down faith in respect of its proper inclination, (for faith naturally bends upward) and in respect of its operation, that it cannot exercise itself without interruption, were removed; would not faith be higher? If the chain and bolts were off, if the rheum were dried, should we not walk better, should we not look better? Again, If the encouragements of faith were kept close to faith, if faith could see them, and dwell upon them, would not our doubtings sink? Therefore it is more than evident that our doubtings would sink, if our natural corruption did sink, if our sinful lusts did sink, which do breed those indispositions, those interruptions, those continual difficulties unto our faith. Faith would rise, if its contrary did abate. Cast 
Gen. 21. 10  out this bondwoman and her son, (said Sarah to Abraham) for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son: So say I, cast out this bondwoman and her son, cast out natural corruption and infidelity, that Isaac may be alone, that faith may be (as much as may be) alone, and then it will possess the Promises (and the soul too) with more quietness.  
But here the soul replies, Obj. No question but doubtings would sink, if sinful corruption did fall; If the fountain did decay, the streams would lessen; But alas, 1. Who can mortify his sinful nature? 2. What kind of mortifying of it is requisite? 3. What way may be taken to effect it?  
I will briefly say something to each of these demands. Sol.  
1. To the first, Who can mortify his sinful nature? I answer, Of himself, no man can; naturally he hath neither will nor power thereto: But as chrysostom spoke in the business 
Tu non potes, sed Dominus tuus potest.  of Repentance, Thou canst not turn thee, but yet thy God can turn thee; That I say here in the business of mortifying, Thou canst not mortify thy sins, but God can do it: He can do it for thee, though thou canst not do it for thyself: Though thy natural corruption be a spreading leprosy, he can heal it: Though it be a violent plague, he can cure it: God hath put enough in Christ to save a sinner, and therefore enough to heal a sinner. Remember one thing, In all commands, the duty is thine, and the power is Gods: He who commands thee to mortify sin, is ready enough with sufficient power to effect it, if he be sought unto.  
Nevertheless observe by the way, that Mortification may be effected two ways; 1. Passively, as when the Lord doth infuse holy principles of Grace, which are contrary in their nature and virtue to the nature and power of sin, working out sinful corruption by degrees. 2. Actively, as when the renewed and converted soul doth by faith successively apply and draw down the crucifying virtues of Jesus Christ; Though the mere natural man can do nothing to the mortification of sin, yet the renewed person having received grace from God, is by the help of God's Spirit to stir up the grace that is in him, and especially his faith, to trust on Jesus Christ for the further subduing and crucifyings of his sinful nature.  
2. But now for the second demand, What kind of Mortification is most requisite, so as in more measure to free the heart from doubtings? In a word, this; be sure the mortifying be  
1. Radical: lay the axe to the root: As all Graces thrive most when their springs are quickened, so all sins decay most when their roots are mortified. Corrupt acts will fall quickly, if a corrupt heart were more sanctified. The strength of sin is inward, there are the strong holds which need most to be cast down: By all means set up a crucifying Christ in thy bosom.  
2. Impartial. It is true, one sin may trouble more than another, but it will be thy wisdom to trouble all sin: Sins are chained together as well as Graces; and one sin serves to help another, and the neglected sin may perhaps suddenly wound thee, and make thee to stagger. The whole body of sin in every member of it, must be the object of thy mortifying work: This will testify the truth of Grace received, and the sincerity of thy conscience, and consequently will remove many bottoms of fears and doubtings.  
3. Diurnal: (i) a daily work. Perhaps sometimes thou art fervent in the work, (when conscience is struck, or when afflictions strike thee) but afterwards thou art negligent, and then sin gets strength again. But as thou shouldst live by faith daily, so thou shouldst die to sin daily: Watch thy spirit, resist the motion of it, insist on divine promises, implead the strength of Christ every day: Thou shouldst so believe still, as if thou never yet hadst enough of Christ; and so live still, as if thou wert to live thy last; and so mortify sin still as thou didst at the first time wherein God looked on thee.  
4. Special. If thou wouldst make thy battle strong in any part, do it then against Infidelity, and whatsoever upholds and contributes unto it. It is granted, that the Radical principle of thy doubts is original sin; but then the immediate principle of it is remaining Infidelity. Out of it immediately come all thy staggerings, and reel, and questionings, and doubtings: That is it (O weak believer) which disables thy apprehension of the Covenant, of Christ, of the Promises, of thy Title: That is it which perverts thy judgement, and mis-perswades it with cunning reasonings, so that either thou canst not discern the full truth of God's Promises, or thou canst not see prevailing reasons to persuade thyself that they belong to thee.  
Therefore let the main care and work of thee be, to strike at unbelief: Be humbled much for it, beseech the Lord to cure thee more and more of it, to remove the ignorance of the Covenant out of thee, and to cast down carnal and proud reasonings, which give the lie to the way of God's free and full Grace; which would have thee to be first, and of thyself, that which thou canst never be without Christ: and to do and bring that which God never imposed on thee to do or to bring, but hath told thee plainly, the working of it in thee belongs only to himself, and he is also really and graciously willing to bestow upon thee.  
3. As for the third demand, What way thou mayst take for the mortifying of all this sin; I answer,  
1. Generally, touching all of it, Do but insist in the ways on which already thou art fall'n; Did any virtue in the death of Christ, (laid hold on by faith) did that heretofore help against sin? It will do so still: Did any love of God help thee the more to hate sin? It will do so still: Did any assurance of a reconciled God in Christ, freely and abundantly pardoning of thee, weaken sin in thee? It will do so still: Did solemn confessions of sin, selfe-judging, special mournings, sufficiently help thee with conquest of sins? They will do so still: Did the humble application of thyself to the Ordinances of Jesus Christ, (through which he is pleased to reveal his arm) confer any strength against thy sins? It will help still: Did any holy fear, any tenderness in conscience, any declining of occasions? Did vehement wrestle with God in Prayer? Did serious meditation and consideration? Did close society with the Saints? Did studies of farther holiness? Did frequent reviewing of thy condition, and renewings of Covenant with thy God in his strength? Did holy watch? Did resistings of the first births of sin? Did these, any of these, all of these, or any other spiritual course besides these, cause thy sinfulness to be vile unto thee, to be abhorred by thee, to be cast down in thy judgement, to be cast out in thy affections, to be cast off in thy life? Go on with these, and sin will then be more and more mortified, and doubts will be more and more weakened: the more that thy conscience is thus sprinkled from dead works, the more shalt thou be able to draw near unto God in assurance of faith.  
2. Particularly, for the mortifying of remaining Infidelity, do three things:  
1. Study exactly the Covenant of Grace, in the Author of it, foundation of it, matters contained in it, and all the adjuncts and terms of graciousness, suitableness, fullness, faithfulness, etc. appertaining to it.  
2. Study JESUS CHRIST▪ throughly; know him distinctly in the person of a Mediator, and offices, and effects, and works.  
Then 3. To much meditation in these, abound in Prayer, that God in particular would cause thee by faith to set thy seal unto them: But more of this will follow in answering some other causes of doubtings.  
2. The second spring was weakness and imperfection in faith: The cure and remedy of which, is, to perfect and strengthen faith: put more strength, more growth, more ripeness into faith, and your doubtings will be less. The 
Simile.  more purely the fire burns, the less smoke it hath; and when the light and heat of the Sun are greatest, than the clouds and misty vapours are fewest.  
Faith and Doubtings are like a pair of scales, where the weight of the one bears away the other. The Disciples I remember prayed, Lord, increase our faith; and so did he of whom you heard in Mark 9 
Mar. 9 24.  Lord, help my unbelief.  
You will say, No man can Ob. deny, that if his faith had more strength, than his heart should have less doubting; But how may that be done? How may faith be strengthened?  
I answer, Sol.  
1. God who gave faith, can strengthen it; for every grace depends upon him, not only for birth, but also for compliment: his strength must lead us on from strength to strength, from faith to faith; he who is the Author, is also the finisher of it: And therefore if thou wouldst have a strong faith, thou shouldst go to a strong God, and beg of him, Lord, increase my faith; My knowledge is dim, lighten that candle, open mine eyes yet more, that I may see thy truths; My assents many times shaking, but do thou establish and comfirm my heart in thy truths; My embrace, applications, very trembling, and broken, and interrupted, but do thou guide mine eye to look upon my Saviour, do thou guide my hand to lay hold on him, do thou 
Do thou persuade me, and I shall be persuaded.  enable my will and affections to embrace all the goodness of thyself, of thy Christ, of thy Word.  
It is God's method to lay in (at the first) weak faith, that we might beg for more faith, and give him the honour of all. Had we it strong at first, he should not hear of us; but he dispenseth it by degrees, that in all our get, and in all our victories over doubtings, etc. his strength may-have the glory. Therefore go to God, and say, Lord, I would have more faith, thou wouldst have me to perfect it, but all perfection is in thee, and I cannot by my mere strength ripen what thou givest, but thou canst water what thou plantest; though it be sown a weak body, yet thou canst make it rise a strong body; though faith at first be but as a grain of mustardseed, yet thoucanst cause it to blossom, and to spread itself into a high measure: Therefore thou who alone canst do it, do it for thy weak servant: Thou must take charge of thine own graces; and if thou givest my faith more strength, my believing will bring thee in the more glory, etc.  
2. The studying of Christ and the Promises more, will bring more strength and perfection to faith. It is with the Christian as it is with the Scholar, let the Scholar study 
Simile.  more the objects of knowledge, and then his knowledge will grow to be more large; So let the Christian study more the matters of faith, and his faith will rise to be more full.  
Hence the Apostle prays that the Ephesians, Chap. 3. 19 
Eph. 3. 19  might know the love of Christ, that they might be filled with all the fullness of God: And ver. 17. That Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith, that so they might be able, ver. 18. to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height.  
What the Prophet spoke of 
Hos. 4. 6.  perishing, we may say of fainting and doubting, My people doubt for want of knowledge. Did we know the nature of our Redeemer more, how holy, and compassionate, and helpful it is; did we know the ofoffices of our Saviour, how absolute they are in removing our guilt, in conquering our corruptions, in making way for us to the Father, in speeding our suits and requests; did we know how fully he stands for us, he died for us, he intercedes for us, how willing he is yet to be more applied by us, and possessed of us, we would believe more, & doubt less. What the Psalmist speaks of God, that same is true of Christ, They that know 
Psal. 9 10.  thy Name will put their trust in thee.  
Yet take a Caution in thy studying of Christ, study him as God reveals him, otherwise thy doubts will stick upon thee. If a man studyeth his 
Note.  sins in his own way, in a natural way, he shall neither rightly see them, nor yet be freed from them: So if men study Christ their own way, if they will have him to be such a one as their fearful hearts would make him to be, and not such 
A mighty Saviour & gracious.  a Saviour as God hath manifested him to be, than not conceiving of Christ as he is, they shall be and remain still as they were.  
3. Be in the ways of strength. There are ways in which God doth reveal his arm; his arm is that which doth strengthen us, and his arm is revealed in his Ordinances: for God doth not call us, nor change us, nor strengthen us, nor save us without means.  
He who is too good for the Ordinances, will ever be too weak in his faith. A child 
Note.  which cannot stand when it is borne, may yet go by the use of the breasts; but that person who is weak, and wants strength, if he feeds not, will abate more, and ere long want life itself. This is a truth, A new Christian is sometimes full, and a full Christian is always weak: for our spiritual 
Spiritual life like the natural.  life is like unto our natural life, both of which are within us, yet neither of them do rise, but from something without us.  
What the impotent person spoke, Joh. 5. 11. He that made 
Joh. 5. 11.  me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed and walk, that we affirm of God's Ordinances, Those his means which made us good, can make us better; They made us live, and they can make us walk; They gave faith, they brought the hand which did set the plant, and they can enlarge faith, they bring the showers which do water that plant:  
For 〈◊〉 they evidence Christ more, and open and unfold the Promises (which are the stays of our faith) more.  
2. They enervate or weaken, 
God can answer that in one Sermon, which hath troubled us more than one year.  and scatter the grounds of our fears and doubtings, and exceedingly suppress the reasonings and powers of unbelief.  
3. They clear the understanding, and so keep open the way for faith to God and Christ.  
4. They do instill a secret and drawing virtue, they do excite, and quicken, and persuade. Ergo.  
Fourthly, let faith know its privileges, and then it will grow more strong: Faith would do more, if it did know all that it might do: Assuredly we should have more confidence, did we know our royalties.  
Believers are more to God than the most immediate servants are to a Prince; All the Subjects of a Prince have some privileges, yet theirs are greatest, who are in nearest service; now none nearer to God than Believers: See 1 Pet. 2. 9 Ye are a chosen generation, a royal Priesthood, an holy Nation, apeculiar people; Nay, 2 Cor. 6. 18. Ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty: and these have those privileges which the servants have not. They who descended from the blood of Abraham, had more privileges than others, and have not they greater who come from the blood of Christ? The Priests of the Law had singular exemptions, and Kings of all men are most highly privileged; do you think Believers come short, who are not profane, nor civil, nor typical Priests, but royal Priests? who are not Priests only, nor Kings only, but both Kings and Priests, a royal Priesthood? who are a holy nation, a peculiar people, (i) a people of treasure, such by whom only God gets something?  
O, say many weak Believers, Ob. The Lord doth not respect nor love us.  
No? Doth not God love Sol. those, whom (out of his mere love) he hath chosen? Doth not God respect the descent & generation of Christ? those who come of his blood? They who come from Christ, and are borne of God, are surely beloved of God.  
But the world, all men discountenance Ob. us, and regard us not.  
Ye are Kings in God's account, Sol. ye have the royal ointment, even the Spirit of Grace; the royal garment, even the righteousness of Christ; the royal attendance, even the Angels of God ministering unto you. You have a Kingdom which consists in righteousness, and peace, and joy, Rom. 14. 17. Cannot this stir up faith?  
We are oft times afraid to Ob. come before God, we fear access.  
Are ye not Believers? And Sol. are not Believers the Priests of God? And are not Priests privileged by their calling to come before God? The Priests might enter in, when none else might. And is not Jesus Christ the Altar upon which we tender all our sacrifices and services to God? and is it not the Altar that sanctifies the gift? Mat. 23. 19 The Apostle 
Mat. 23. 19 Gal 5. 1. Eph. 2. 13.  saith, Gal. 5. 1. that Christ hath gotten us a liberty: and Eph. 2. 13. that we are made nigh by the blood of Christ: and Heb. 
Heb. 10. 19  10. 19 that we may have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.  
If therefore we did once throughly know what privileges the firstborn have, the sons of God have, the generation of Christ have, the Priests 
That 1. God's 1. Love is ready. 2. Ear open. 2. Access made. 3. Special Intercessions. 4. Imperfections nothing. 5. Grants certain.  of God have, the purchased by Christ have; if we knew the grants of favour, and free accesses, and singular acceptances with God, in and through Christ, O how might we keep down our fears and our doubtings, and singularly encourage our faith to run, and with fullest eagerness to embrace our God, our Christ, our Promises?  
There be other means for the perfecting of faith, as, Experiences, Observation, etc. which I have touched long since, and our Divines are plentiful this way, and therefore I spare.  
3. The third spring of doubtings, was, the study of the life of sense: The remedy of which, is, the keeping of it down: If you will keep off doubtings, you must keep down sense and feeling. Blessed (saith Christ to Thomas, Joh. 20. 29.) are they that have 
Joh 20. 29  not seen, and yet have believed.  
If a man thinks this, That Christ is not mine, unless I handle him; and God is not mine, unless I see him; and grace is not mine, unless I feel it; he will be for ever full of doubts and fears.  
For the helping of which, consider these things.  
1. Sense is not a fit Judge of our condition; it cannot report our estate but by what it feels: but the spiritual estate is not always under feeling; we should be good and bad, found and lost, cheerful and sorrowful, many times in one day, nay in one hour, if that sense gave sentence on our condition.  
Beloved, think well on this, How can sense reach unto the times of desertion? unto the 
There is not a latitude in sense. As a rich man's hand cannot hold all his lands, so a Christians sense cannot comprehend all his condition.  times of want? unto the times of indisposition? unto the times where faith doth express no acts, but such as are pure and clear, and only grounded upon the Promises? In these abstracted times, Sense finds nothing to speak to us, to evidence for us, for God holds off, and wants hold up, and dulnesses hold in, and we have nothing but a word of promise (all other things seem to fail and forsake) to sustain and retain us.  
2. The spiritual course many times goes against our sense, and therefore sense must be kept down. You know that Abraham against hope believed in hope, Rom. 4. 18. 
Rom. 4. 18  Faith and sense are many times at a contradiction; faith will believe what sense perceiveth not; and what our sense doth perceive, that same our faith will not believe, but the contrary. Though ●e kill me, yet will I trust in him, saith Job: And Abraham believed his son's safety, in the sacrificing of him; and we our immortality, notwithstanding our death and corruption. This is very certain, that when we 
For your ways are not my ways, etc. As the heavens, etc. Esay 55. My times are in thy hands. Psal. 31. 15 Heb. 11. 1. The evidence of things not scene. 2 Chron. 20. 12. We know not what to do, but our eyes are upon th●e.  feel corruptions living, faith will believe them to be dying; and when we feel ourselves in trouble, faith will then believe our comforts and deliverances: Faith usually (I do not say always) believes the contraries unto sense.  
For sense goes our way, and faith goes God's way: Sense allows and sets itself a time, and Faith is content to receive and take Gods times: Sense moves upon what appears, and Faith upon what is not yet: Sense looks downward, and Faith looks upward: Sense doth sustain itself by something within us, and Faith sustains itself by something without us: Psal. 27. 3. So Hab. 3. 17, 18. So Esay 8. 17. I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him. Esay 50. 10. Who is he that walketh in darkness and hath no light? Let him trust in the Name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.  
3. Sense or feeling is not medium credendi, but fructus fidei: (i) It is not the ground of believing, but a fruit of faith. v. g. Take feeling in the most excellent parts of it, as in assurance, and joy, and peace, these are not Antecedents to faith, but Consequents of it. What is that? That is, a man hath not these first, and then faith for or from these, but he hath faith first, and these afterward.  
Why dost thou not believe? Quest.  
If I had assurance that God were my God, and Christ were my Christ, and the Promises were mine, I would: But say, Is the Word or thy Assurance the ground of faith? And wouldst thou have the fruit before the tree? or thy safety before thou layest hand on the rock? If thou wouldst have assurance, thou must then believe; for the sweetness of 
Eph. 1. 13. After ye believed, ye were sealed  assurance flows from that faith which by believing feeds on Christ. So if thou wouldst have joy, believe; for true 
1 Pet. 1. 8. In whom though now ye see him not, yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, etc.  joy doth not prevent, but attend believing.  
We are oft times troubled by our own pride and folly; God sets us a way to believe, and we will follow our own way; He gives unto us his Word of Promise to ground our believing, and we will have our sense to be the ground: Of which course, I dare say, what Abraham spoke to the curiosity of Dives, who would have some to be sent from the dead, that his brethren might believe; to whom Abraham thus replies, If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one risen from the dead. Luk. 16. 31. 
Luk. 16. 31.   
So say I, If men will not believe because God hath promised, neither will they believe if sense should stand up and speak; for we have more reason to suspect our own testimony, then to distrust God's invitation and promise.  
You will reply, This testimony Ob. of sense in Assurance is Gods own answer, and therefore if we had it, it would the more settle our faith.  
I answer,  
1. God's testimonies are indeed Sol. of a settling and quieting virtue, whether they be the evidencing of our present interests in him, or special answerings of our present desires.  
2. But then know, thou must first put to thy seal and hand of faith, before he delivers over to thee the assuring Evidences. And as yet I never knew any Christian who could be answered without faith, or took comfort in that which yet he did not believe. For though it be the favour of God which doth properly comfort, nevertheless it doth not actually comfort, unless faith hath taken in that favour.  
But are not former experiences Ob. (which are nothing else but sensible feelings) grounds to future belief? Did not David remember the days of old?  
I answer, True, Experience●● Sol. are good encouragements 〈◊〉 the future acts of faith, but the Word of God is still the ground of faith: They are not intrinsecall grounds, but extrinsecall motives.  
You may consider the experiences, either in things granted and performed, or in 
Note.  the manner of their performance. Thou hast had God's favour, thou hast had an answer, but how did thou obtain them? was it not by believing? was it not by waiting upon some good word of Promise? Thy enjoying of them did not prevent thy believing of the word of Promise, but the believing of that word of Promise did let in and bring unto thy soul that sweet and gracious experience: And therefore thy experience was not the ground heretofore, nor is it now; only thus fare it serves as a singular furtherance to faith, that that God on whom heretofore thou didst believe, and from whom (in believing) thou receivedst such gracious helps and answers, will again (he being the same for ever, and his Promises being Yea and Amen) by further believing on his Word, renew his gracious goodness and merciful favour unto thy soul.  
4. A fourth spring was, the restraining of faith, the curbing of it in its work, and in occasions. Now the remedy of this is, to give way unto faith; give it scope, let it do its whole service: As the Apostle said of patience, Jam. 1. 4. Let 
Jam. 1. 4.  patience have her perfect work, so let faith; do not restrain it, and then you shall be stayed, you shall be freed: The workings of one contrary restrain the other.  
Therefore Christ checks his Disciples for their anxieties, for their carkings and solicitudes, and would have them to let their faith lose to see a Father who would provide, Mat. 
Mat. 6. 32.  6. 32. They had poverty, or feared it; their wants came in, and losses, and so their fears came in, and thoughts. But how should they cast them out? Thus: If faith did believe helps, as well as impatience find wants; if they would give way to faith to believe Gods providing, as well as sense to see the world abridging and ebbing, they would not have been so full of thoughts: Shall he not much more cloth you of little faith? ver. 30.  
But for the farther help in this point, consider,  
1. In any occurrence, Faith 
Three things. here.  may be our Agent, it can deal for us, because, 1. Our temporal life is by faith, 2. The temporal Promises which reach over all the external condition, are the bottom of faith: Hence it is said, Hab. 2. 5. The 
Hab. 2. 5.  just shall live by his faith. When we have no other help, yet faith can be our staff; when we have no other feeding, yet faith can be our bread: It can negotiate for the soul, it can make repair to God, and singularly solace and sustain the soul in his word of Promise.  
Suppose a man's means begin to shrink, his condition is drawing thin, he is near to want, at such a time this man may keep down his doubts, and tearing thoughts, if he will give faith a scope to work: I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. Heb. 13. 5. Here is a Promise 
Heb. 13. 5.  now, and here is plenty enough to faith; and faith (if it may have its perfect work) will sustain thee against all doubtings.  
I shall be left, sayest thou. Ob.  
Thou shalt not, saith Faith. Sol.  
Not now, perhaps, for yet I Ob. have something.  
Nay, never, saith faith, for Sol. thou hast a continual God, and he hath promised a continual help. Thou wouldst be a free man, if faith were free, for faith will not leave God, 
Psal. 9 10. They, etc. for thou Lord hast not forsake them that se●k th●e.  and God will not fail faith; and why shouldst thou fail, when faith holds up thy heart, and God holds up thy faith?  
So for any cross and trouble; Not any burden this way, but faith may be a shoulder to ease us: As long as there is a Promise to bear up faith, faith will have strength to bear off the disquietments of our troubles.  
I know not what to do, saith Ob. the person.  
No? saith Faith, Is not the Sol. Lord good, a strong hold in the day of trouble, and doth not he know them that trust in him? Nahum 1. 7. 
Nah. 1. 7.   
But troubles are renewed, 
Ob. God's arm is not shortened.  and come again; and though I was delivered heretofore, yet now I fear.  
Fear? saith faith, No reason Sol. for that. See a notable place, Job 5. 17. Happy is the 
Job 5. 17.  man whom God correcteth. If a man hath wounds, it is well for him to have a searching plaster: and if a man hath a full stomach, it is well for him if he hath a potion; and if his spirits putrify, it is well for him to be let blood: So, etc.  
18 For he maketh sore, and bindeth up; he woundeth, and his hands make whole.  
19 He shall deliver thee in six troubles, yea in seven there shall no evil touch thee.  
There is nothing new to God, nor difficult. Though our troubles be grievous to us, yet their deliverance is easy to God, and faith can find a harbour for every storm: yea, give faith but its scope, it will conclude present helps from former deliverances; and the escape out of old troubles, shall ensure faith in the new: He who hath delivered, doth, and will still deliver, 2 Cor. 1.  
God doth not alter, neither 
2 Cor. 1.  in his truth, nor in his goodness, nor in his power, although our conditions do vary: The temptation may be new, and affliction new, but God is still the same, and the Promises the same, and faith can make use of one God to conquer twenty temptations, and one Promise to bear up against many afflictions.  
2. In every occurrence there is a providence, and the issues depend upon it. If Satan tempts if afflictions, and crosses, and losses, and contempts befall us, there is a Providence to permit them, to order them, to direct them, to restrain them; and if we gave faith a scope to work upon that Providence, we would not be so full of doubts.  
1. For Satan, he doth indeed tempt and suggest, but he cannot do this when he pleaseth, he must ask leave of God 
But his actions and the issues of them are subordinate and under restraint.  to touch Job any way: And when he doth tempt, the issue doth not depend upon his malice; The Lord looks on, and subministers marvellous strength, and makes his servants to pray earnestly, and hear earnestly, and apply his Promises, and will deliver.  
We look upon Satan, and not upon God; we look upon 
Note.  strong temptations, but we look not upon mighty assistances; we consider our own weakness, but do not consider God's omnipotency; we think how unable we are, but not how able God is; we find yet no deliverance, and do not give faith its perfect work, to believe that God will find a way to conquer for us. If faith did but dwell upon God's providence in this, how he suffers Satan to buffet us, and how his grace is sufficient for us, and how his power will be made manifest in weakness; how he hath delivered, and doth in our very resistance deliver us, and hath 
In God is my trust, I will not fear what man can do unto me, said David. So here, etc.  promised to bruise Satan under our feet, we would not doubt, we would not gratify Satan with fears of fainting, but resist him steadfastly by encouraging ourselves in our God.  
2. For our crosses and losses; There is a Providence in them, 
He is in Egypt, & in the fiery furnace, and in the prisons, &c  God is in all our troubles and wants: His wisdom is there, and his goodness: O how shall I be delivered? How? Let faith work, and that will tell thee how. Why should I thus be troubled? Why? Let faith work, and that will tell thee: It is in very faithfulness, saith David: And It is good for me that I am afflicted. No child of God thus! Nay, let faith work, and it will clear all; That a good condition is not exempted from afflictions, and that though God had one Son without sin, yet he had no Son without sorrow.  
3. Our encouragements are more than our discouragements, and our helps exceed our oppositions; therefore faith is not to be restrained.  
The Prophet healed up his servants doubtings, 2 King. 6. 
2 Kin. 6. 16 El●shaes servant.  16. Fear not, for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.  
And so Christ to his perplexed 
Christ to his Disciples.  and doubting Disciples about those exigencies and casualties to which they were exposed, Fear not little flock, 
A Kingdom opposed to temporal safety.  it is your Father's pleasure to give you a Kingdom. q. d. Be not so disquieted, so anxious for your lives, for your safeties. Though you be a flock, and a little flock, and the wolves are many, yet let the worst come to the worst, you shall have a Kingdom. Oppose that to this, and you need not doubt and fear.  
So S. John, 1 Joh. 4. 4. Ye are 
1 Joh. 4. 4. God's Spirit opposed to Satan's & Antichrists.  of God, (little children) and have overcome them, because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.  
Once more, S. Paul, Rom. 5. 
Rom. 5. 20 Grace opposed to sin.  20. Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound; And 21. As sinne reigned unto death, so grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.  
So again for outward troubles, Esay 41. 14. Fear not thou 
Esa. 41. 14 Help to trouble & weakness. And 2 Cor. 1. 5. As the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also, etc. 2 Cor. 4. 17 Our light afflictions, etc. work for us a far more exceeding weight of glory.  worm Jacob, (q. d. Thou art a weak creature, contemptible creature, a worm yet thou art Jacob, and therefore fear not) for I will help thee, saith the Lord. Though Jacob be weak, yet the God of Jacob is strong.  
So for outward losses, 2 Chron. 25. 9 said Amaziah to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the Army of Israel? The man of God answered, The Lord is able to give thee much more than this.  
From all which we see, that Faith hath the better grounds to rest on; there are more with faith then against it: for none can be against it, except the evil creatures; and he who is for it, is the mighty Creator; All his power, and his goodness, and his Christ, and his 
My Father is greater than all, saith Christ  Spirit, and his Word of Truth is for it: He is greater than all, so that faith may have singular matter to work upon in all occurrences.  
It is on the better side, and on the greater side, on that side which will carry it, and bear down the contrary.  
Satan is against me.  
But greater is he (is that 
Ob. Sol.  Spirit of Christ) in me, than he that is in the world.  
Sin is against me.  
But greater is Christ who is 
Ob. Sol.  for me, than sin which is in me. Grace hath much more abounded.  
Men in their power are against Ob. me.  
But greater is that Almighty God, before whom the Nations Sol. are but as the drop of the bucket, and lighter than a dust in the balance.  
Troubles are upon me. 
Ob. Sol.   
But my comforts are greater than my sorrows, and the glory which I expect, infinitely exceeds the trouble which I suffer.  
Wants are upon me. 
Ob. Sol.   
But my supplies are exceeding; I have a provident Father: And though I have not a large portion of earth, yet I have a sure Kingdom in heaven.  
Beloved, if we would but often consider of this, that faith is still on the better, on the surer side, we would quit all our doubtings; we would 
Note.  not fear what man can do unto us, what Satan can do unto us; our own infirmities would not disable us, nor afflictions; for still faith falls to the surest party, and therefore give it scope. Faith pitcheth upon no weak causes, upon no weak helps, upon no weak stays; it stays upon the Name of the God of jacob.  
O how might faith outface the greatest oppositions, and trample-under all our affronts, and losses, and doubts, if we did let it get out unto its encouragements, could we once come with faith to be persuaded indeed, that they who are for us are more than they who are against us!  
Brethren, in our spiritual combats we have the better cause, and the better strength; what help heaven can afford, we have. Therefore in all our distresses let us hearten ourselves, and encourage our faith: Let us (as jehu in another case) look up, and say, Who is on my side, who? and than we may even say what the Psalmist spoke, Psal. 124. 1. If it had not been the Lord who was on our 
Psa. 124. 1  side, now may (the Believer) Israel say, 2. If it had not been the Lord, etc. 7. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare, etc. 8. Our help is in the Name of the Lord, etc.  
5. A fift spring of doubtings, was special and particular sins after conversion: These, like a strong disease, do shake the very heart and spirit of the Christian, and stagger him on every side; and like a cloud, fold up all our comfortable communion with God; like a dead fly they fall in all our services. If thou dost ill, sin lies at the door, said God to Cain: And so you shall find it, that special sins after conversion do much interrupt us in our approaches, and in our confidences.  
Now the way to cure this spring, is,  
1. To renew our sorrows, to set upon the fountain: David 
David.  did so after his great sins, and so did Peter; the one did 
Peter.  water his couch, and his tears were his meat day and night, and the other went out and wept bitterly.  
Bitterness of sorrow, (you read of it in Zach. 12. 10.) imports, 
Bitterness, what it imports. 1. Anguish  1. an anguish of spirit: As David said for his jonathan, My soul is distressed for thee; so here the fall'n Christian is distressed for sinning thus against his God, for losing his God; There is oft times a very tearing and renting in the soul.  
2. A sensible fullness of 
2 Fullness of grief.  grief: As joseph was full of compassion, and his bowels could hold no longer upon the oration of judah; so the fallen Christian is full of holy melt, his heart is ready to break, and like a full vessel it must have vent.  
Many a time he must, and doth consider this vile sin, and hies him alone to pour out his grieved heart before the Lord, and shames himself before him, and confesseth with confusion of face his treacherous and unworthy dealing against his God.  
There is, you know, a natural 
Three sorts of sorrows.  sorrow, as for the loss of children; and a political sorrow, as was that for the good King Josiah, and there is a spiritual sorrow, which is for our sins: This must now be exceedingly renewed, and you may raise it by consideration of mercy. O Lord, what have I 
How to raise our sorrow.  done? Why have I done this? Thou show'dst me mercy in opening my eyes, in changing my heart, in calling me to holiness, in pardoning of former sins; yet after all this, I have sinned against thee, I have wounded my heart, dishonoured thy Name, turned thy grace into wantonness, lost thy favour, broke my peace, injured my Christ, grieved thy Spirit, turned away thine ear, given advantage to Satan, and deserved for ever to sit in darkness, etc. Beloved, if you find your hearts unhumbled, you shall find your hearts still to be unbelieving.  
For besides that great sins are great provocations to our 
Note.  gracious God; they are also (till we are humbled for them) great impediments to faith; faith cannot do service for us, it cannot uphold us, it cannot bring a comforting Promise unto our hearts, until our hearts are humbled for our sins. God comforts none but mourners; and faith cannot fall in with him, until our hearts fall out with ourselves.  
And here take heed you be not sleight and too quick: if you be, you shall have your doubtings again. God doth seldom or never speak easy peace after a great sin. If you skin up a sore, it will break out again: If your sorrows be not deep and sound, your fears will be fresh and multiplied: but let them be pious, and serious, and then the soul will after a while recover itself, and plead, and find mercy with God, and be able to answer and silence all the doubtful reasonings which will rise against faith in its wont communions and applications.  
But you will say, If we Ob. should sorrow thus, yet we should still doubt of mercy and God's favour.  
I answer, Sol.  
1. Thou hast now to answer 
A great current will bear down the dam, and true sorrow will carry away our doubtings.  thy doubtings. True, I did sin thus, but I have truly grieved for this sin: and though I might not apply mercy because I sinned, yet now I may, because I am grieved.  
2. See God's disposition to Ephraim, jer. 31. 18. I have surely 
Jer. 31. 18.  heard Ephraim bemoaning himself, etc. ver. 19 I was ashamed, yea even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. But then ver. 20. Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a pleasant child? for since I spoke against him, I do earnestly remember him still, therefore my bowels are troubled for him, I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.  
Though God be offended with our sins, yet he is delighted in our sorrows; and nothing melts him more, then to see us come melting before him. The mournful behaviour of josephs' brethren moved him, and the returning Prodigals 
The father likes the son's submissions, though not his rebellions.  falling down to his Father, and cry out, went to the heart of him: And it is not without cause that David prays, Regard my tears that fall; And, Are not my tears registered? And, Put thou my tears into thy bottle. Melting tears do melt a tender God and Father.  
2. To renew our repentance; in which I would comprehend both detestations and forsakings. These sins must be made very hateful to the soul, you must embitter them, you must purge out all the sweetness of them, all the liking of them; Nay you must set upon them as on things most abominable. Hence that phrase of loathing your abominanations, Ezek. 36. 
Ezek. 36.   
S. john, Rev. 2. 5. adviseth decayed 
Rev. 2. 5.  Ephesus to remember from whence she was fall'n, and to repent. Beloved, this is not a condition to stay in; This water is deep, and drowning is possible, if we lie in it: But if we rise out of our sins, than our doubtings will fall. It is with our consciences, as it is with water in a pot; if you put no 
Simile.  fire under it, it is quiet; but if you kindle a fire, the water will boil and bubble, it hath no quiet: So though conscience be quiet and kind, and molests us not, if yet fire come under, if any notable sin come in, and kindle in the heart; now the boilings, now the fears and doubts of the soul.  
And in these tumblings, the way to cease them, is to remove the fire, and then you shall see how the water grows to a stillness again, and by degrees 
The sea will be calm, if the winds cease.  leaves fuming: So will our souls come to a pacified temper, to a settledness, if once our sins be removed; leave the 
Esay 1. 16, 17. Cease to do evil, learn to do well. 18. Come now and let us reason together, etc.  sins, and ordinarily the doubts will leave the sinner.  
For as sin is our unquiet sea, so Repentance is our secure harbour: Any known sin unrepented, still puts in, and inlivens doubts in us; but Repentance plucks out the venom, and the rage. An amended child comes again before his Father, and a reformed Christian and penitent, may 
* Loc. cit.  yet be confident.  
3. Sue out a special assurance: You may see by David's disposition, after his special sins, that a general acquittance would not serve the turn; for special sins you must sue out special assurance of pardon.  
Your consciences will never be quiet else; Nay this will not satisfy thee, that yet they are pardonable, that they are such as do not exclude thee out of the Proclamation; thou wilt never be quiet until God speaks peace, until he doth put his seal to acquit thee of particular sins.  
Sin will rise, it will lie uppermost, thou shalt feel it so, it will fly in thy face, it will come up in serious times, until thou repent of it, and sue out thy discharge; therefore be earnest with the Lord for pardon of it, for a special acquittance: If the Lord Jesus did seal his blood upon thy heart, thy doubtings would cease.  
But you will say, There is Ob. now no hope: though we should grieve, though we should repent, though we should sue for pardoning mercy, there is now no hope; for these are sins after conversion, and they are great ones too; and besides we find no particular promise to ease our souls upon.  
Let me answer this doubt Sol. fully, for it is a folded one; there are many in it: Consider therefore,  
1. The promise of pardon 
Three things. The pardoning promise is exclusive, in respect of sinners; but inclusive in respect of penitents: not all sinners, but all repenting sinners shall be pardoned.  is indefinite to repentance: and I beseech you mark this point: God doth not say, I will pardon sins simply, but if men repent and forsake sins, they shall have mercy. So again, in promising pardon to Repentance, he doth not promise it respectively, and conditionally, but absolutely and fully.  
What is that? That is, God doth not say, If you repent of such or such sins, than you shall have pardon; but he saith simply and absolutely, If you repent: So that let the sins be never so great, never so many, yet if they be sins of which thou now truly repentest, they are assuredly pardoned. Esa. 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake 
Esa. 55. 7.  his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Here you see a promise of abundant pardon to be made unto the penitent; though he hath had thoughts, though he hath had ways, yet if he forsakes them, the Lord will pardon and show mercy.  
Again, because that pardon is promised to actual repentance indefinitely, therefore let the sinner be what he will, let him be a person who was not converted before, or let him be a person already converted, yet if he gins true repentance, or the other renews his true repentance, they shall be pardoned: And the reason is, because it is not sin simply in such an estate which God pardons, but it is sin repent of, which God doth promise to pardon: And therefore if an evil man, whose life hath been a course of sins, reputes and leaves his sins, he shall have mercy: Or if a good man fall accidentally into sin, upon his repentance he may confidently plead out God's promises of pardon, for he shall have mercy upon his repentance, as you may see Prov. 28. 14. He that forsakes his sins, shall find mercy. Ezek. 
Pro. 28. 14  18. 32. Turn yourselves, and 
Eze. 18. 32  live. See ver. 21, 22. If the wicked will turn from all his sins, 
ver. 21, 22.  they shall not be mentioned unto him.  
Whence we may infer, that if God will forgive his enemies, he will then (upon the same repentance) forgive his children. If a King will pardon a returning Traitor, will he not 
Simile.  receive then a returning son? It was a pious speech of S. chrysostom, Si Deus promittat gratiam nobis offendentibus, quid faciet nobis poenitentibus? If he promiseth grace unto us when we are sinning, what then will he confer on us, if we be repenting?  
2. Christ is of great virtue still, and as able to put away the sins after conversion, as well as before: therefore is he called the same, yesterday, to day, and 
Heb. 13. 8.  for ever: And the Apostle reasons it in the Romans, If when 
Rom. 5. 10  we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, how much more being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life?  
We must think of the pacification by Christ, of the atonement, of the propitiation, of the satisfaction, not as confined to any one sin, or to any one estate, but in respect of its sufficiency, reaching over both estates, and all the sins in both. What is that? That is, the death of the Lord JESUS was not only to reach the sins thou didst commit in thy unconverted estate; and the rest afterward in thy converted estate, thou art to satisfy for by thine own power some other way. What is this but that Popish leaven? that self-justification? those humane satisfactions? What is this but to divide our salvation twixt Christ and ourselves? What is this but to restrain either the sufficiency or the efficacy of his death?  
No, Christ is unto us in respect of sins before, and sins after conversion, as the Lord was to the Israelites, a pillar of a cloud, and a pillar of fire. Jesus Christ is a cloud in the 
Christ a pillar of cloud, and a pillar of fire.  day, (in the time of conversion) to cover our sins upon our repentance; and a pillar of fire by night, (for the times of former darkness) upon our repentance to consume away our sins, etc.  
The difference of our estates doth no way add or diminish to the strength and efficacy of his death: His blood can cry as loud now as heretofore, and is not less effectual to get pardon for our falls in the way, then for our sinnings when we were not in the way, as is evident in the sins of Paul before his conversion, and in sins of David and Peter after their conversion: for Christ is our continual Mediator, and everliving Intercessor.  
But you will reply, These Ob. sins cut off all our interest in Christ, and all relations, and therefore no hope now.  
I answer, though the comfortable 
Sol. No sin that thou canst grieve for, cuts off our communion & interest.  interest be cut off, (until the time of sound repentance) yet the radical interest is not: As the leprous person was debarred the use of his house, (until he was cleansed) yet he was not debarred the title and right of his house: and therefore thou mayest (upon thy repentance) sue unto the Lord by the blood of thy Saviour, the pardon of these sins.  
3. The Lord is merciful still unto repentants: You shall read in Psal. 136. that his 
Psal. 136.  mercy is set down 26 times with the adjunct of everlastingness, His mercy endureth for ever. And Psal. 86. 5. Thou 
Psal. 86. 5.  Lord art good, and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy, unto all them that call upon thee. So ver. 13. Great is thy mercy towards me. And ver. 15. Thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. So Micah 7. 18. Who is a God 
Mica. 7. 18  like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. 19 He will turn again, he will have compassion on us, he will subdue our iniquities, and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.  
Mercy is not strange unto God, it is his nature, it is his delight, and repentance will not be hid from his eyes, if it be not hid from our hearts: He calls us to repent, and causeth us to repent, that he might show us his mercy, and everlastingness of his mercy.  
6. A sixth spring of doubtings was indisposition unto or about spiritual duties: Whence we fear the truth of grace, which is active and lively, and doubt our acceptance with God, by reason of our dulness and deadness.  
For the curing of this, consider,  
1. That dulness in holy duties is possibly incident to men truly sanctified. Beloved, there is a great difference betwixt a dead heart, and a dull heart: That heart is properly 
A dead heart.  termed dead, which wants a living spring, and therefore spiritual duty is contrary unto it, it hath a secret a versnesse to holy services, it cares not for holy prayer; there is not only an indifferency whether the work be done, but a determinate dislike, and positive 
The difference twixt a dead heart and a dull heart.  unwillingness, or rather (a Nolition) a nillingnesse to the same. Whence ariseth that shuffling carriage in wicked men, to find diverting occasions, and arguing reasonings against the strictness and spiritualness of duty.  
But again, that heart is 
A dull heart.  properly termed dull, which hath in it a living spring, but hath not a lively operation: The Spirit is willing, (said Christ) there the spring was open; but the flesh is weak, there the operation was narrow. The Christian may say with David, My heart (O Lord) 
Rom 7. 21, 22.  is ready, my heart is prepared; and as Paul, I would do good, and I delight in the Law of God after the inward man; but yet, saith he, I find a law; that when I would do good, evil is present with me; And I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind. So in the Galatians, The flesh lusteth against 
Gal. 5. 17.  the spirit, etc. and these are contrary one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. Ye would do, but ye cannot do; Ye cannot always do the work ye would do, and ye cannot do it in such a manner as ye would do it.  
You know that a full vessel which hath a narrow neck, it cannot send out the waters so speedily, nor so fully; and a sick man, who would fetch more than a turn about his chamber, he cannot do that, sometimes; if he doth it, it is 
Simile.  with extreme wearisomeness, not of his mind, but of his body: Or as a lusty and able man escaped out of prison with a great chain about his leg, he would run away, but the chain hinders him, and vexeth him, so that it doth indispose him in the motion.  
In like manner is it many times with good people; The heart, the will is bend, it is resolved for Prayer, for hearing, etc. but then there is a chain clogs them, there is a spiritual weakness, there is flesh in them as well as spirit, and this doth dull them, this doth indispose them about the doing, about the exercise of their intentions and desires.  
Therefore let us take heed of denying or concluding the absence of grace, from the infirmity of working. David 
Psal. 119. 25. My soul cleaveth to the dust, (that ●as low enough) quicken thou me, etc. 28. My soul melteth for heaviness, strengthen thou me according to thy word.  prayed often to be quickened, and so may we, and yet be alive. It is one thing to have 
Life and livelihood are different.  life, another thing to have livelihood: That may be present, when this is absent: for a Christian, 1. may have a dull temper of body, not able to render unto him the spiritual sense of spiritual duties, melancholy doth intercept the vitality not only of nature but of grace.  
2. He may not so seriously meditate and dwell upon the ways and motives of livelihood, he may have but remiss, and unpiercing, or unapplying thoughts of God's great love and mercy, of Christ's blood and intercession, of the Promises' goodness and fullness; and therefore his spirit may be dull.  
3. He may not have such 
The oil may not be on the wheel, nor that gale to the ship.  an actual aid and special influence from the Spirit of Christ to excite his spiritual frame and temper; and than if that wind be more slack, our ship will move on with less forwardness.  
Or lastly, perhaps he may have overlasht, he hath been (improvidently or accidentally) in the dulling ways; he hath been surfeiting upon some sin, or too greedily embracing the heavy world, or been idle in his particular calling. But,  
Whatsoever the cause may be, this is certain, that Indisposition 
Indisposition is not fundamental.  is not fundamental; it is not such a case, which nullifies the estate of Grace: For as in our most lively times there is more duty than we 
Note.  can throughly do; so in our dullest times there is not more duty than we would do.  
And this know, that the Christian condition keeps up for truth of being, notwithstanding the many pauses, the many eclipses, the many indispositions which may, and do accompany it.  
But yet again, secondly, be informed of this, that God observes the bend of the heart in the duty, and accordingly accepts of it. You know that place in the Chronicles, how that the good Lord did pardon 
2 Chro. 30. 18, 19  every one who prepared his heart to seek him, though he 
God's eye is more on the intent of the workman, then on the extent of the work.  were not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary.  
The greatest actions managed from a corrupt heart are not accepted with God: (All the superfluous and abundant 
Note.  gifts of the Pharisees were worthless, yet the Widow's mite found acceptance) The meanest duties set forth with a perfect heart are acknowledged by God; he will take notice of them; for God looks to the heart: He eyes not so much thy behaviour, he listens not so much to thy words, but (through these) he considers thy heart; if that come with life, though thy body come with dulness, though thy tongue be not so fluent, yet if there be life and truth in the heart, he will find duty and accept of it.  
You remember that Simile 
Simile.  of the Goldsmith, who hath a skilful eye to find out the smaller and neglected ways of gold, though covered with much dross; and many times there is much fire and much gold, when both are hidden with dust and coal: So is it with the Lord, he can sent out the secrets of our desires, and what we would do is observed and taken with him for 
Our groans are not hid from him.  well done, notwithstanding the many indispositions which cover our Altar.  
Therefore it is David's counsel 
1 Chron. 28. 9  to Solomon his son, Know thou the God of thy Father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: If thou seek him, he will be found of thee, etc.  
Beloved, we are mistaken 
God can find duty in speechless tears, and sighs, & groans. Rom. 8.  about duty; we judge it not to be duty, unless the tongue can speak much, and our behaviours be fresh, etc. as if a man were not a man, and did no work in course : But know we, that the sealing of spiritual service with integrity of heart, is duty.  
And that is it which God considers, and unto which he hath made many promises of acceptance, and audience, and grant.  
This is something to stay Ob. us, will you say: But now we stick at this, Whether the bent of our hearts be entire, notwithstanding our indispositions and dulnesses?  
That may easily be discerned: Sol. You may know that the bend of the heart is right and even in duties,  
1. By not contenting your 
How to know that the bend of the heart is right.  selves with this heavy kind of performing of duties: You will have life enough to dislike yourselves, though you have not power enough to mend your services.  
There are some men (and they have evil hearts) which will be picking some help and pleas for their lazy and dull serving of God, from what hath been spoken.  
O say they, though we cannot Ob. do as others do, yet our hearts are as good, and as willing; God knows the heart, and regards it.  
He doth so, and he knows Sol. this of thy heart, that it yields him lazy service, and dislikes not itself therein: But now the true Christian is not satisfied with this, that God accepts of a weak heart; but it would also hereupon bring him a better heart.  
It doth many times fall out with itself, and rebuke its own dulness, Why art thou so heavy, O my soul? and why art thou so indisposed within me? Thou art serving of a living God, why dost thou not serve him with a more lively heart? And then it breaks out on the sudden, Well, Lord, If I had a better heart, thou shouldst have it; If I could find more affections, I would bestow them on thee.  
Hereupon,  
2. It falls upon the ways of livelihood, and exerciseth the art of quickening: It will not rest in this indisposition, but will use all the means to better itself; and this doth abundantly manifest its bent.  
As you know, the weak person 
Simile.  he will have one turn more, and the ingenuous Scholar will write one line more, and the desirous Archer will make one shot more; So the sincere heart, he will assay yet more in duty; Perhaps frequency in duty (saith he) may breed fervency in duty. (A man may get him an heat by walking, and by rubbing his benumbed parts.) Or perhaps saith he, one duty more in another kind, may quicken me to duty in every kind; as some physic and cordial to the heart, may cause more nimbleness in the hands and feet. I am somewhat dull in praying, I will therefore read more, or hear more, that I may find matter to set on my 
Note.  Prayer: I may perhaps meet with that in reading, which may set me on in praying. Or I am somewhat dull in hearing, I will therefore pray more, perhaps God may hear my prayer, and then I may hear his word with more attention, delight, profit, etc. And assuredly so it falls out many times, that our indispositions are more about some particular duties which are singularly removed by the small dispositions, yet left in us about some other duties.  
Or if all this betters not, yet, saith he, I will even go to God's Ordinances, and will come before him, and bring him my soul thus indisposed, perhaps yet he may be disposed to quicken me by his Word, to cheer me by his Sacrament; Who knows but that he may let fall a blessing? that he may so powerfully direct himself to me, as to shake my heart, as to throw off all my dull distempers, and revive my Graces, and excite my affections? etc.  
So that if you perceive your dulnesses, if they griev● and displease you, if you will not rest in them, if you yet set out to the means of removal, assuredly your hearts are sincere; God seethe that the bent is honest, that thou art indeed willing; and take this for thy comfort, that if it be thus with thee, God (for present) accepts of thy services, and ere long thou shalt be freed of these indispositions which do accompany thee in thy services: God will drive this sleep from thine eyes, and these fowls from thy sacrifice. Once again though, note, that  
3. The cause of all acceptation is in Christ: therefore do not doubt that God will reject thy services because of thy indispositions, but believe he will accept of thy sincere endeavours, because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ. Beloved, it 〈…〉 for us to consider all things about duty. A sincere heart must set it out, a gracious God must take it, and a mighty Redeemer and Intercessor must present it. 
Note.  Christ presents that to his Father, which we present to Christ: The duty belongs to us, but the reason of acceptation is not in the Petitioner, but in the Intercessor: God accepts not for our fullness, not for our liveliness, but for his Son's worthiness, 
Rev. 8. 3. The Angel had a golden Censer, and much iucense: that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar.  for his merits, who ever lives to make intercession for 〈◊〉 who offers up the prayers of the Saints with the perfume and odours of his righteousness.  
Are thy Prayers fervent? They are not accepted for their own strength: Are they weak? They are not rejected for their impotency. Is thy heart sincere? Then know that 
He appears for us. Heb. 9  Christ hath sufficiency of merits to cover thy (self-blamed) indispositions, and to gain the acceptance of the weakest (if sincere) services.  
Therefore this were a good way, in case of disliked indispositions, not to place the acceptance in ourselves, but in Christ, And though there be 
Note.  inequality of expressions in duty, quoad nos, in us, yet there is a constancy of intercession by Christ, propter nos, for us. Sometimes we come more fully, sometimes more emptily; sometimes we run, and other times all that we can do●● is to move; sometimes affections are smart, judgements quick, expressions ready, requests fervent, hear reverend and delightful, 〈◊〉 at 〈◊〉 their times the wh●●●●ences bemost down 〈◊〉 have prayed a slowly, our affections turn not so lively, our judgements are barren, language sticks, Requests breathe only, but flame not, we hear, and give credit, and stock it up and that is all: Here you see the various carriages of our holy services in respect of the person, yet there is no such variety in Christ.  
Whence it would follow, that if our duties found grace with God, bccause of their accidental vivacity in our performance, all our weaker services were utterly lost, and in case of the more lively services, Christ also were lost; because the reason of their acceptation would be in themselves.  
But Christ is required to make up our duties, as well as to make up our persons; he must be a Mediator for these, servant's Intercessor for those: the talents 〈◊〉 there is a constant merit, and a perpetual offering of that same up, with 
As our persons, so our prayers must stand before God by Christ.  all the prayers of all Saints; hence it is that they are accepted, not for their own worth, but for his Name.  
7. A seventh spring of doubtings, was, a conceit of succeslesnesse in duty: We have prayed much for the perfecting of such Graces, or the subduing of such corruptions, or establishing in such duties and courses, yet nothing comes of it, we are as we were, and where we were; therefore we doubt that we are not good, or that God doth not intent any good to us.  
This is the spring, the cure and remedy of which may be made up by these considerations: viz.  
1. Service and progress 〈◊〉 duty belongs to us, and 〈◊〉 rewards and recompenses belong to God. I have prayed a long time to God: True, and thou art bound to pray still. I have heard a long time: True, and thou art bound to hear still. Thou dost but what thou art bound to do. It is the 
Simile.  Husbandman's part to blow the land, and to sow the corn, and it is God's part to give the harvest. Hereupon, saith the Apostle, Let us not be weary in 
Gal. 6. 9  welldoing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not: For God is a God hearing Prayer, and he 
Psal. 65. 2.  will be found of them that seek him, and will not forsake them. 
9 10.   
2. God is a good Master: Job did not serve him for nought. I called upon the Lord, 
Psal. 118. 5  and he answered me, said David. And in another place, He hath 
116. 1, 2.  heard my voice and my supplications, and inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as 〈◊〉 I live. Not one of the servants who trasfiqued with the talents that could complain he was an austere Master. Therefore God takes it to heart, when they in Malachi 
Mal. 3. 13.  charged him with neglect and irrecompence for serving of him; Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. How so? Ye have said it is in vain to serve God, and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord? Whereupon the Lord instantly manifesteth his bountiful and tender disposition to them who did serve him, and think on his Name, They shall be mine, (saith he) and when I make up my jewels, I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not. (i) Then you shall know that it is not lost labour to serve him.  
3. Petitioners must wait an answer, as well as present a request: Therefore know that faith in point of seeking unto God hath a double office:  
1. One is, to deliver up in 
Faith hath a twofold office.  the Name of Christ our wants, which God hath promised to supply in his Word.  
2. Another is, to expect and wait those supplies which God hath promised. Therefore saith David, As the eyes of servants 
Psal. 123. 2  look unto the hand of their Masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress, so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until (even so long, let it be never so long) until that he have mercy upon us.  
And (beloved) this waiting doth notably distinguish betwixt desires which come 
Waiting do●h distinguish desires of unsettled humour.  from an unsettled humour, and those which come from poverty of spirit. In them, we give on, but presently give up, as we do in sleight visits with 
Simile.  men, knock at door, and if none answer, away we go, our business was little, and so our stay is answerable: but in those desires which spring from poverty of spirit, 
Poverty of spirit.  these have faith to believe that God is at home, and have patience to wait his answer.  
As a poor beggar, (suppose 
Simile.  such a one as Lazarus) he will lie at the gate, and knock more than once, & wait more than an hour for some alms, for some crumbs of our tables; and so will humble Christians, who are truly poor in spirit, they will be at heaven gates, and put up request after request, and expect day after day the speeding of them from the throne of grace and mercy.  
But we cannot wait. 
Ob. Sol.   
You cannot! And that is the reason you miss of your answers. If beggars will not stay, they lose their alms; and if Christians will not wait, they lose their grants.  
Yet let me not go off easily from this scruple, for in it lies the choicest part of the cure: If we could but wait on God, then assuredly we should see that we have no reason to cry out of fruitlessness in seeking.  
How may we do to wait? 
Ob. Sol. Four motives to wait.   
Thus.  
1. You are sure to speed. Certainty of answer will beget constancy in seeking. Sure to speed? How shall we be sure of that? Thus.  
1. Take it in Promises, and so you are sure.  
2. Take it in performances, and so likewise you are sure.  
For Promises, you know, 
Promises.  there is a certainty in them; we have no way to pierce into God's intentions of doing us good, but by his Promises; and in them we have: For as 
Simile.  the words of man do deliver unto us the thoughts of man; so the Promises of God do discover unto us the intentions and purposes of God. Now then observe what God hath promised to waiting;  
Hab. 2. 3. The vision is yet for 
Hab. 2. 3.  an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Here is the duty, Wait; Here is the Promise, delivered, doubled, trebled, It shall speak, It will come, It will surely come: Nay doubled again, It shall not lie, it will not tarry. It is as if God had said, Do but wait, and you shall be delivered, you shall be delivered, you shall be delivered, you shall be delivered, you shall be delivered. O the rhetoric of God O the certainty of his Promises!  
Psal. 27. 14. Wait on the Lord, 
Psal. 27. 14.  be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart.  
Esay 40. 31. They that wait upon 
Esa. 40. 31.  the Lord, shall renew their strength: They shall mount up with wings as Eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint.  
Micah 7. 7. I will look unto 
Mica. 7. 7.  the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation, my God will hear me.  
Will you now see a certainty 
Performances.  in performances? Then read Psal. 40. 1. I waited patiently 
Psal. 40. 1.  upon the Lord, and he inclined to me, and heard my cry. Here was waiting, and here was sure speeding.  
He was but one man. 
Ob. Sol. Heb. 6. 12.   
Then Heb. 6. 12. Be ye followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the Promises. They did inherit the Promises, (i) got all the good out of them by patiented waiting. If we be sons, let us wait, and then we also shall be heirs of the Promises: The good of them shall be settled upon us.  
See also Esay 25. 9 and Esay 49. 23. None shall be ashamed 
Esa. 49. 23  who wait on me. From all which we infer, If God hath made sure Promises, If he hath hitherto performed those Promises unto such as wait upon him, Then if we wait, we shall surely speed, etc.  
2. The things you desire are great; and worth the waiting. You would think him 
Simile.  a strange man, who would not wait the sealing of the pardon which the King hath promised him. It is a wonderful thing, that when God promiseth us pardon of sins, we cannot have patience to seek and wait the sealing of it: Yet pardon of sins is such a thing, as our very life lies in it.  
So again, Is not grace a singular thing? Is not mortifying of sin an excellent thing? And is it much that the Lord puts us to more frequent seekings, to iterated prayers and duties, for those gifts and grants which are so high in their nature? so admirable in their use? so saving in their end? can you be better employed?  
3. The answers will sweeten and easily recompense all the times and labours of seeking. When the manchild is borne, all the labour in travail is forgotten; the joy of it drowns the sense of that. Let 
As the Wisemen when they saw the star, rejoiced.  God but lift up the light of his countenance on thee, it will answer and quit to all the prayers that ever thou madest in thy life. I found him whom 
Cant. 3. 4. And David doth forget the aching of his bones, etc. when God did answer him.  my soul loveth, I held him, etc.  
4. Doubled services have usually doubled mercies: for when God prepares the heart, he will incline the ear; and when he intends a great mercy, he first enlargeth the heart to a greatness of desire and seeking. Every true seeking of God opens the heart wider, and secretly adds to the stock: The more prayers we have put 
Prayers are our money at use.  up to use in the hands of God, the larger will the return of them prove: When we have been long suitors, God doth (ordinarily) at length dismiss us with more than what we ask; So that he will answer us not only for our prayers, but also for our time.  
4. We shall have the best things in the fittest times: therefore we should not accufe our services as lost, for God will answer them; but than it shall be in the best things, at the best times.  
O, will you say, Is it not Ob. more than time that I had more grace, and sin more subdued?  
I answer, Perhaps not: God Sol. doth know that thou hast a proud temper, and thou growest big, and art apt to swell upon enlargements: Thou art apt to despise others, and to make glorious conceits of thyself, and therefore he doth answer thee, not by victory, but by combat: That is, he doth not presently subdue thy sin, that it shall not trouble thee, but lets it alone that it shall exercise thee, thou shalt find matter to keep thee low and humble, when still thou feelest such remnants and workings of corruption. To the resistance of which God doth yet enable, and after thy heart grows more emptied, thou shalt have victory. Again, though thou prayest against thy sins, yet thou dost venture upon the provocations and occasions of sin, and therefore the Lord may justly hold up, because thou hold'st not in. Now the Lord (by his silence) will teach thee in these times, forbearance on thy part, as well as forbearance on his part; and then upon thy next prayers accompanied with this watchfulness and avoidance of occasions, he will let fall more strength and power to mortify thy sinful dispositions.  
Wherefore let us not faint in case of suspensions, for God doth suspend his grants to the times, when thou art fitted to receive them, and when it is fit for him to open them.  
Is it sin that thou wouldst have subdued? Do thou seek his subduing power, and withal, decline inviting occasions either from thyself or others, and then God will hear thee. Now thou art fitted, and now is it fit for God to help thee; but if thou wilt pray against the disposition, and run still upon the occasion, God will not answer thee.  
Is it grace and eavennesse in duty which thou wouldst have? Then thou must use former grace, and stick close with humbleness, and diligence, and reverence to the means, and now God will supply all thy wants. Until thou hast a more humble and doing heart, thou art not fitted for more grace. God giveth more grace to the humble, saith James. 
James 4.   
I say, he will give thee more grace; Thou shalt have enough for thy condition, and enough for thy salvation, although thou hast not such an equal measure with others, whom God intends for more public use and service, than he doth thee.  
5. God's forbearings should not occasion cessation, but earnestness: He is not silent, that we thereby should become speechless, but that our desires should grow more fervent.  
You know that the skilful 
Simile.  Angler doth not draw back his bait that the fish should not by't, but that by this means he should the more greedily leap after the bait.  
And the tender mother steps aside, not that she would not have the child seek her, but that it may even dote after her.  
So doth God many times draw back and step aside, and as the Prophet Jeremy speaks, 
Jer. 11. 8.  He becomes as a stranger, and as a way-faring man who turneth aside, etc. And as David speaketh, He is as one that sleeps. Why? What? Is it that he 
He knows our thoughts long before.  doth not know us? No. Is it that he doth not hear us? No. Is it that he will not speed us? No. 
His ear is open, and before they call I will answer. Esa.   
Why then? Surely because 1. He delights in this music, he smells a sweet odour and savour in all our humble sacrifices, he delights in the broken 
Whiles they are speaking, I will answer. Loc. cit. Ro. 15. 30. Hos. 12. 3, 4  heart.  
2. He loves that we should strive with him for his grants, (that is the phrase, Rom. 15. 30) and wrestle with him, (as Jacob) and so prevail upon him; And that we should give him no rest, (Esay 62. 7.) until he hath satisfied 
Esa. 62. 7.  our souls with mercy, and established them with his grace.  
3. He would enhance the goodness of the things desired, and make us to wear the answers with more thankfulness to himself, with more comfort to ourselves, and with more benefit to others.  
8. An eighth cause of doubtings was, weakness of judgment about the essentials of salvation, which necessarily doth cause doubtings, both in respect of those suspicions, and errors, & mistake to which it is subject: as also in respect of that scrupulosity which ever adheres to the conscience, where weakness adheres to the judgement.  
Now the remedy of this spring, consists in these particulars.  
1. Get a distinct knowledge of Fundamentals: It is the emptiness of our minds that we be preposterous in our searches. Many a Christian loseth himself in a sea of opinions, before he hath squared himself with the first grounds of Religion.  
Remember this, that the first truths do support and maintain the rest, (as the cornerstone the rest of the building) and are as the original Will, which decides many scruples in Law. Hence is it, 
Simile.  that some men doubt about special conclusions, because they are ignorant of the general principles; which were they distinctly known, the falsity of any conclusion would easily become evident unto them. Men usually dispute first, and know last: As if a 
Simile.  Soldier would range an Army, before he hath learned to handle his weapons. How ordinary is it to hear disputes 
Ergo, saith Paul, Rom. 14. 1. Him that is weak in the faith, receive you, but not to doubtful disputations.  of Original sin, of Predestination, of Redemption, of Faith and Justification, of Assurance and Obedience, of the degrees of grace and duty, of the direct and absolute way of life? etc. I say it is ordinary to hear some arguing of these, who yet are ignorant of the nature of these. But,  
Paul's method was to lay 
Heb. 6. 1.  down his foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God: which if Paul thought fit to teach, I think fit for us to learn. That Ship rowls lest, which is well bottomed; and that house shakes least, which is well founded; and that Christian 
True knowledge is as the day wherein we walk more stead fastly; and ignorance like the night, in which we are full of fears, and often stumble.  doubts least, who is well grounded in the main points of Religion: For besides this, that Primitive truths give an aim to all truths, so likewise they uncase all errors, and heresies, and opinions, and arguments which come to pervert the mind another way. And surely when the mind obtains an evidence by one truth for another, and by truth also of error contrary unto it, it is in the least hazard of doubting; for as much as doubtings ordinarily arise from some error or misapprehension in the mind.  
2. Get a distinguishing knowledge of Fundamentals from Accessories. Every part of the house is not the cornerstone, or the pillars: A man 
Simile.  may take away much, and yet the house may stand: If you take away the painting and music, or some ceilings and annexed posts, yet the house may stand.  
So may a Christians salvation, though he know not many accessary truths; nay, although he mistake about them; nay, although he deny them, if this denial be not accompanied with a proud perverseness, but arise only from inevidence and inability.  
There are three things, about which it were good for Christians to have a distinguishing knowledge, viz.  

1. Fundamentals.  
2. Consequents.  
3. Indifferents.   
Fundamentals, I call those 
Three things.  Truths which take up the work and way of salvation; as the doctrine of sin, and of Christ, and faith, and repentance, etc. for these are such things, without the knowledge of which, no man can be saved.  
Consequents, I call those illations or inferences which do flow from the primitive truths, either virtute rei, in the nature of the thing, just as a stream ●lowes from the fountain; or virtute intellectus, in the judgement of the person, as the conclusion is made by such or such a man's conjectural opinion, to flow from such a principle or such a Text.  
Indifferents, I call those actions which in themselves are neither holy nor evil; neither is a man by any express 
Yet actions in themselves indifferent, in respect of circumstances, may be offensive & sinful. See Rom. 14. 14, 15, etc.  command from God, (specificatiuè) enjoined them, or (specificatiuè) prohibited them: Which things considered absolutely, if a man doth use them, he shall not be saved; if he doth not, he shall not be damned. They do no more constitute a Christian, than a garment doth a man; which whether he doth wear it yea or no, yet still he is a man.  
Now this distinguishing knowledge doth exceedingly assoil the doubting heart, which doth oft times shake and roll about the lawfulness of indifferents, etc.  
3. Reduce all conjectures and consequent truths unto the first truth: It is the counsel of the Apostle, 1 Thes. 5. 21. Prove all things: And the Prophet Esaiah, To the Law, and to the testimony. Esa. 8. 20.  
It was a good speech of S. Austin to Manicheus, contesting with him for audience, Hear me, Hear me, said Manicheus, Nay, saith S. Augustine, Necego te, nec tu me, sed ambo audiamus Apostolum, dicentem, Peccatum non cognovi, etc.  
Beloved, we may see what weak creatures we are: when truths fall down amongst us, and when we sit in the Tribunal; alas, what distractions, what several stamps do our several opinions set on them! what distinctions, limitations, qualifications! We will be sure every one of us to handle the question so, that it shall be so far true, as may stand with our own delights, profits, aims and ends; We do many times for personal respects, discourse and determine of truths.  
But now reduce them to the first truths, how do our empty and contrary opinions and fancies clatter and shiver to dust? they fall down before the word of God, as Dagon did before the Ark of God; for the Scriptures are the touchstone which will easily decide counterfeit glosses and errors from genuine and proper truths: Genuine truths are like the young Eagles, that can with open eyes behold the light of the Sun, and erroneous glosses and opinions are like sore eyes which cannot behold the Sun without twinkling, and watering, and closing.  
And note by the way, that if the truth be the truth of God, it doth tend to these three things: viz.  

1. The glory of his rich grace, Eph. 1. 12.  
2. Settling of peace in the conscience, Rom. 5. 1.  
3. Mortifying of sin, Titus 2. 12.   
4. Establish the mind in declared truths. Beware, saith the Apostle Peter, (seeing ye know these things) lest ye being led away with the error of the wicked, fall away from your own steadfastness.  
It is not unknown, that some (like Pedlars) wander up and down, and make a living by their errors; subtle people, and crafty to their own confusion, who have only a strength of parts to gloss over sins and errors, and to weaken the strength of truths and ways to heaven: Most rendering children of Satan, for they cease not to pervert the right ways of the Lord. And yet so artificially do they vent their wares, so neatly do they 
Act. 13. 10.  set them out with the applause of reason and carnal licentiousness, that many weak headed Christians swallow up their baits, drink up their cups, lick in their tumultuous and after, are clear, express; he who runs may read them.  
Busy thyself most in these; study to be a good man, and a good master; a good man, and a good servant, etc. Exercise thyself to know what concerns thee, and then to pray thyself into the practice of that. This is a wise way, and settled, and which is exempted from vain turmoils and many judicial doubtings.  
6. Inform the conscience with the nature of a Christian and saving condition: Some things are required towards salvation, some things unto salvation; some things give a being, other things a comfortable being; Of all which if a person had a special and distinct knowledge, he might walk more quietly without fears and doubtings. Shall I give you an hint of some particulars? Remember then these Propositions.  
1. Preparations to Grace are 
Four particulars worthy of weak christians distinct consideration.  different and unequal: All men are not prepared by the same degrees, or in the same manner for Christ: Conviction of the natural estate, and attrition, and anguish, and those legal operations, these are preparations: for men must know their sinful condition, 
Ro. 7 7, 9 Rom. 8. 15 Mat. 11. 28  they must have the spirit of bondage, they must be heavy, and weary, before they can lay hold on Christ.  
Now those legal impressions are different: Every Believer (of ripe years) hath felt them, more or less, yet all cannot say alike. Every child feels something in his birth, 
Simile.  but some children are brought forth with more pains, and others with less difficulty. Lydia was quickly delivered, but Paul lies by it some days. Some people can say, as David in another case, Sorrow endured for a night, but joy came in the morning: Others may say as the same David, Night and day thy hand was heavy upon me.  
The Lord is pleased (for he is an arbitrary Agent both for the matter and manner in our spiritual alteration) to single out some persons, & to charge their sins deep upon their consciences, and to pursue them with singular terrors, to stick his arrows and their own sins so close that they know not which way to turn themselves. He doth almost grind 
Some persons greatly prepared.  them to powder, and casts them to the dust, and to the lowest amazements and distractions; and then as the skilful Artificer, who hath bruised, and battered, and broken the mass into pieces, and thrown it into the fire, and melted it, he yet at length takes it out, and fashions from all this, a most comely, and precious, and useful vessel: So doth the Lord many times with some people, he returns them their old sins, and powerfully mingles the Law and their sins, and their consciences together, and so with that hammer bruiseth and breaks their sinful hearts, and with that fire melts them and dissolves them as it were; yet after a long and sad time of sensible conviction and horrible bondage, he graciously forms the Lord Jesus in their hearts, and renews his blessed image of grace, and they become the most acceptable vessels of glory.  
But with other persons he deals not in this high measure; He doth indeed arrest them 
Others gently prepared.  with the Law, but doth not so fetter and iron them; he doth not so imprison them, but upon on their falling down he is pleased to release them from their guilt and fears, and to deliver them from the powers of darkness, into the marvellous liberty of the sons of God.  
Therefore know this, that 
Note.  when God hath attained his end, he ceaseth in this way of legal operation.  
Quest. What is his end? will you say.  
Sol. I answer, his end is in these legal preparations,  

1. To evidence unto a man the foulness of his heart and life  
2. To convince him of a total 
Legal troubles & workings cease, when God attains his end:  unworthiness.  
3. To produce most inward dislikes of such an abominable thing as sin is.  
4. To make a man willing, upon Gods own conditions, to take and receive Christ. 
Which is in some sooner, & in some later.    
These are the ends, which being in some sooner, in others later, accomplished, the Lord doth cease the workings of preparation.  
You know that if a piece of stone or wood will break with one or two blows, we spare the rest; and if the mass will yield 
Simile.  in one days firing, we then let it out: So, etc. But if yet the knottiness be great, and resistance long, then knotty wood must have iterated blows, and unyeelding metal must have the greater fire.  
From all this, the doubtful heart may perhaps be settled about his estate in grace: Ask him, Dost thou love God? I do: Serve him with all thy might in all thy ways? I do: Rest upon Jesus Christ? I do: Combat and war against sin? I do; and yet I fear all is not right: Why? Because I never had such terrors as others. Now then inform thy weak judgement, If God hath shown unto thee thy sinfulness, If he hath abated thee, and emptied thee of thyself, If sin and thou are now at defiance, If thou hast yielded unto the receiving of Christ upon his own terms and conditions, though thy legal preparations were not answerable to others, either for intention of strength and measure, or for extension of length and time, yet thy condition is good and safe: For that humiliation which is accompanied with these issues, is assuredly blessed and comfortable. If the physic carries away the humour, though 
Simile.  it do not make the person so sick, yet it is good: And though a man want a storm to drive him to shore, yet is he safe enough, if he be landed with a softer gale and tide.  
2. The operations of Grace are also different and unequal, notwithstanding that Christians may have one common principle, and the same external means of grace. I beseech you observe this.  
1. There is one and the same (specifical) seed of regenerating grace in all Christians; the same spirit of holiness, of faith, of repentance, of love, etc. All Christians are bottomed alike, and rooted alike for the substantial part of Grace.  
2. That many Christians may live under the same means of Grace, as many people do live under the same light and heat of the Sun, and children under the same parents.  
3. That the exercises of their graces may yet be different: as children having the same school, may yet sit in 
Simile.  several forms; and having the same food, may yet have several agilities and abilities.  
So Christians, who have the same principles of believing, and repenting, and praying, and doing, and who have the same ministry, and common assistances, may yet vary and differ in the active part of graces and duties. One may know more than another, one may rest upon Gods Promises more than another, one may pray with more fervency than another, one may do the other parts of duty more than another, etc. yet all of these may have truth of grace, and may be saved.  
Therefore know, that inequality of holy operation doth not spring from nullity or falseness of Grace, but sometimes from the variety of particular 
Inequality of holy operation, whence.  occasions, sometimes from the variety of particular ends, sometimes from the variety of particular assistance. Every Christian hath not alike,  
1. Forcible occasion to exercise his faith and patience:  
Nor 2. doth God intent every Christian for some singular ends and services, to which he fits others by the greater improvement and use of their graces.  
3. Neither hath every man at all times an equal gale or breath of spiritual assistance to enlighten him, to excite, and affect, and draw him. I might also add,  
4. Neither doth every Christian stir up the gifts and graces in him; he doth not wi●ely on all occasions and motions improve his stock.  
Neither 5. hath every man alike temper & constitution, which conduceth much to the actions of the soul.  
6. Neither doth every calling admit unto every Christian those spaces, and leisures, and remissions, or vacations, which some have to set on their heavenly frame and course.  
It is with true Christians, as with true men; Every man 
Simile.  hath a soul, and faculty from that soul, and actions issuing out of those faculties; yet every man is not equal in the expressive ways of nature: So is it with Christians, all have truth of grace alike, but the exercise of it is different and personal.  
3. As the actions, so the degrees of Grace are different: Compare Christian with Christian, it is as if you should compare 
Branches.  one branch and limb of a tree with another; where though all be set in one common root, yet their particular measures are more and less. Or as if one did compare the Stars together, where though all be interested in the heavenly 
Stars.  orbs, yet they differ among themselves in respect 
Sheep.  of magnitude and light.  
Ye are the body of Christ, 
Members.  (saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 12. 
1 Cor. 12 27  27.) and members in particular; this was a glorious and gracious condition: But then, ver. 29. Are all Apostles? are all Prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? do all speak with tongues? Nay, Eph. 4. 11. He gave some Apostles, 
Eph. 4. 11.  and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers.  
Now as this holds firm enough in various degrees of singular gifts for edification, so likewise it is as evident in those special graces for sanctification: 
As gifts for edification, so graces for sanctification are different.  For, Are all in the fold of Christ, sheep? There are some lambs: (Peter is commanded to feed both, Ergo there are both.) Are all in the garden of Christ, Cedars? There are some tender Vines. Are all in the household of Christ, strong men? There are some young, there are some babes in Christ too. So Heb. 5. 13. and 1 Joh. 2. 12, 13. 
1 Joh. 2. 12, 13.  I writ unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you, and because you have known the Father. You see little children there, as well as young men and fathers; and these children, though children, though little children, though very tender Christians, yet they know the Father, and they had pardon of sin.  
Brethren, how exceedingly do we disturb ourselves with doubtings here? Many people, through a weakness (I say no more) of judgement, do fall out with their estate and condition, molest and afflict their hearts, close up all against themselves, suspect, and foolishly reason and argue the nullity of a gracious condition, from the imperfections which they observe in their graces, from their behindments in faith, and zeal, and sorrow, etc. Ah ignorant people! who are truly industrious after the great measures of Grace, and will not yet quiet their fears, and still their 
Note.  doubtings with this,  
1. That such earnest pant, and inquietations, and unsatisfiablenesses cannot but spring from truth of grace.  
2. Then, that where grace is in truth, though in the lowest measure, there the soul hath interest in Christ, in all the Promises, in God, in heaven, in all.  
Remember this, He who hath least in grace, hath not that which he would have; and he who hath most in grace, hath not that which he should have; and he who hath any truth of grace, hath enough to change his heart, and save his soul. I would believe in that fullness of assurance and reliance as thou dost, and if I cannot, I will yet yet believe as well as I can. He who said, O woman, great is thy faith, said also to another, not so strong, Thy faith hath saved thee. No man misseth of heaven for want of measure, but of truth. Our consolation lies much in the comparative degree, but our salvation is in the positive: Much grace will yield unto us here our heaven, and any grace, if true, will yield us heaven hereafter.  
4. The separable fruits of true grace are different, not only if you compare one Christian with another, but if you compare the same Christian with himself in divers times and occurrences.  
1. If you compare Christian with Christian in respect of comfortables, it is night with one, when it is day with another: One goes on heavily oppressed, walking in darkness, (that is the Prophet's phrase, Esay 50. 10.) He hath not that 
Esa. 50. 10 Light.  sensible light of divine favour, (Thou hidst thy face, said David, and I was troubled, Psal. 30. 
Psal. 30. 7.  7.) He hath not that sensible joy or testimony of his gracious 
Joy.  condition, (Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, Psal. 
51. 12.  51. 12.) How many mourners are there in Zion? Many who lament the absence of favour, of joy, of peace.  
Yet some others there are who do believe, and do rejoice in believing: They see 
As Sim●on. As Paul.  Christ in their arms, they know whom they have believed, and rejoice with joy unspeakable and 
2 Tim. 1. 12 1 Pet. 1. 8.  glorious, 1 Pet. 1. 8.  
2. If you compare the same Christian with himself: For it is with our day of grace, as in many doubts. For the cure and remedy of which, be pleased to consider of some particular Propositions, which I will lay down, to unfold the business and comforts of Justification unto believing penitents; for to these only I address my speech.  
1. In Justification, our debts are charged upon Christ: they go upon his accounts. You know that in sin, there is the vicious and staining quality of it, and then there is the resulting guilt of it, which is the obligation of a sinner over to the judgement seat of God, to answer for sin.  
Now this guilt, (in which lies our debt) this is charged upon Christ: Therefore (saith the Apostle) God was in Christ, 
2 Cor. 5. 19  reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them: And, hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sinne● You know in Law, the wife's debts are charged upon the husband; and if the debtor be 
Simile.  disabled, than the creditor sues the surety. Fidejussor, or surety, and Debtor in Law, are reputed as one person: Now Christ is our Fidejussor, He is made sin 
Heb. 7. 22. jesus was made a surety of a better testament.  for us, saith the Apostle: For us, (i) vice nostra, or loco nostro, (i) in our stead. A surety for u●, one who put our scores on his accounts, our burden on 
Fidejussor  his shoulder: So the Prophet, Esay 53. He hath born our griefs, 
Esa. 53. 4, 5  and carried our sorrows. How so? He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: (i) He stood in our stead, he took upon him the answering of our sins, the satisfying of our debts, the clearing of our guilt, and therefore was it that he was so bruised, etc.  
You remember the scapeit 
●ev. 16. 21  ●●●at, Upon his head, all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, in all their sins, were confessed and put.  
And the Goat did bear upon him all their iniquities, etc. What is the meaning of this? Surely Jesus Christ, upon 
Christ.  whom ou● sins were laid, and who alone died for the ungodly, and bore our burdens away. Therefore the Believer in the sense of guilt should run unto Christ, and offer up his blood unto the Father, and say, Lord, it is true, I own thee so much, yet Father forgive me, remember that thine own Son was my ransom, his blood was the price, he was my surety, and undertook to answer for my sins; I beseech thee accept of his atonement, for he is my Surety, my Redemption; Thou must be satisfied, but Christ hath satisfied thee, not for himself, what sins had he of his own? but for me, (gracious Father) they were my debts which he satisfied for; and look over thy book, and thou shalt find it so, for thou hast said, He was made sin f●r us, and that he was wounded for our transgressions.  
Now this is a great stay, a great comfort, that we ourselves are not to make up our accounts and reckon, but that Christ hath cleared twixt us and God. Therefore it is said, Ephes. 1. 7. that in his 
Eph. 1. 7.  blood we have redemption, even the forgiveness of sins.  
2. In Justification, the believing penitent hath an universal discharge. What is that? That is, when a man is in Christ, when he is a true believer, he doth not then receive a particular acquittance from such or such sins, but an universal discharge from all the sins he hath committed. You know the promise. Jer. 
Jer. 33. 8.  33. 8. I will pardon all their uniquities whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me. 9 And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and honour, etc.  
Therefore David speaking of God's fullness and extent of pardoning and remitting mercy, he saith, Psal. 85. 2. Thou 
Psal. 85. 2.  hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah. Which covering of all sin, is in sense the same with the Apostles not imputing of sin, Rom. 4. and 2 Cor. 5.  
This is a true axiom, Peccata non minuunt justificationem; Though sins be different, yet justification is not. When the Lord God justifies a person, the different qualities and circumstances of former sins do not hinder their pardon and discharge. You know that one may with a pen cross a great sum as well as a little sum; and a King can give a pardon not only for petty 
Simile.  offences, but also for rebellions and treasons, and so he doth many times. It is therefore an observable passage in holy Writ, that there is scarce a sin in any kind, but we may read the blotting of it unto a believing 
Note.  and repenting person: viz.  
Original sin, which was the 
Justification reacheth all sorts of debts.  great deluge of our natures, and the first fire which inflamed the whole world of mankind, yet this sin was pardoned to Adam.  
Drunkenness, another sin which the Apostle (in 1 Cor. 6. 8.) raiseth to the height of eternal separation, yet was it pardoned to Noah a believing penitent.  
Lying, another sin, which is of itself apt to lock the gates of heaven, (Rev. 22. 15.) yet was it pardoned to Abraham, the father of the faithful.  
Incest, that unnatural commixture, yet pardoned to Lot.  
Murder, a crying sin, and Adultery, a fearful sin, yet both pardoned unto a repenting and believing David.  
Idolatry, that angling and provoking sin, a sin which unthrones God, and makes a god, yet pardoned unto Solomon.  
What should I mention more? Impatience, a sin, yet pardoned to Job.  
Passion, a sin, yet pardoned to Jonah.  
Denial of Christ, against knowledge and resolution, a high sin, (and such as a Donatist upon no terms would admit, as capable of a re-acceptation) yet graciously pardoned to Peter.  
Persecuting of the Gospel of Christ, blasphemy, and compelling of others to blaspheme, (i) injuriously and despitefully to oppose Jesus Christ, his word, his members, O how piercing and bleeding a sin! yet pardoned to Paul, he obtained mercy.  
Oppression and covetousness, by which a man doth suck the blood and life of others, yet pardoned to Zacheus.  
Nay yet once more, as you 
And all sorts of debtors.  may see pardon in Justification releasing all sorts of debts, so you shall find it releasing all sorts of debtors. Take one place for all, in Levit. 4. where the Lord goes over all sorts and divisions of sinners, and appointed offerings for them all, and proclaims pardon to them all: viz First, the Priests, ver. 3. Then secondly, the whole congregation, ver. 13. and 20. Then thirdly, a Ruler, ver. 22, 26. Then fourthly, any one of the common people, ver. 27, 28, 31, etc.  
Under which four ranks, he draws in all sorts and conditions of men; and not only appoints a sin-offering for them all, but also accepts of the same: By which, what is else meant but the power and efficacy of the blood of Christ, by which all sorts of sins are pardoned to all sorts of believing and repenting sinners?  
Ah Lord! will many a person Ob. cry out. Why? What is the matter? Why art thou so heavy? Why, such and such a sin heretofore.  
I reply, Is there not a Justification? Sol. Yes: And how comes sin to be pardoned? Is it not by the blood of Christ? Yes: But these were great sins; And did Christ die for the expiation of little sins only? What, did he satisfy for infirmities only, & not for enormities also? And doth Christ indeed leave the greatest debts for us to clear? Or cannot faith receive the accuitance of great sins, as well as indeliberated sins? Was not the sin-offering for all sorts of persons? And have not all sorts of sins come within the Proclamation? No no, my brethren, Justification (without all doubt) crosseth the book. Thou art a debtor, saith God: I am, Lord, saith the penitent, I acknowledge my sins, and am ●orry for my transgressions, but I intent to run on the score no longer. Thou art a debtor, saith God; I am, Lord, saith the Believer, and thou hast said, If any man 
1 Joh. 2. 1.  sin, he hath an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for sins, and I believe on him Lord; I take him to be my sin-offering, and in his blood only I seek for pardon and redemption from all my sins; This were the way to support ourselves against our many and strong doubtings about pardon of sins; Yet the Lord knows I have repent of them, and I do believe in Jesus Christ for the pardon of them, I hear and know that he is the Mediator of the New Testament, and that his blood satisfies for all sorts of debtors, and debts too; Though one sin may differ from another, yet his me● it and satisfaction differs not from itself, but is all-sufficient; and therefore I acknowledge the debt, and rest on his blood for a full discharge.  
3. Discharges in Justification are not repealed, they are not called in again. Peccata non redeunt, (i) Subsequent sins and falls do not nullify and evacuate former grants and pardons: for as much as 1. Pardon of sin springs from special love and mercy, which altar not their consigned acts. 2. It is founded in an unalterable, and absolute, and constant satisfaction; for sin is not pardoned for any dignity in the person. In the person pardoned, there is no reason or cause of pardon, but that is in the blood of Christ, which blood altars, and lessens, and abates not, though our carriages do.  
Hence it is that pardon of sin in Justification, is styled the blotting out of the hand-writing, Col. 2. 14. If a writing be blurred a little, and somewhat blotted, yet it may be read; but if it be blotted out, it is no more legible; and who can be called to account upon record when the writings are obliterated? The same phrase is used, Esay 44. 22. I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins. Where me thinks something else falls in to our comfort, viz. That God himself doth blot out. Though an under-officer should blot out an indictment, that perhaps may help nothing; but when the King doth it, who is chief Judge, than the indictment cannot return.  
Now it is the Lord himself who doth blot out transgressions; he doth it, who only hath power of life and death, of condemning or absolving.  
In like manner there is another phrase, Mica. 7. 19 Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. If a thing were cast into a river which might be fathomed, than it might be brought up again; or if it were cast upon the sea only, yet it might be discerned, and taken up again; but when it is in the depths, cast into the depths, the bottom of the sea, now it cannot be fathomed up again.  
By which Metaphor the Lord intends to express unto us the powerful energy of pardoning mercy, that our sins shall rise no more against us; He will clear them so, that they (being once forgiven) shall come on the account no more: He will drown their guilt, that it shall not come up against us before him the second time.  
Therefore Paul discoursing of Justification, Rom. 4. he useth another phrase to express this point, ver. 7. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Covered: Covering is such an action which is opposed to disclosure, and judicial evidences; and to be covered, is to be hid so, and closed, as not to appear with a judicial guilt upon it.  
Now the Lord here is said to cover sin in Justification: What is that? That is, the Lord will look on those sins no more with a judicial eye, he will not call them to account any more, that is the meaning of the phrase.  
As when a Prince reads over many Treasons, and meets with such and such which he hath pardoned, he reads on, he passeth by, he now takes no notice of them, he is not stirred, he sends not our against those whom he hath pardoned: So, etc. This is for God to cover sin, viz. not to look on the sin pardoned with a judicial eye. It is not, as some most empty and dull heads fancy it, God doth not see sin at all, and he cannot. Of all the opinions in the world, this is the most ridiculous and childish to men who believe an Allseeing God: But to cover sin, is not simply not to see it, but to look it over as it were, and not to sit or stand upon it with a judicial eye, (i) to account for pardoned sins no more.  
Hence in the New Covenant, God promising to justify or to pardon sin, he saith not only, I will forgive their iniquity, but adds, I will remember their sin no more, Jer. 31. 34. What is that? That is, if I once 
As the Gospel needs to be given but once, so a man's sin needs but once to be forgiven: once is enough: because if once, then for ever.  forgive their sin, I will not forgive it again, it shall not need again to be forgiven, once shall serve the turn, I will remember it no more. The meaning is it shall quite be forgotten, I will no more plead with them for what I have once pardoned.  
I confess, that the sense, and fruit, and assurance of a sin pardoned, this may (redire) 
Note.  return; this may be lost and got; and the acts of faith concerning the particular pardon 
The apprehension of pardon is variable, and yet the pardon itself is immutable.  of a particular sin, may do so, but Gods justifying act, his pardoning act is a free and constant act: Otherwise if he pardoned 〈◊〉 respectively upon an absolute Incessation about sin, there were no flesh living that could be justified.  
4. Discharges in Justification reach not only to the guilt, but also to the consequents of guilt: For it is a true 
And, remissa culpa, remittitur poena  rule, Justificatio tollit poenalia. Therefore saith the Apostle, Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. You know that if the body falls, than the shadow which attends the body, that falls too; and if the debt be discharged, the prison is discharged. We have by the blood of Christ the forgiveness of our sins, and therefore the remission of all satisfying punishments: Why else doth the Apostle say, Gal. 3. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us? As Christ is said to be made sin for us, 2 Cor. 5. so is he here said to be made a curse for us. He is made sin for us, by taking upon him the guilt of our sins; and he is made a curse for us, by bearing that wrath and punishment which was due to us because of our sins.  
Nay, let me speak a bold truth; To have sin remitted, and yet to be exposed to punishment, (I speak only of satisfying punishment) cannot stand with that unspotted justice of God; for no man is justly punished but by reason of unsatisfied guilt. (In peccato fundatur reatus poena, saith Aquinas well.) Now if Christ hath fully and perfectly satisfied for the guilt, than punishment hath no ground, unless we will say that God will punish for that which is already satisfied; or that Christ's satisfaction is not total, but partial, (i) he satisfied for a part, and left some parts of satisfying punishment to us, which is the opinion of the Papists for their humane satisfactions.  
But to draw up again; What a comfortable stay and support is this unto a distressed soul, to see and find all in Christ? When a person brought to the true sight and sense of sin, and loathing and forsaking of it, and to the giving of himself up unto Christ, shall behold his many forepast guilts, and see these charged upon Christ, nay and discharged by Christ, nay and so discharged that they shall never be charged upon him again, nay and all the consequents of guilt removed, so that Christ hath set him at liberty, he hath made him a freeman, and that against all Satan's accusations: He may hold out the blood of Christ, which will answer all; I am a sinner, but Christ was made sin for me; I deserve damnation, but Christ was made a curse for me. If Believers did skill the nature, and extent, and virtues of remission by the blood of Christ; if they did know, and were possessed more with this part of Justification, they would strengthen their faith and their comfort more, and their doubtings and fears would sink more. Be of good comfort, thy sins are forgiven thee.  
5. One thing more, which I had almost forgotten, falls in, which is this, That the substantial part of Justification is alike to all Believers. What is that? It is this, God for the blood of Christ doth not only charge the sins of strong believers on Christ, but of weak believers too; and these only are not discharged, but those also. True faith in any degree may take out all the benefits of Justification. For as Justification doth not admit of degrees, no more is it made over to the degrees, but to the truth of faith: So that not only Abraham, the father of the faithful, who was strong in faith, but the father of the child, who cried out with tears, I believe, help mine unbelief, he also hath all the real interests, the very same real interests in the blood of Christ.  
You know the arm hath not an interest in the head and influences thereof, because it is big, or because it is strong, but because it is a member, by reason whereof the least ●inger, and weakest member doth also claim and hath a share. So because every Believer by true faith is made a member of Christ, he hath therefore a concurrent share in the blood of Christ, in the Justification purchased by Christ.  
And therefore it is a weaker argument of weak believers to deny, or doubt their discharge by Christ.  
True, say they, Christ is a Ob. strong Saviour, and hath strong merits, and by him is pardon of sin, and by his Name a person is justified, but this is only for men of stronger faith than mine.  
Do not deceive, nor unnecessarily Sol. afflict thyself, Christ hath done great matters for great sinners, and a weak faith is a joint possessor, though no faith can be a joint purchaser of sins remission.  
And thus have I briefly informed you with some notions about that part of Justification, which respects our sins; there is yet another part, which respects our graces and duties: from the weakness and mixture of which, do arise many doubtings, and such as are not to be disputed down by any thing in ourselves, but only to be answered with the doctrine of Justification.  
O, saith the humbled sinner, Ob. and experienced in himself, what a broken estate is here! what an imperfect draught of holiness! My very light is dim, and in all my duties there is yet undutifulness; my righteousness is defective, in my faith much unbelief, in my prayers much coldness, irreverence, distraction; & when I have sorrowed for my sins, I may even grieve for grieving no more, and may hate myself, that I cannot otherwise hate my sins: How can I stand before God, who is of purer eyes then to behold sin? Will the Lord accept of such a person, of such discharging of duties? etc.  
Let me stop the complaint, Sol. & close up the doubtings with a little more enlargement of the doctrine of Justification: Therefore remember,  
1. Our persons stand not before God in their own righteousness, nor our own services in their own strength. Indeed the Lord requires holiness in our natures, and holy duties from us; we are his children, we are his people, therefore we should be holy as our Father is holy, therefore the people of his pasture should serve him. An unholy Believer were a monster upon earth, and an undutiful son is a plain unbeliever; for though Christ did die for those who were once rebellious, yet he dies for none to make them licentious: So that holiness, inherent grace is absolutely required to salvation.  
To salvation I say,  
But to Justification in no wise. What is that? That is, though a man cannot be saved without inherent holiness, yet is he not justified by it; When he comes to account it with God, he may not say this, Lord, lo, here I am, see if there be any sin in my person, or defect in my holiness; I have not offended thee, I need not any help, any mercy; my heart is totally clean, and my duties performed at all times in every respect for matter and manner to the full as thou requirest: Enter into judgement with me if thou pleafest, I will be tried by my own holiness.  
2. But in the righteousness of Christ, I desire, saith Paul, to be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. Phil. 3. 9 See more in Rom. 5. 19 1 Cor. 1. 30. 2 Cor. 5. 21.  
There is such a thing as the 
* So called, not as if the act of faith were our justifying righteousness, for that act is but 1. An perfect thing. 2. A transient thing. 3. A part of inherent holiness': but because faith only lays hold on, & makes us to fly unto & rely on the righteousness of Jesus Christ.  righteousness of faith; it is none other than the righteousness of Christ: (We think little of it, we make little use of it; there is a kind of Popery in us all; we look downward too much on our righteousness for a Justification) and when we are to be pronounced just and righteous, when either we or our services expect acceptation, it is in and by that righteousness of Jesus Christ.  
Whence two things arise to keep doubtings and fears off, viz.  
1. That though our holiness be weak, yet Christ's is strong; that righteousness which justifies, is full. When 
And so it must be, or else we could not truly be reputed just.  we look upon ourselves, Ah Lord! think we, How shall we appear before God How will he accept of us! Such poor, such weak, such sinful, hollow people! I answer, Christ's righteousness is full, his coat was seamlesse; ours is made up, and strangely cut, but his righteousness is complete, and He is made unto us righteousness, yea, and that of God, 1 Cor. 1. 30. God hath set him out to be our righteousness, and he justifies us by it.  
2. Though our services be weak, yet we are justified by Christ's righteousness: Aaron was to bear the iniquity of the holy offerings, Exo. 28. 38. Their holy offerings had some unholy mixtures; but Aaron was to bear them, (i) he was to take the iniquities away from them, and to make the offerings accepted.  
Christ is this Aaron, who by his righteousness covers all the blemishes, makes up all the weaknesses in holy duties.  
Therefore my brethren, in all our approaches to God, we should not doubt. It is the Apostles own argument, Heb. 10. 21. Having such an Highpriest over the house of God, 22. Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith. And ver. 23. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, etc. It is as if the Apostle had said, If men did know what a Christ they have, what a full righteousness there is in him, what he doth with it, how he justifies their persons, and justifies their services, pleads for them, beautifies them, ingratiates them with the Father, they would not doubt so much as they do, they would be better persuaded of God, when they come and pray unto him.  
I remember the Apostle hath an excellent phrase in Heb. 9 24. that Christ doth appear for us. It is a Metaphor from a Lawyer; If a man hath a case, he goes to his Lawyer, and reports all to him, desires him to undertake the whole business, and upon the committing of the Case to him, he appears for his Plaintiff, opens the Case, pleads for him before the Judge, and the Cause is carried: So is it with Christ, he appears for us, (i) When a poor sinner, a weak believer comes to him, and opens his condition, his wants, his infirmities, Christ undertakes for him, he pleads for him, (he ever lives to make intercession) he moves his Father in his behalf, brings out his righteousness, his blood, and merits, and what he did and suffered for him, etc. And thus doth Christ for every particular service, duty, and prayer for him who believes on him.  
The tenth cause of doubtings, was, disputation against the Promises.  
O, saith the troubled and fearful soul, all these promises which you produce and apply to my condition, they are nothing to me; they belong not to me: There is indeed goodness, and truth, a wonderful worth in them, and they suit with my condition exactly, but I may not lay hold on them; I should but presume to take the bread which belongs to children, but not to dogs, not to such a sinner as I am.  
Good Christian, do but tract thine own spirit, or the spirit of any distressed in conscience, thou shalt find this to be the last hold usually of unbelief, namely, a reasoning against God's Promises; the which reasoning is sometimes through mere tenderness of spirit: as when the soul hath arguments to itself of that force, to represent a present incapacity of any good which God hath promised, and till they be removed, it dares not lay hold on the Promises; but if they could be satisfied, than it is drawn in to believe: But sometimes there is a reasoning against the Promises, through wilfulness of spirit, as when all the arguments of a doubting sinner are so clearly resolved and answered by the express words of God, that the person cannot gainsay it; yet the person rather bends still against the Promises, then labours to honour God in them by believing. This later reasoning is an irrational way, and unworthy of our abetting: I should think such a Christians doubtings to arise rather from a fixed and heavy melancholy, than any other special cause. Nevertheless, somewhat to help the other Christian, who argues & reasoneth against the Promises, merely out of tenderness and fear of his right and title, I would commend a few things to his consideration.  
1. No spiritual good is furthered, nor evil weakened by keeping the soul and Gods Promises asunder. Tell me seriously, Is not all our help for sold and body (in the full and whole latitude of it) couched in God's Promises? Are they not our wells of salvation, and breasts of consolation, our sun and shield? and what vessel hath a poor sinner to draw with out of those wells? what mouth hath he to milk out those breasts but faith? It is faith which knits the Promises and our conditions together; it is faith which makes them to meet each other; And till the Promises meet (in their virtue and influence) with this condition of thy soul, thou shalt never be helped or bettered by them: Till the plaster and the wound do meet, it will never be an helping nor healing plaster. Thou shalt be (utieras) as thou wast, and the Promise shall be (ubi erat) where it was, it shall never do thee good till thou dost apply it.  
2. It is believing which must clear our title. O, saith the Christian, if I knew that the Promises belonged unto me, I would then believe. I answer.  
First, this is a preposterous course, and utterly impossible; as if there could be any well-grounded persuasion of our interest, before we have any such interest. No, but personal persuasion is a consequent work, it cannot be the antecedent or leading work. You must buy the lands, before you can be persuaded that they are yours.  
But secondly, if ever you would clear your title to the Promises, you must then believe; for it is faith which doth entitle you, and gives you interest and propriety. As the Apostle spoke of a great good, After ye believed, ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise, Ephes. 1. 13. that I say in this case; I fever you would be persuaded that God seals his Promises unto you, then do you first put your seal unto the Promises: Believe, and then thou shalt see the good of them to be thy good.  
3. The ground of a Christians believing Gods Promises, must not be in him who is to apply them, but only in him who makes them. O! this is it which gravels, and labyrinths, and still distresseth us, that we set up the grounds of faith in ourselves, and not in God. We are loath to acknowledge that the sole ground of believing is to be found only in that God who promiseth.  
It is said of Abraham, when God promised him a child in his old age, that by faith he gave 
Rom 4. 20  glory to God: But how came he so to do? The Text saith, that He considered not his own body, now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, nor the 
ver. 19  deadness of Sarahs' womb; but he considered him who had promised, and was persuaded that what he had promised, he 
ver. 21.  was able also to perform. Why? This is the right course to elicit or draw out our believing: We must not consider ourselves, but we must consider him who promiseth: Our reasons of believing must be found in him alone on whom we are to believe.  
Therefore I beseech you to remember, that the Promises of God are not only objects of faith, but they are also grounds of believing: They do not only contain excellent good for us, but likewise the motives to believe that good. Besides the goodness in them which respectively answers our conditions, and the presenting of that goodness unto us by way of gift, there is all reason conjoined with these to affect our hearts to lay hold on them, namely,  
1. A graciousness, that the Lord will freely and for his own sake do us all that good.  
2. A fidelity, that the Lord who hath graciously promised, will also faithfully perform.  
And 3. sufficiency of power in God to make good unto us whatsoever word of goodness, is gone out of his lips.  
So that from all these, a Christian against all his doubtings may yet see ground to believe the Promises of God, because,  
1. The Promises are the Declarations of God for good unto us.  
2. They are willing Declarations, arising only from the good will of our God.  
3. He dispenseth the good in them to sinners freely, without any worthiness or desert on their parts.  
4. There is not any good promised, which God is not willing or able to make good.  
Lastly, let any person believe on them, and he shall confess that faithful is that God who promised, and that that God who hath promised cannot lie.  
But now on the contrary, If you look for grounds of believing in and from yourselves, it cannot be that ever your hearts should be free from doubtings; If either you make your own worthiness the cause of believing, you shall never come to believe: This were not to receive good from God, but to buy and purchase it; and is absolutely against the nature of free promises, as also against the disposition of true faith, which empties us of ourselves, and seethe the cause of all our good to be only in him who is All-goodnesse.  
Or if you think that you must first find the good in yourselves which ye are to fetch from the Promises, you cannot then believe, you must unavoidably doubt still: because it is impossible for a sinner or a needy Christian ever to draw his helps out of himself, or to prevent the promises of God. As he cannot deserve any good from God promising, so he cannot bring any good to God's promises. Ho, 
Esa. 55. 1.  every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, saith the Prophet, and he that hath no money: Come ye, buy and eat. yea come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. If thou be a thirsty person, here is all provision freely for thee.  
4. Another thing which I would commend also to doubting Christians in this case, shall be this: Take some solid pains to clear your entrance into Covenant with God: thereby you shall clear your interest in all particular promises upon your occasions.  
There is a gracious Covenant 
Jer. 31. 33 32. 38 Eze. 36. 28 Hos. 2. 23. Heb. 8. 10.  (spoken of in the Scripture) twixt God and his people: He makes us to be his people, and we take him to be our God. And when that Covenant is passed twixt God and a person, that there is a mutual acceptation; then the Lord estates this person into all the particular promises: As when the woman and man enter into the covenant of marriage, now all is settled on her, and she hath title sufficient.  
So when the Lord God and a sinner are married to each other, when they are entered into a Covenant, Thou art my God, and none else, my heart is thine, my life shall be thine, etc. The Lord saith unto such a one, And I am thine, & all my mercy is thine, my Christ is thine, my Promises thine: If thou needest any good for soul or body, all good is thine.  
I assure thee, O Christian, if 
If this door were unlocked, all the rooms would easily be seen.  this were once out of doubt, that thou and God were entered into Covenant, thou wouldst not so much doubt thy title, or question thy right to apply any particular promise to any condition of exigence wherein thou liest. All are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is Gods. 1 Cor. 3. 22, 23.  
5. Lastly, consider well, whether there be nothing in a Christ which may not be able to over-argue thy disputes against thy applying of the Promises I remember that Luther in his Commentary on Genesis prescribes unto tempted persons one very compendious way to withstand all temptations whatsoever: Let Satan 
Luther's speech.  come any way, or the world any way, or sin move any way, do thou answer all with this only, Christianus sum, I am a Christian; I may not yield to any sin, for I am a Christian. And surely me thinks this also might be a compendious way to resolve the doubtings of a Christian, Christum habeo I have a Christ. O Christian, if thou didst look more on thy Christ, thou mightst look more on the Promises: When wilt thou remember, 
No looking on the Promises without a Christ.  that as there is no comfortable looking on God without a Christ, so there will be no confident looking on the Promises of God without a Christ?  
Christ Jesus is thy jacob's ladder, thy prayers get up by him, and Gods Promises come down by him: All the promises of God are Yea and Amen in him, 2 Cor. 〈◊〉. 20.  
There was a Book in the Revelation which none of the Elders and Worthies could open, but yet the Lamb could open it: The Promises are a precious Book, every leaf drops myrrh and mercy, yet the weak Christian cannot open it, nay he is afraid to open it, and to read his portion there: Nevertheless thy Christ can open the Promises for thee, and by thy Christ as thou mayst find a way for heaven hereafter, so mayst thou espy a way for thy comfort now.  
And why, may Christ reply to the doubting Christian, art thou afraid to believe? to believe my Father's word, and thy Father's word? Did he ever fail any who trusted on him? Is he not willing to give, who was willing to promise? Should he lose of his glory, if thou receivedst of his grace? Or shouldst thou lose of thy comfort, if thou shouldst believe in his promise? Dost thou not care for his good? Why then art thou troubled? Or in good earnest, Wouldst thou enjoy that good? Why then dost thou not believe? Thou seest the worth of the commodity, but stickest at the price. Did my Father ever sell grace or mercy to any upon the price of their own worthiness? How canst thou imagine him to answer thee in justice, who yet deals with thee upon promises? And if worthiness must be found, tell me, Who am I? Is a Christ of no worthiness to thee? or of no worth with his Father and thine? I have died for thy soul, I have reconciled thy person, I have made God himself to be thine, and therefore his Promises to be thine.  
If thou thinkest that God will start from his word, O thou errest: His Promise is made with Goodness, is sealed with Truth, and is ratified with my blood.  
If thou thinkest it is an inexorable and deaf ear to thy prayers, yet consider, it is always an open and pliable ear to my merits. Come, then, I once gave myself for thee, and since that I have given myself to thee, Be not afraid, O thou of little faith: Look on me, and through me unto a God, so shalt thou see him fully gracious and merciful, and holding forth the golden Sceptre to thee. Look on me and through me unto the Promises, then shalt thou see them to be my purchase, and thy portion. Lay hold on them by faith, and enrich thyself with them, in so doing thou shalt please my Father, pleasure thyself, and honour thy Saviour.  
11. The eleventh spring of doubtings, was, the suspension of divine favour. Thou didst hid thy face, and I was troubled, said David. O, the hiding of God's favour is more than the hiding of the Sun, or then the withdrawments of David from Absolom: It is even the time of our fainting, the sequestration of our souls and life. Thy favour is life, saith David again.  
Here now consider,  
1. In these times of sequestration, a man hath just cause of trouble; he should be moved at it, that he cannot behold his God in that graciousness as before, in that lovingness, in that light of his countenance. And verily there is not a Christian really sensible of the divine favour, who should not be as much perplexed in the clouding of it, as he was affected and gladded in the rising and discovering of it.  
Beloved, it is ill with that man who can equally bear up in the absence, as in the conceived presence of God's favour; who is of that hard and unperceiving temper, as not to solace his soul in finding God to be gracious; and not to be abundantly disturbed in not apprehending the wont manifestations of his loving favour. How excessively distressed is the Church in the Canticles, that her Beloved had withdrawn himself! And David doth in the violence of his distemper and jealousy, (whether culpably, I know not yet) strongly charge God (sure with much heaviness of heart) that he had forgotten to be gracious.  
2. Nevertheless in the times of such suspension, it is an error, and a dangerous error, a fruitless error, absolutely to conclude against our God, or against ourselves, of any present or hopeful interest in his blessed favour: Therefore remember these particulars.  
1. Observe the ways and times of the interception of divine favour. This is certain, that God hath ever some special end in the holding up of his countenance; and we may and do many times give him just cause and reason. In Scripture we may observe on our part ordinarily two occasions:  
1. Some gross sins, which indeed are as a thick cloud to hold up the blessed light of God's countenance, for he is of purer eyes then to behold sin. These are the wall of separation, these shut the door, and draw the curtains, and do like some closing rheum fall upon the eye, and indispose it to the comfortable enjoyment of the light: As we may see in David's two great sins of Adultery and Murder, they did suspend the presence, (i) the comfortable presence of God, and held up the joy of his salvation, which he did so earnestly desire to be restored, Psal. 51. 11, 12.  
2. Remissness and carelessness in our esteems and affections towards him in his Ordinances. When Christians come to a moderation, to a cooling of their spiritual fervour, to a more negligent acquaintance with God, and a more in different performance of holy services and duties; then the Lord holds back, and calls in the sensible light of his countenance: As a father doth alter the set of his looks towards his child, who is wanton upon his love, and let's down the diligence of his just observance and duty.  
See this in Cant. 5. 2. Open to me (saith Christ) my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled. Here was a gracious entreaty, and full of wooing compellations: What doth the Church now? Surely she stirs, she riseth, she runneth, she easily embraceth these calls of Christ; No, ver. 3. I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them? What is this? She was careless, negligent, full of excuses, so those phrases import, of putting off the coat: For as the keeping on of  was a sign of care and watchfulness, [Nehem. 4. 23.] so the putting them off was a sign of drowsiness, of a disposition prepared for sleep or rest: Nay (she had washed her feet) which was another sign of her sleepy and negligent disposition; It being the manner in those hot countries (where ordinarily they went ) to wash their feet after their travel, & so prepare themselvesto rest. The meaning of all which, is this: She made many pretences and delays; all which did spring from an acquired sluggishness and remissness of spirit.  
Now mark the issue, Though the Church did not rise to open, yet Christ, ver. 4. puts in his hand at the hole of the door: (i) Though she had neglected him in his Ministry, yet he sent into her heart a notable item of it by his Spirit, and then her bowels were moved for him. Why? What is the matter? Now she risen, ver. 5. and opened the door, ver. 6. but my Beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone; I sought him, but could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.  
Here you see, that carelessness of duty causeth absence of favour: And when men are negligent in the entertainments of the means of grace, God doth in a just wisdom go off with the sensible presence of his gracious favour.  
2. Observe the ways of regaining Gods favour suspended from us: What are those? will you say.  
I answer,  
1. Be affected for the loss: every absence of God's countenance should trouble us, but the loss of his favour, that should grieve us. So was it with the Church there, Cant. 5. 4. My bowels were troubled for him, Or, My bowels sounded, rumbled, made a troublous noise. What do these words intimate but an eminent disquietness, an hearty sorrow for so great a loss, springing from so great a remissness? I say an eminent disquietness; For where bowels are mentioned, there an eminent degree is suggested, either of commiseration, as in that of God to Ephraim, Jer. 31. 20. or of singular love and affection, as of the mother to the child, or of most sorrowful affliction, as here.  
Nay, so great was this sorrow and bewaylment, that ver. 6. her sold failed when he spoke: My soul failed (i.) my soul went forth, it was gone, it departed, because of the departure of Christ's loving favour: For as the heart is said to go forth when men are astonished with fear, so the soul is said to go away, when men are surcharged with grief and sorrow. Whence it is evident, that the Church was almost dead for her folly and negligence, whereby she had caused her Christ to withdraw himself.  
And surely if negligent and regardless entertainments of God, or Christ, or his Word, (which cause the cessation of favour) are thus abundantly bewailed with bowels and faintings, how much more should the bowels be doubled, and the measures of grief and repentance be swelled, when the suspension of God's love and favour is caused by our injurious handling of his blessed Spirit, by fight against his motions, and presuming against the directing and convincing light, to dishonour and grieve him with the most foul iniquities.  
Yet if we can humbly and throughly bemoan our loss, and repent of our sins, we shall behold the Lord in mercy and love again. David could not but yield out the countenance of his favour to Absolom, though an untoward son: If the clouds did break, the sun would shine again; for God will not only give, but restore comforts to his mourners.  
2. Revive thy uprightness, and then God will renew his favour. A good man (saith Solomon, Prov. 12. 2.) obtaineth favour of the Lord: (i) An upright man, a man whose heart is single, (for he is opposed to the man of many devices) whose heart is single and plain with God in his walkings, such a man shall obtain favour from the Lord.  
David assures us of it, Ps. 5. 12 Thou Lord wilt bless the righteous, and with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield. It was a good speech of david's, Psal. 36. 9 With thee is the fountain of life, and in thy light shall we see light. q. d. Lord, thou hast comfort and favour enough, thy favour indeed is life, the very fountain of it, and in the light of thy paths shall the sons of men see the light of thy favour.  
For, brethren, we cannot see light by darkness, light must be seen by light; and whatsoever 
Psal. 17. 15 I will behold thy face in uprightness.  is contrary to light, is an impediment of seeing. God's favour cannot be seen by any thing which is contrary to God's nature. Crooked 
Note.  hearts and crooked ways, an heart and an heart, a tongue and a tongue, a life and a lise, (i) a doubling heart, and a doubling tongue, and a doubled conversation, which hath a vein of sinfulness and approbation, this the Lord hates and abhors; for God is ever single in all his deal with men: They shall have mercy, or they shall not have it: and so he exceedingly delights in the simplicity of Christians: Let them deal ingenuously with him, give him all the might they have, and him only, though they have not a present sight, yet they have a sure promise of his favour.  
The Lord will meet them, Esa. 64. 5. Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways. Walk thou towards God in uprightness, and God will walk towards thee in comfortableness. Be thou a son, and he will be a Father. Give him thy heart, and he will show to thee his face.  
Therefore let us cast about not only for our general, but also for the services of our particular callings and relations, in which if the Lord sees us upright in walking, we shall assuredly find him to be gracious in distributing the beams of his favour unto our souls.  
3. Earnestly seek God's favour.  
1. Seek it by inquiries in the ordinances of his favour. Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? said the Church in her loss, Cant. 3. 3. unto the watchmen. And as Mary, Joh. 20. 13. weeping, They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him: And ver. 15. Sir, if thou hast borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. What came of this? See ver. 16. Jesus saith unto her, Marry; It was one only word, but enough to make her turn herself, and say, Rabboni. So may it, and so doth it oft times fall out with us in our seekings of God's favour, The Lord doth meet us & show himself with his loving countenance, in his Ordinances: For these Ordinances of God, they are the Exchange, the heavenly Exchange twixt God and his people, wherein they present unto him their duty, and he confers on them his grace and favour; So that they who have come hither with sighs. O that God would be my God have returned with Psalms of joy, The Lord is my God and my Father, I will praise thee, O Lord my God.  
2. Seek it by prayers. How abundant is David in this kind? Psal. 106. 4. Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people, O visit me with thy salvation, 5. That I may see the good of thy chosen. So Psal. 31. 16. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant. So Psal. 4. 6. Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us: For God hath promised his favour, and therefore his people may seek his favour. Nay he hath commanded his people to seek his favour, and therefore they should seek it. See Psal. 27. 8. Thou saidst, Seek ye my face, My heart said unto me, Thy face (Lord) will I seek. It is an unadvised folly in the suspension of God's favour, to unsonne ourselves, and unpeople ourselves, (i) to deny that grace and spiritual relation twixt us and God. This is not the way to gain favour; for when we have undone our relations of children, we exclude ourselves from the expectations of favour; No, the wisest and surest way is to seek the renewing of God's loving countenance, and say as David, Lord, thou hast hid thy face, and I am troubled, yet thou biddest me to seek thy face, and Thy face (Lord) will I seek: Nay I do seek it, for Thy favour is life, nay, Thy favour is better than life, so I esteem it, so I acknowledge it, and as my life, as that which is a life unto my life do I earnestly desire it: Therefore, Lord, Make thy face to shine, and behold me again, as thou beholdest thy people with thy ancient favour: O visit me with thy salvation, and let me see the good of thy countenance.  
Now here take in two helpful advices more: viz.  
1. When you seek the light 
Two things to be remembered in our seeking of God's favour.  of God's countenance, do not blind your eyes: Remember still, that a man who will shut his eye, shall hardly find: Now nothing can see God's favour but the eye of faith, for in Christ Jesus only we see and discern him our gracious God and Father; Therefore keep open that eye. The direct workings of faith can always see God, and the reflexive will at length see God to be my God. When thou comest unto him thus, Lord, I do need, I do prize, I do desire thy favour and countenance, and thou hast promised it, but thou wilt not keep thy promise, thou wilt never show the light of thy countenance to my soul more; now though we seek much, no marvel we find not the heavens to open; You must 
Simile.  use the key, as well as the hands, if you will come in and see the rooms: Our hands of Prayer must use the key of Faith, if we would open the countenance of God towards us; for faith is that which gives us our sights of God and Christ.  
2. Judge not of the issue by what thou feelest, but by what God promiseth: And in case therefore that God doth not show thee his ancient love presently or easily, yet knock again, and provoke thy heart to out-beleeve all reasonings offeare and corruption.  
As David, Psal 42. 11. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, who is the help of my countenance, and my God.  
O my God, saith he in ver. 6. of that Psalm, my soul is cast down within me, (no question but for the absence of God's favour, ver. 7. My rock, Why hast thou forgotten me●●) therefore (saith he) will I remember thee. Remember him, O David? What encouragements so to do? Thy Rock seemeth to forget thee, and all his waves and billows are gone over thee, thou art in a tossed, and forgotten condition, and yet thou sayest, I will remember thee. Now see ver. 8. Yet the Lord will command his loving kindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.  
q. d. It is true, these afflictions and sorrows are upon me and God seems to forget me for present, yet I will remember him, I know he thinks on me, he hath loving kindness, and he will command it, he can show it when he pleaseth, I shall assuredly have it, perhaps in the day time, perhaps in the night time, and therefore day and night will I seek him for his loving kindness, I will remember him.  
But how may one support Ob. himself in the interims of this suspension of divine favour? 
How to support ourselves in the interim.  Can one be good, who is thus? Or will God do good or doth he think any good of such a one?  
I answer, you may support Sol. yourselves thus:  
1. By remembering the days of old. Psa. 77. 7. Will the Lord cast off for ever, and will he be favourable no more? 9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious? This is mine infirmity. q. d. For me thus to conclnde that God will not be favourable and gracious unto me, because I feel him not so, this is my weakness, and sinful error: But how then will you support yourself? See ver. 10. I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High, 11. I will 
I had his favour once, and am in it still, and shall have it again.  remember thy wonders of old. And assuredly the remembrance of what God hath done, is able to support us with a confident expectation of what God will yet do for us.  
If we remember the days of old, the method of God's former proceed and behaviours towards us, we shall acknowledge, and so comfort ourselves, that when he withdrew, it was an withdrawment either of necessity, or expediency, and his loving countenance hath risen again without a cloud, after a night of sorrow, after a day of seeking.  
For the suspensions of his favour are temporary, though his truths be eternal. I will come again, saith Christ: And, It was but a little (said the Church, Cant. 3. 4.) that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth.  
2. Thou art in favour, though thou feelest none; And though thy comfort be in the feeling of it, yet thy happiness is in the being of it: Thou art saved because God loves, not because thou perceivest that love.  
2 Tim. 2. 19 The foundation of God standeth sure, the Lord knoweth who are his. He knoweth them in respect of the freeness of his election, and in respect of the immobility of his affection; He knows them still, but they know not him still. Is Ephraim my dear son? Jer. 31. 20. q. d. He is so, but he thinks I think not so.  
Sometimes the walking child holds the parent, and sometimes the parent holds the child; there is safety in both respects; for whiles either I hold, or am held, I am safe: So is it with us and God, sometimes we lay hold on him by faith, sometimes (nay all times) he lays hold on us by his love; our salvation is in this, that we are Gods, and God is ours; that he hath our hearts, and we his love, though always we see it not.  
3. Thou shalt have favour, though now it be drawn up: He will behold thy upright heart, and thou shalt see his face with joy. Esay 54. 8. In a little wrath I hide my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.  
Therefore the Church elegantly, Micah 7. 8. Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy; when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. 9 He will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness. Remember this one thing, Upright and believing persons have always a favourable God, though they have not always the sense of God's favour: yea though Satan do testify the contrary, which is the next spring of doubtings, and comes in now fitly to be handled.  
12. A twelfth spring of doubtings, was, the crediting of Satan's testimony about our spiritual condition, and interests in God and Christ; to which if any distressed Christian doth hearken and attend, he shall never be freed from inquietations and rollings of mind, because Satan's testimony is ever directly or obliquely against the truth and comfort of our spiritual estate.  
For the remedy and cure of which spring, be pleased seriously to consider of these subsequent conclusions.  
1. The final trial of our eternal estate doth immediately and solely appertain to the Court of heaven. Indeed the disquisitive part belongs to 
A twofold trial of a man's estate.  us, but the decisive part belongs to God: We ought to search and prove ourselves, but no man hath immediate power to decide his estate, by acquitting or condemning himself. This must be done by the voice of God in his revealed Word, which commands and forbids, and therefore absolves or binds.  
No subject you know hath this power, to release or bind of himself, but that is the royal prerogative of the King. It is true, if the Word condemns us, than our consciences may do so too; and if the Word absolves us, so may our consciences too: But this is virtute prima, not virtute propria; It is because the Word doth it, not because Conscience of itself without the Word can do either rightly.  
Whence two things arise to inform and direct us: viz.  
1. Satan's judgement of our 
Satan's judging is but usurped.  estate is but usurped: It doth not belong to him to sit upon our souls: It is against the Law of Nations, that the same party should be witness and Judge: And we may say to him truly, what the Pharisees proudly objected to Christ, By what authority doth he these things? Or as they to Moses, who made thee a Judge over us? Assuredly the enemy of our salvation is not to be the Judge of it, he being so maliciously vowed against our happiness, it is most unfit for him to decide it: and therefore though he usurps a judgement upon Christians, yet as David spoke in another case, Thou Lord wilt not leave the righteous when he is judged; No assuredly, Satan shall one day be judged for taking upon him the judging of God's people: And do you think that Satan will give a true judgement unto us of our spiritual condition, who dares give in false evidence before God himself of Job, and who is said to accuse the brethren before God day and night?  
2. No testimony is to be admitted, which is contrary to the judgement of the Word: Believe not every spirit, 1 Joh. 4. 
All judgement of our estates, being contrary to the Word, is false.  1. but try the spirits, whether they are of God. The Word must judge us another day, & therefore it is to judge of us now.  
Satan's judgement is usurped, and our own is oft times erroneous, as in wicked and presumptuous sinners, who sentence well for their safety, although God doth proclaim and pronounce bitter woes unto them.  
And as our judgements are oft times erroneous, so are they in the times of distress, suspicious and hasty: We do not testify of ourselves with judgements cleared, and totally informed by the Word, of all our estate, but with judgements affected and distempered; as David in his fit, I am cast out of thy presence; God did not cast him off, but his distempered judgement did cast him out.  
2. Maintain the judgement of the Word, against all judgement: When a man hath throughly viewed and pierced into the secrets of his heart and ways by the informing light of God's blessed Spirit, and takes his flesh and spirit asunder, I mean his sins, weaknesses, graces and dispositions, and lays these, with all he knows of himself, before the Lord in a most sincere ingenuity, so that if he were now to die, he durst venture the eternal salvation of his soul, with his God, that he keeps nothing back, either of what is his own by nature, or of what is Gods by grace: If now the Word decides for him, that his condition is heavenly, his heart is upright, he is indeed one who is truly interessed in Christ; this man or woman should now uphold this decisive testimony of the Word, lay it up as the great copy of his eternal salvation; and in case of opposite verdict and testimony, not to molest himself with reasoning and doubting, but to preserve the authority of God's testimony, by believing, and most upright walking with God in all the powers of duty.  
There yet remain two springs of doubtings to be cured, and then I have done with that subject.  
13. The thirteenth spring of doubtings, was, the new rising of old sins: This I told you could not but amaze the soul, to see the dead rise out of the grave again, and to read the debt as if it were not yet crossed: It doth exceedingly disquiet us about our spiritual condition. Now consider,  
1. There are five times 
Five times in which former sins may revive  when we and our sins do meet.  
1. One is the day of our legal humiliation, when the Law, like searching physic, enters deep, stirs up the evil humour, casts our sins into our very faces, and sets them in order before us, and reproves us for them with undeniable conviction and horror.  
2. Another is, the day of our piercing afflictions, when the Lord doth send his messengers unto us of wrath, cuts off from us our delights, tears away our joys, crosseth us in our aims, and we see God hewing our friends from us, our children from us, our earthly delights and contents: for miserable evils are oft times a cause to make us see our sinful evils: We do many times come to perceive our faults, by our punishments: As Pharaoh did, when the plagues were on him, I have done evil in not letting the people go: And Balaam, when he saw the Angel, and heard him threatening, I will now return: And so the children of Israel, then saw, and confessed their murmuring and stubbornness, when God sent evil Angels amongst them, (i) some messengers of his wrath and displeasure.  
3. A third is, the time of some horrible and common judgement, whether it be upon particular persons, or a Nation, interessed in the same guilt of sin with ourselves; For this is a time of common fire, which raging and flying up and down, makes men run into their closerts, and bring out their concealed jewels; so do common and extraordinary judgements return us into ourselves, and gives up unto us those our hidden sins which we fear will draw the same fire of judicial wrath upon our own persons. I do not doubt but at the last great Plague, many of the sinful botches broke out, upon a fear lest that judicial botch should have broken in upon your bodies and houses.  
4. A fourth time is, the time of death: For though sin and a sinner really meet in all their course of life, yet sense of sin and a sinner do not always meet until the day of death; for death is a strict and unavoidable summons to give up our accounts, and then the unjust steward must look about him, how he shall answer his most just Lord and Master.  
This time of meeting, evidently manifests itself to our own experience; who though we have kindled our sins in the time of our health and strength, yet have we not met with the flashes of them but in the times of sickness and weakness.  
5. A last time of meeting is, the day of Judgement; and this is a most certain and infallible time; It is possible for a man to escape the legal meeting, by conviction; and the miserable meeting, by afflictions, judgements, and death itself; (for some die like Nabal, they live wretchedly, and die senslesly) but at the day of Judgement, they and their sins must meet, and shall; because then the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, and Gods righteous judgement shall be evident to the hearts of all the world. Whence it is, that in this day of meeting, they shall cry unto the mountains to fall on them, and the rocks to hid them (but in vain) from the wrath of him who sits upon the throne.  
2. There are several causes of the rising of sin: Some are 
Divers causes of sins rising afresh.  on God's part, some on our part, some on Satan's.  
1. For God's part: God doth many times cause our former sins to rise, by the power of his mighty spirit in the ministry of his Word: For whereas the sinner would hush his fears, and griefs, and conscience asleep, yet the Lord will not have it so: He doth rub the sore, and gall the conscience, makes it sensible of the guilt and wounds; He doth pierce by the two-edged sword of his Word, even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and discerns the very thoughts and intents of the heart. He meets the person oft times many years after the commission of the sins, and most expressly revives and remembers them in all the acting circumstances, which the sinning person either had, or would have buried in silence and forgetfulness.  
2. For our part: Thus there is double cause of new rising of old sins: One whereof is good, and the other is bad.  
1. A new commission of the old sins, which brings back upon us the sting of the old guilt; for relapses into the disease, occasion a relapse of the burden and ache: Cut thy finger again, and it will smart again; fall into thy ague again, it will make thee shake again: Relapses have ever this judgement with them, that they make a fresh wound, and the old also to bleed again. You know in some Wells, there are two buckets, put down the one, and you bring up the other; so the falling into the same sin again, brings up the old burden again. 
Though we may not revive sin to practise it, yet we may to mourn for it.   
2. Renewed humiliations; for than we do voluntarily look back upon our former accounts, that thereby we may more humbly sue out a total discharge. Though we may sin the sin over no more, yet we may weep it over and over; and though the acting of it may be no more, yet the bewailing of it should last us ever.  
3. On Satan's part, who like an envious and malicious wretch never gives over to throw unto us our errors and failings, though corrected with truest reformation. So Satan, who is the great cause and incentive to sin, will not cease after our truest repentance, to vex, and sad, and (if he could, too) despair our hearts with the fresh memory of former and forsaken sins; so that we seldom or never lay hand on a blessed promise, or gain ourselves into the comfortable favour of God, or delight ourselves in the sweet peace of conscience, but he falls in, and checks, and troubles us with the representations of former sins, and perchance makes us let go our gracious hold, with the fears, and suspicions, and chargements of former guilts.  
3. Now according to the variety of the causes, fetching up upon us our former guilts, must we deliver unto you several helps and remedies.  
Consider therefore, on God's 
The ends of reviving of sin.  part, there are several ends in respect of several persons, why he brings on the sins again.  
1. To make the groundwork more deep and sure: We make our tents too short for our wounds; We sinne much, and defile ourselves much, and we think that a little washing will serve the turn. O! this business of self-tryall, of laying the axe to the root of the tree, of diving into the secrets of sin, of applying the corrasives unto the core & heart of our natures, this goes against us, we are quickly weary of it.  
Indeed, some trouble, and some bitterness we grant to be convenient; but to be still accusing ourselves before God, still to be lashing and wounding our hearts for wounding of God, Ah, this, this goes against us.  
You shall see people sometimes very sensible of their diseased bodies: O now some physic were good, they find such aches, such distempers, surely some physic were good; and some they take, which makes them excessively sick; but then away with it, no more physic: yet at length the disease comes upon them again, and the Physician prescribes more physic, even that which must go to the root of the disease, which though it makes them more sick, yet it procures their safety, and better health.  
Beloved, God would have men (perhaps) a longer space to sit upon their sins; they stint themselves after great sins, and make themselves friends with God prefently. Now the Lord knows that this skinning of the sore will spoil all, and therefore after a short time he returns them their sins again, makes Conscience to startle at the guilt again, and deals with us as the skilful Chirurgeon with a man whose leg is broken, and ill set, he breaks it again, that it may be well set.  
So doth the Lord, he breaks our souls again with the guilt of sins; He will make us know, that we must bring him more broken hearts; we shall know what it is to sin against him, and shall not make a real and lasting peace without a sound and solid humiliation.  
And truly this is the great mercy of his wisdom to work thus; for hereby he makes our foundation low, and sure, and hereby he prevents subsequent stirs, and makes way for our surer and more comfortable apprehensions and applications of his love in Christ. You know that a wise Schoolmaster, when a boy skips from a hard lesson to that which is more easy, he puts him back again, and makes him say it over and over, ere he takes it forth. Men think to be catching at Christ, however they love to lay load on him, and throw their vile burdens upon him, though perhaps they never yet weighed their vile sinings and dishonouring of God: But the Lord will turn them back again, he will take off these pragmatical presumers, and set them to learn their first lesson better: He will make them more sensible of their vile hearts, and ways, and actions; they shall not so easily come off from their accursed transgressions; the Lord will hold up the comfortable answers of his favours, and the sweet tastes of the Lord Jesus Christ, and make them again to sit down in bitter sorrow for piercing the Lord Christ, and shedding his blood, and grieving of his Spirit, and all that men might be more humbled, and more really fitted for Christ.  
2. To make us more humble. I assure you oft times our very victories make us proud, and that very grace which should be a cause to abase us, occasionally and accidentally is a means to puff us: we rise too often above our selves, beyond measure: And therefore as to Paul there was given a sting to abase him, lest 
And that we might bestow our tears & not our tongues on others sinning.  he should be over-exalted; so to many Christians the Lord doth return unto them the sensible sting of some notable guilt, to abase their hearts, to put them in mind of themselves.  
For this reduction of former gilt, it gives up unto us our base and treacherous natures, and the births of our own hearts: Ah! faith such a person, this heart, this nature of mine, what was it? what is it, if the Lord leaves it? See here the grapes, the sour grapes of this wild-vine, little reason have I to be so highly conceited of myself, as long as I perceive such loath some accounts and issues from myself.  
And veri●y, it makes us ofttimes to despise ourselves, to abhor ourselves in dust and ashes: And this is one great 
Our present graces make us good, and the sense of former sins keeps us humble  end and use which the Lord makes of former sins, To keep the heart in a very humble frame: We must have something or other still put unto us of our own, which will let us see how foolish we are by nature, that is David's phrase, and how brutish we were, that is Solomon's phrase.  
3. To make us more careful: For the sharp remembrance of sin doth in a godly heart work stronger detestation, and stronger watchfulness: God doth make their 
Remembering the gall & the wormwood, Lam. 3.  new considerations to be our present preventions: Future commissions of sin●●e are many times prevented by new impressions of former sins.  
What? should I sinne thus again? saith the humble heart: have I not reason to crush these births? to crucify that bitter root, to pray against it, to watch against it, to resist it, to deny it, which hath been and is now a sword in my conscience?  
But now consider that there is a double carefulness wrought by the new rising of sin.  
1. One respects the guilt of it; and here our care is to get our acquittance renewed and enlarged. O how doth the Lord by these rise of sin, soon cause the soul to rise up in suing out his grace and favour▪ It causeth many a tear, many a prayer, many a wrestling with God, many press upon the promises, many an earnest beseeching to have our pardon and discharge more fully sealed unto our consciences, by the blood of Jesus Christ, and testimony of the Spirit.  
2. Another respects the sins themselves, in their corrupt qualities, and inclinations, and motions; and this is a greater study against them: firmer resolutions, strengthening of covenants, confirmations of grace, of circumspection, of detestation, of resistance, of any thing or way by which the powers of sin may be more subdued and cast down.  
4. To make us more thankful: Perhaps the Lord hath pardoned those sins which rise anew in thy heart; they do not always rise, because God hath not discharged their guilt, but because thou hast not discharged thy new debt; they arise as a debt, for the discharge of a debt: as we use to put men in mind of their former miseries, not that thereby they are made miserable, but because thereby they should be made thankful. Beloved, to have former sins discharged, it is mercy, I say mercy, yea and a rich mercy, greater than to give a condemned person life, or to give an imprisoned person liberty, far greater: No such mercy as that which blots out our sins, which saves a soul from hell, and gives it pardon and life. Now great mercies should be answered with great thankfulness: Thou didst, in the sense and sting of thy guilt, go with an heavy heart, with bitter sighs, with deep oppressions, O that I had mercy! O this burden! O this wound! O this sin! Yea and with deep protestations, If the Lord will but pardon it, If he will show me mercy, If he would receive me graciously, he should have the calves of my lips, I would love him indeed, I would serve him, I would praise and thank him, I would speak good of his name, I would say, Who is a God like him, that forgiveth iniquities, transgressions and sins, and passeth by the sins of his people?  
Well, the Lord hath showed himself like himself, a God very gracious and merciful; but we perhaps have showed ourselves like ourselves, in distresses, earnest, and full of promises; but in our exemptions, flat, and full of forgetfulness. Now the Lord doth exceedingly dislike this vanity and doubting of heart; he loves that mercy should be still acknowledged to be mercy? he would have us to look back, as well as to look up; and to give him thanks for that mercy, for which not long since we would have given all the world and our souls too: And therefore doth he cast unto us our accounts, he lets us thereby see what they were, and what he hath done, that we may confess our error for not answering great mercy with great thankfulness.  
But perhaps you will inquire, Ob. What if we ourselves for our part be the cause of reviving of former guilt and sting of former sins?  
I answer, If it be by way of Sol. humiliation, to seek the pardon, and to make confession to the God of mercy, and to get victory over them, this should not way discourage us; for this is no more hurt or prejudice to the soul, than the after laying open of the wound to the Chirurgeon to dress and cure it, is prejudicial to the safety and welfare of the body.  
But if it be by way of commission, either by relapsing into the same sins, or multiplying of sin in another kind, (both which will dig up again our buried and forepast guilts) than I know no way of peace and safety, no way to allay these renewed accusations and stings, but by renewed sorrow and repentance. And verily what I delivered unto you heretofore about recovery from relapsing, that is the course presently to be taken here: O let us haste in before the Lord with hearts trickling down with tears of blood, for old and present wounds: the very abundance of sorrow, the bitterness of grief, the art of self-affliction, I cannot say that sorrow of sorrow, that hatred of hatred, that indignation of indignation, that revenge of revenge, that repentance of repentance, which are here necessarily required, and that too with longest continuance. Do what thou wilt, shuffle off, cut to thyself a peace, thou shalt never have it, thy sins shall ever and anon gall, and vex, and wound thee, until thou hast renewed thy bitterness of most humbled sorrow for renewing thy filthiness and baseness of thy audacious sinning.  
But then suppose, that Satan Ob. through his malicious art doth revive our former guilt by his accusations, for our greater interruption and disquietment; what is now to be done?  
I will show you here briefly Sol. two things:  
1. One is, how you may know that the reviving of former guilt be from Satan or no.  
2. Another is, what is then to be done by us.  
1. You may know that 
How to know whether Satan revives former sins.  your sins are revived by Satan, from two effects.  
1. One is from the desperate issues of their reviving: you may know whether a man be a friend, or a malicious enemy, who doth revive the errors and failings amongst men; a friend, he revives them that you may be bettered either to reform, if the thing be evil, or to be circumspect whether the thing be true or false; but the malicious enemy he revives them, only to make you odious and loathsome. Now Satan's reviving of former sins is ever odious, it is of evil, for evil, his end is desperate: What is that? That is, that we might give up all possible interests in mercy, all hope of pardon and acceptance. Whence it is, where he revives sins, former sins, he bends the heart to some present mischief, to renounce all hope of mercy, and to selfe-murder, and such desperate issues; both which are against the ends of God, and the desires of an holy heart; which upon their reviving of sin, do ever propose mercy and betterment unto the soul.  
2. Another is from the filthy issues, which is this: He revives the sting of sin, that he may make us more bold and mad in sinning: He revives sin unto sin, there is no hope of mercy, of recovery, therefore as good to go on as not: Whence he inclines the heart to a leaping into the water, to a wallowing in the mire, to a greediness in the course of sinning; which he doth the more easily win from the evil hearts of evil men, by those temporary allayments and cessations of stinging guilt, which they observe in themselves, by their furiousness, constant, and hardening revolutions or exercise of the same sins.  
So that, if you whose hearts are tender, have been humbled for former sins, and are so upright as still to hate them, if former g●●ilts be revived with an inclination either to give up all mercy, or to give over yourselves now with licentiousness to the same or other sins; here is Satan in this, Satan now revives thy guilt, and now another course is to be taken.  
2. The course than is this, and I beseech you mark it;  
1. Strengthen thy heart with more detestations of the sins: The more he revives the guilty accusation, the more do thou revive thy upright detestations: And as he pours out malice to disturb thy conscience, so do thou pour out revenge to sub due the grounds of it: And if he vexeth thee, do thou go and vex thy sins.  
2. Believe not a malicious 
Thy case is not wicked, because a wicked devil saith so.  accuser: Satan doth oft times serve a Writ in the King's name, without the King's seal; he forgives where God doth not, and he binds where God hath released: And this know, It is God that justifieth, who then shall condemn? If the King himself hath pardoned thee, how unjust is it for the under-officer to arrest and challenge?  
3. But in case of frequent inquietations, when Satan will not be answered, but still chargeth, now make thine appeal 
The Christian must appeal.  from him to God; and if he charge thee in the Court of Conscience, remove it wisely to the higher court of heaven; let God once more have the hearing, and the deciding. And now Satan, what hast thou to say unto me? Thou hast sinned heretofore, (saith Satan) and thy Judge doth know the truth of this indictment. I have (Satan) I confess it, and my God doth know the truth of my sorrow and repentance. Lord, dost thou not know my tears, my returnings, my judge of myself, my feeling of mercy & grace? Lord thou hast known it, and hast known my soul with thy pardoning and accepting mercy.  
4. Rest the soul and fasten it unto the blood of Christ, which will always cry down the testimonies and clamours of guilt; Nothing but that will satisfy God, and vanquish Satan; and then by faith, not only lay hand on mercy, but hold out the stability of mercy. The King's pardon will serve twenty years hence in case of suit. Satan may often trouble & question, but Gods accepting of thee into mercy, will (I am sure, it may) quiet and uphold thee.  
14. The last spring of doubtings, was, silence in the conscience, long silence there.  
For the closing of this spring, and with it, this subject of doubtings, observe these particulars in a word.  

1. The speech of conscience, what that is.  
2. The speechlessness of conscience, what and how.  
3. To make conscience speak again, what required.  
4. To support ourselves in the times of its silence, what can and may.   
1. The speech of conscience: 
The speech of conscience, what  This is no more than its testimony for us, or against us; for conscience is intimate with our secret frames, and intentions, and motives, and actions: By its natural light it can tell much, by implanted light more, by renewed and sanctified light, most of all Now the speech of conscience for us, is nothing else but an approbation of our estate, answerable to the Word, acquitting us against all fears and objections that we are the sons of God, that we are truly changed, that we sincerely love him, believe in Christ, and walk before him: for really the voice of Conscience is but the echo of the voice of the Word, and saith that unto us touching our particular, what the Word delivers in the general. It's voice is but the Assumption, and the voice of the Word is but the Proposition: The Word saith, that should be; and Conscience saith, here it is: The Word requires such and such things in a man to be saved, and who is in favour with God, and Conscience brings them out, and answers for the person.  
2. The speechlessness, or silence 
The speechlessness of conscience what it is.  of conscience, is the suspension of its determining and acquitting acts touching our estate in general, or touching some particular doubts: Sometimes conscience calls upon us, and sometimes we call upon conscience. In matters of direction to practise or forbearance, we usually hear a real and inward word, Do it not, or, Thou mayst do it: In after doubts we call upon conscience for its testimony, In the uprightness of my heart did I it, and my conscience doth bear me witness.  
Now of all the silences of conscience, that is heaviest which befalls us in our spiritual combats and trials; wherein our gracious condition is questioned, but cannot be issued, because conscience holds up, and doth not testify for us by any sensible approbation and acquittance, which is caused diversely.  
1. Sometimes through particular 
Silence in conscience diversely caused.  mis-behaviours against the directing voice of conscience, these hold in the acquitting voice of conscience, for conscience will not speak for us, if we presume to sin against it.  
2. Sometimes through disregard to the voice of God in the Ministry; for Conscience takes not that well, which the Word takes ill: and therefore God doth usually make us know our neglects of his Word, by the silences of our consciences: And assuredly something is ordinarily amiss, when Conscience speaks unto us neither good nor bad.  
3. Sometimes Conscience is silent, to make us look higher than Conscience, and that we might know there is a higher Court to which we must make our addresses.  
4. Sometimes Conscience is silent, to make us see upon what bottoms our faith is grounded, whether we can believe, because God saith, as well as rejoice, because Conscience speaketh.  
3. But to make Conscience speak, what must we do? We have had its gracious testimonies, by which we have been much comforted and supported: How shall we recover it to speech again?  
I answer,  
1. Speak to God, and then 
The ways to recover conscience to speech again.  God may speak to Conscience, and Conscience will speak to thee. God hath a greater command over Conscience, than it hath over us: It is with God and Conscience, as with a King and his Courtiers, let the King speak kindly to a Petitioner, the Courtiers will then embrace him lovingly: and indeed Conscience will carry God's face, and express his dispositions of love: Therefore this do, speak to the Lord, 1. To show thee the cause of Consciences silence. 2. To give thee the testimony of his own Spirit, which will draw with it again the testimony of thine own conscience, Rom. 8. 16.  
2. Speak to duty: Be sure thou do not displease Conscience: If thou hast, repent, and add no more to make Conscience displeased, or silent.  
4. But how may we support ourselves in the times of silence?  
I answer, thou mayst comfort thyself, if  
1. The Word can approve thee: the testimony of the Word is ever open, though that of Conscience be not: What is the reason? Because men may have a constant audience and trial of their estates. And take one thing by the way, If the Word (which is always open and speaking) if it acquits thee, Conscience (though now silent, whensoever it speaks) will clear thee.  
2. Thou hast and dost approve the Word: How is that? That is, If the Word be thy rule, thy light, by which thou hast and dost walk: for when Conscience comes to speak, it gives its sentence from the Word, (by which thou walkest) and of thy frame and course which thou preservest in an upright answerableness to the directions of the Word.     

An Addition of four other causes of Doubtings, with a brief resolution of them.  
1. SEnse of sinful workings. O! saith a distressed soul, Certainly my condition is stark naught, and I have no right to Christ, nor to any mercy, I may not believe: Why? Because I never found such vile workings of heart as of late: I feel a wonderful rebellion in my heart; I cannot think on any good, nor set upon any good, but an army of evil is in me, opposing and hindering me.  
To a soul in such a condition, Sol. I would (for his help) prescribe these five subsequent considerations.  
1. When grace comes in truth, it is ever of that power to make such discoveries, and to raise such stirs, as the soul never felt before; for Grace is a new nature, and a new light, and a new active principle. It is put into the soul for that very end, to find and lay out sin, yea and to expel and thrust it out. The judgement was never so convinced before, nor Conscience so qualified before, nor the will and affections so spiritualised before: therefore never marvel at the strange workings. When a child is conceived in the womb, it is not now with the woman as in former times; and whensoever Christ is form in the soul, it is not with that soul as in old times. There is that now fall'n in, which must purge thee and rule thee.  
2. If good be wrought, evil will work and 〈◊〉. When Christ was born, all Jerusalem was troubled; so when grace is wrought, sin will stir. Indeed if grace came into the soul either by a final and total cessation of sin, that there were no sin residing in the soul, into the which grace comes, than thou shouldst feel no stir at all: Thus it shall be in heaven; Grace there shall be alone; Holiness, and nothing but holiness there, and therefore no combat, no stir: But thus it never will be on earth: Sin may be alone in some men's hearts, but grace is never alone in any man's heart in this life. Or if grace came into the soul by a peaceable resignation, if sinful flesh would without any more ado make a full and free surrender, and give it possession without any dispute and cavil, than also thou mightst expect a calmness, and a cessation of arms, no vile stir. But O Christian, Grace and sin, The Spirit 
Gal. 5. 17.  and the flesh are contrary one to the other, and therefore they lust one against the other. Fire and water will not lie quiet. Sad indeed were thy condition, if thou hadst such a frame of (vain) good, against which no sinful part in thee would oppose.  
Every regenerate man hath a double man in him, the new man, and the old man; that would do good, this would not do good; that would pray, this would not; that would mourn, this would not; that would believe, this would not.  
3. But than thirdly, thou who feelest such a rebelling and opposing flesh in thee, what is that which thou dost oppose? It is true, thou feelest an untoward, rebellious nature yet within thee, but what side takest thou? It is not I, said 
Rom. 7.  Paul, but sin that dwelleth in me. Sin in him opposed good, but Paul himself approved good, and delighted in good, and willed good.  
The same Apostle speaking of the co-habitation, and the co-operation of flesh and spirit in regenerate persons, that the one did lust against the other, and the one was contrary to the other, and that by reason of the rebellion and unruliness of the one, we could not 
Gal 5. 17.  do the good which we would; he yet comforteth them in such a condition in the next words, If ye be led by the Spirit, 
ver. 18.  ye are not under the Law. As if he had said, Notwithstanding all this rebellious opposition of your flesh, if yet ye yield not to be servants to it, but approve of, and incline unto, and follow in your hearts & courses the rules of the Spirit, the condition is very good & safe.  
So that though the evil remaining in us doth oppose the good in us, yet if we ourselves oppose not the good, our condition may be good.  
4. Fourthly, as there is evil in thee opposing of thee in any good, so there is something in thee also opposing of that evil. Dost thou not condemn that hardness which hinders thee from mourning, and shedst many a tear because thou canst not mourn? Dost thou not strive with the Lord by many prayers, and in the use of all his ordinances against that unbelieving and rebelliously working nature of thine? Dost thou not with Paul, conflict with it, groan under it, cry out, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me?  
And surely neither the sense of this, nor the resistance of this, nor second desires of deliverance from this, can be any evil signs of thy condition.  
5. Lastly, in the sense of inward rebellions and workings, thy way is not to nourish doubting, but thy duty it is to stir up believing.  
When Paul felt that agony twixt the law of his members and the law of his mind, indeed he was much troubled at it, but yet he did not conclude against his condition in grace; No, but he acquits that, (Rom. 7. 25. So then with the mind I myself serve the Law of God, though with the flesh the law of sin) and sets his faith to work, ver. 24. Who shall deliver me? ver. 25. I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Mark his practice: This is my condition, I feel rebellious lusts, yea I feel them sometimes captivating of me, what course shall I now take to be delivered of them? to vanquish them? I conflict with them, but I cannot conquer them: I cannot conquer them, yea but Jesus Christ can conquer them, and deliver me from them, and to him will I go by faith.  
Thus must thou do in the sense of that native rebellion and vile operation of thy flesh: Thou must by faith go unto Christ, thou must acknowledge thy vileness, and thy insufficiency, and also his sufficiency: Thou must exalt Jesus Christ by faith in his Mediatorship, and trust on him, that he will by his Almighty Spirit crucify thy sinful flesh more, and (which was one end of his coming into the world) destroy those works of sin and Satan.  
2. Another cause of doubting in a Christian, may be the sense of wrath. O! saith such a one, would you have me to believe, or imagine you that I can do so, I who feel the very wrath of God in my soul, and the terrors of the Almighty wounding me for my transgressions? What, can or 〈◊〉 I believe mercy for me, who now feel wrath upon me? can I believe that God will be merciful, whom I sensibly apprehend to be wrathful?  
This is a notable case, and Sol. needs a wary and circumspect resolution: Nevertheless I shall at least endeavour to ungirt this burden for a troubled soul.  
1. There are two sorts of persons who in this life may feel the wrath of God.  
First, such as are unquestionably wicked: of whom some of them feel the wrath of God, as the beginning of their everlasting perdition: That wrath inflicted on them is but the beginning of a just hell due unto them. Thus Judas felt the wrath of God: And some of them feel the wrath of God as a means for their humiliation and conversion. 〈◊〉 they in Acts 2. 37. who were pricked in their hearts, and thereupon cried out, What shall we do? felt the wrath of God.  
Secondly, such as are unquestionably good; of whom some have felt God's wrath in case of desertion, as Heman, Ezra, Job, and others; and some in case of notorious corruption or sinning, as David, whose bones were broken for it, and God's face hid from him for it, and his moisture turned into the drought of summer.  
2. Again, you must distinguish of those effects which appear in persons under the sense of divine wrath, for they are twofold.  
1. Some feel the wrath of God, and are either only enraged against God with blasphemies, or enraging their hearts the more to go on in sinning against God, thinking at least by the pleasure of sin to drown the sense of wrath, or running into absolute despair of God's mercy; and therefore never attempting any course of repentance, because they give up all hope of mercy. Where there is such a sense of wrath as this, in all respects, and for ever, the condition is very fearful.  
2. Some feel the wrath of God, and are hereupon (occasionally) induced either to the study and care of an holy reformation of their sinful hearts and ways, or to a particular restauration of themselves from gross sins, into which they are fall'n, and for which now they feel the sore displeasures of an angry Father.  
If thy condition be either of these, that thou feelest wrath, and that hath driven thee to a search of thy natural estate, and to the discovery of it, and to an humbling for it, and to all the means by which thou mayst be delivered as well (and rather) from thy sinfulness, as from God's wrath; or if this wrath felt awakens thy conscience, and hath been a means to scourge thee out of some particular sinning, to thy former and better walkings with God, thou mayst now safely believe on mercy; yea though thou as yet feelest wrath, yet mayst thou believe mercy: And my reason is this, because now mercy is thy portion, thy condition now is right under many promises of mercy to pardon thee, for it is a truly penitential condition. See Esay 55. 7. Ezek. 18. 21, 22 Hos. 14. 1, 2, 4.  
3. Though mercy be thy portion, yet know thou, that the sense of wrath will not off, until thou dost believe actually on that mercy. It is not mercy in the Promise which alone can remove the sense of wrath, but it must be mercy applied by faith: for till faith works in the soul of a man, till the poor soul looks on God through the Perspective of faith, God appears not as a merciful, but as a wrath full God to it.  
And therefore thou being in such a condition as I have delivered, thou mayst safely venture on mercy, though thou feelest wrath, (the forenamed Saints did so) and upon believing thou shalt in due time feel the sense of mercy to take off the sense of wrath: Thy faith will see a reconciled God, and then thou shalt enjoy a pacified conscience.  
3. A third cause of doubting, may be a condemning conscience. But saith the trembling Christian, My conscience tells me of my sinnings, and of wonderful sinfulness within me; and God is greater than my conscience, who will assuredly condemn me; O I may not believe.  
This seems to be a knotty Sol. case, Whether a person may believe Gods absolving of him, though Conscience in him be condemning? I will deliver my opinion thus:  
1. First, you must distinguish of a condemning conscience: Conscience may either condemn,  

1. A man's action, Or  
2. His person.   
1. A man's actions are condemned by Conscience, when Conscience being rightly enlightened and informed by the Word of God, pronounceth of them that they are evil, and damnable; that they are contrary to God's holiness and glory, and therefore are to be abhorred, and crucified, and forsaken.  
2. A man's person is condemned by conscience, not only when conscience finds sins in the person, but likewise the person in sins; (i.) not only such corruptions in the heart, but also the heart approving, and loving of them, and resolved to keep them, and go on in them.  
Now observe me in two Conclusions answerable to these two Propositions:  
1. If Conscience condemns thy person, I confess thou hast no reason to believe mercy for thyself; If thy conscience tells thee to the face of God, thou art in a foul, sinful course, and hast been called upon by the voice of the Word, and its voice to come out of it, and thou dost not leave it, nay, art resolved to pursue it, and to insist on it, now God is greater than thy conscience, and will assuredly condemn thee.  
2. If conscience condemns thy actions only, than thou mayest, notwithstanding that condemnation, believe on mercy. My meaning is this, Though the conscience by its discerming light, represents unto thee much sinfulness in thy nature and former course, and though it doth condemn these to be vile, and most fit to be crucified, abhorred, and forsaken, this condemnation hinders not the right of believing: Nay, no man indeed should believe, unless his conscience doth condemn sin in him; not only show him his sins, but assure him that they are evil, and unworthy his love; nay most worthy of his detestation and mortification.  
2. Secondly, you must distinguish of times, when conscience doth condemn a man; there are two times of a Christian.  
1. Some are open and free; He is himself, and besides that, he hears both parties, as well what is for himself, as what is against himself; yea and weighs matters in controversy in the right balance of God's Sanctuary, not in Satan's balance of cunning suggestions. Will conscience condemn thy person at such a time, and under such circumstances? Nay, will not the Word of God acquit thee at such a time against all fears, for the substance and reality of a pious condition?  
2. Some are clouded & darkened, either with melancholy, or afflictions, or temptations, wherein the Christian seethe his face through a false glass, (just as a Title is made by a deceitful & cunning Lawyer) not according to truth, not all of it, but some of it: What is passed heretofore for action and affection; or what hath fall'n out, not in the course of life since a man's conversion, but only in case of surprisal and captivity. Now perhaps conscience may condemn thee, but this is an illegal sentence, it is a corrupted judgement, and is reversible: God will not judge of thee, as Conscience in such a case doth; Nay he will repeal it, and disannul it.  
4. A fourth cause of doubtings, is, a fear lest a man hath sinned that great sin against the holy Ghost: And the main inducement to credit this, is, a sinning against clear knowledge, which is one ingredient in that sin. Now this is my condition, saith a troubled soul, I have not only sinned, but sinned against light shining in the Ministry, and working on my conscience; therefore I may rather conclude then question it, Mercy belongs not to me.  
To help a conscience thus Sol. enthralled, I would wish that such a person would 1. Be informed, 2. Be directed.  
1. The Information which I would commend in this case, is fourfold.  
First, that the sin against the holy Ghost, is not any sin which a man commits through ignorance: Whatsoever the sin or sins have been, (whereof the party stands guilty) whether against the Law, or against the Gospel, suppose it be one, or many heinous sins, yet if the person be in a state of blindness and ignorance, if there is a nescience of the fact, if he knows not what he doth, this ignorance privilegeth the sinnings thus far, that therefore they are not the sin against the holy Ghost.  
Secondly, the sin against the holy Ghost is not any sin against the Gospel, which is elicited and acted through a misbelief or mis-perswasion: If the sin be a slighting of Evangelicall doctrines, nay a persecuting of them, and of the professors of them, yet if these acts of opposition depend totally on error in the judgement, on a judgement mispersuaded, (i) rather believing them not to be truths, rather thinking those ways to be false ways; I say this misbelief preserves such sinnings yet from being sins against the holy 
1 Tim. 1. 13.  Ghost, because the sin against the holy Ghost supposeth light even to conviction and approbation. See Heb. 6. 4. 5.  
Thirdly, the sin against the holy Ghost is not every sinning against knowledge. These are not reciprocal propositions, every sin against the holy Ghost is against knowledge, and every sin against knowledge is the sin against the holy Ghost. The former is true, but the latter is not; for many a converted man sinneth against knowledge, who yet never sinneth the sin against the holy Ghost.  
In two cases a man sinning against knowledge, doth not yet sin that sin against the holy Ghost: One is, the case of a strong and violent temptation; Another is, the case of a sudden and turbulent passion: It is the same with Peter's case against his knowledge denying and forswearing his Master. If Paul before his conversion had had Peter's knowledge, he had sinned this sin against the holy Ghost; And if Peter in his denial had had Paul's malice joined with his knowledge, he had also sinned that sin: but the misbelief of the one before his conversion, and the infirmity of the other after it, preserved from this sin. Error misled the one, and sudden fear surprised the other.  
Fourthly, there are three horrible sinnings which do attend that sin against the holy Ghost; and the Scripture (which we were best exceeding warily to follow in resolving this case) expressly delivers them.  
1. One is, total Apostasy from the truths of Jesus Christ known and tasted. The truths of Christ must 1. be known and apprehended, 2. known and tasted, they must be approved. 3. And then the person falls from these. 4. Nay his fall is not particular, (which is incident to the best) it is a total fall, not a falling in the way, but a falling from the way of truth. Heb. 6. 4. If they were once enlightened and tasted, etc. If, ver. 6. they shall fall away.  
2. A second is, a malicious oppugnation of that truth which was once known and tasted, and from which now the person is fall'n, called Heb. 6. 6. A crueifying of the Son of God afresh, And Heb. 10. 26. A 
And despiting the spirit of Grace.  wilful sinning after that we have received the knowledge of the truth. And it was evident in the Pharisees, who saw and knew the light, but hated, and persecuted it unto the death.  
3. A third is, final impenitency. Whosoever sins the sin against the holy Ghost, he neither doth repent, nor can repent: He is so justly and for ever forsaken of God, and given up to a reprobate sense, and a seared conscience, that he cannot repent; though (perhaps) he may see his course to be evil, yet it is impossible (saith the Apostle in Heb. 6. 6.) to renew him to repentance.  
FINIS.