MARY MAGDALEN'S Tears wiped off. OR The VOICE of PEACE TO AN UNQUIET CONSCIENCE.  
WRITTEN By Way of Letter TO A PERSON of QUALITY.  
AND Published for the Comfort of all those, who Mourn in Zion.  
LONDON Printed by J. C. for T. Garthwait, at the Little North-door of S. Paul's. 1659.   

Reader,  
THe Publisher of this Treatise, having in his eye no fear of thy dislike, nor regard of thy applause; hath no other solicitation, for thy perusal thereof, than the opinion he hath, that it may be serviceable, to the good of thy Soul. He thinks he shall be guilty of a very charitable mistake, if thou findest an error in his conjecture; and thou more obliged to offer, than he to ask thy pardon for it. To prescribe preventive or recuperative medicines, in a great Plague-time, is no piece of impertinent officiousness, but a prudent discharge of duty to the Public. If thou be so whole, as not to need a Physician; thou hast had good luck, having lived in so licentious an age, and amongst children that are Corrupters. Give God the glory of his Grace, and despise not the good wishes of thy Brethren.   

A Short TABLE of the principal Contents in this Book.  

OF the Secret and Revealed will in God. etc. page 12  
Of the Day of Grace being spent. page 14  
Of Sins of Ignorance and Wilfulness. page 19  
Of Presumptuous Sins. page 20  
Of Sins after Baptism. page 22  
Of want of Sorrow for Sin. page 26  
Of God's accepting men's Persons. page 29  
Of Personal Assurance. page 36  
Of Sacerdotal Absolution, and God's Ratification thereof. page 38  
Of Esau seeking the Blessing, etc. page 50  
The Example of the Israelites that provoked God Ten times in the Wilderness. page 52  
Of Assurance of Salvation. page 54  
Of the Witness and Testimony of the Spirit. page 56  
The Combat between the Flesh, and the Spirit. page 63  
Of the Motions to Sin in Regenerate persons. page 68  
Of perfect and unsinning Obedience. page 73  
Of the Measure of well doing in Holy and Virtuous Actions, as in Prayer, Alms, Fasting. page 75  
S. Math. 19.12. He that is able to Receive it, etc. whether an Advice, &c, page 86  
Of Loving the Lord with all our Soul, etc. and not doing every thing we have ability to do. page 89  
Of Doing Holy and Virtuous Actions in the want of Charity. page 92  
Of making a man's self the end of his Actions. page 59  
Against the Fear of Death. page 98  
Of the Falling away from Grace. page 103  
Of Conversion. page 105  
Of Relapses into Sin, and Injection of Blasphemous thoughts. page 107  
Of Want of Children. page 112    

MARY MAGDALEN'S Tears wiped off, OR The VOICE of PEACE To an Unquiet Conscience.  
MADAM,  
I Thank you for your Charity to me, in calling me to my Prayers, and shall by God's Grace, endeavour to requite it, by a counterchange of Charity, in praying for you, as you have desired me. I cannot say, that I am sorry that you stand in need of being prayed for: we all do so, and they most of all, and the more for that, who think they need not other men's prayers: But Madam, as I cannot but admire your Humility in this pious request, (whose gracious Heart, like the Treasury of the Temple, accepts of Mites as well as Talents) so, I am not a little ashamed of mine own indigence, and emptiness, and (which is worst of all) of my own unworthiness. I speak it in good earnest Madam; and being by your call for my prayers become very sensible of my unfitness, at least for the Intercessional part of that duty; I can assure myself, that as I trust you will not be the worse; so shall I be much the better, for my praying for you.  
But Madam, for my prayers only, I presume you did not send me that Summons: I cannot then but esteem myself obliged, to render a duty to you, of the same importance; but more immediately tending to the production of that effect, which you have desired me to pray for; and which (perhaps) if more timely, and individually applied, the Disease had not been so inveterate, and raging as it is; nor you so distrustful of the virtue and efficacy of Remedies as you are.  
By some scattered expressions of my Friend, that delivered your message to me, I very confidently suspect your languishing under the wasting torment of a wounded Spirit: but How long, by what cause, or upon what occasion; I have no hint, upon which I may reasonably ground a Presumption. So innocent hath been that Act of your Life, of which I have been a Spectator; so rational, close, and undistracted your discourse; that I dare confidently affirm, no Indications of this secret Malady did ever present themselves to the most acute observer of your Conversation with us. My thoughts concerning such a State in general, I have judged it my duty to deliver; but how pertinent, or conducent to the removal of the particular cause of your trouble, I am not able to divine; for the reasons before mentioned.  
1. The Soul of man comes out of the hands of her Creator, like a rich and curious Watch; carrying in herself, as the Causes of her own motion; so no disorder, till she fall under unskilful, or unruly fingers. Her first immersion into the Body, renders her not only liable to the guilt of Original sin, but to the future turbulencies, and excesses of those faculties common to us and Beasts: which, because in them governed only by an  instinct of nature, are wholly sinless, and have in them no other tendency, but the preservation of that creature in which they work: but with man it is much otherwise; whose appetites are subjected to a rational choice, under the penalty exacted by a Law, wholly commensurate with reason, and the noble dictates of a Soul, emancipated from the Suggestions, and delusions of flesh and blood.  
2. Hence is it that she receives in us no wounds, but by our own hands: her Peace is never broken, but by Errors in our Election; and that most times but radically neither; the true resentment of our guilt and danger, being subsequent to a reflexive act of the Soul; from whence proceed those Smiting Thoughts, able to wear out, or rend an heart of Adamant.  
The source or spring whereof usually are the consideration either 1. of what we have been; or of 2. what we are; or of 3. what we shall or may be hereafter; the guilt of sin acted, the prevalency of sinful dispositions in our nature, and of enormous habits in our persons; the fear of Relapses, and horror of future punishments, are that which set men's souls upon Tenter hooks: and few there be, who have been guilty of any gross sin, whose Prepentance (if true) hath not given them some taste of this bitter Cup, apportionate to the course of their unregenerate life.  
3. What we have been] is of the same latitude in our Regeneration, from whence we are to compute our Spiritual life; as in our Creation, from whence we derive our Natural being. 
1 Cor. 15.22. Ephes. 2.1. Rom. 11.32, Gal. 3.22.  As from Adam all lived, so in Adam all died: all dead in Sins and trespasses: God hath concluded all under sin, that he might have mercy upon all. Only the Difference is in the circumstances, some greater, some lesser sinners than others: some longer, others less while dead in sins and Trespasses: but the danger, without repentance, is the same to the sinner; the Cure the same to the Physician. To him the same thing, to raise Jairus daughter to life, yet scarcely cold Mar. 5.22. as to bring Lazarus' stinking carcase out of his grave, John 11.43. Both supernatural works, and a supernatural Worker required to both: yet both effected without any Intention of the power by which it was done, because infinitely able to work.  
4. But as some of those blind men, whom our Saviour restored to sight, saw at the very first as perfectly, as ever after: but others when their eyes were first opened, saw men as Trees walking, Mark 8.24. so are not the same apprehensions of their spiritual estate to all Penitents; though equally restored to Grace, and favour with God, and Federally justified from the guilt of past Sins. The Causes hereof are various, arising partly from the Complexion, and natural or acquasite temper of the Persons themselves; partly from some errors in such, who applied to them the outward means, and ministration of their Repentance; partly from some outward accidents of life; and partly from the Suggestions, and Delusions of Satan, with such like.  
Some persons are naturally more apt to impressions of Sadness, Fear, and Distrust, then are others. Penetrating and quick resentments of danger, once certainly incurred, render some weak spirits distrustful of their safety a long time after, be it never so sure and visible: like men startled out of Melancholic and frightful dreams, who although awake, cannot presently be persuaded, that they are free from peril. The very apprehension of the danger, his churlishness and folly had cast him into, made Nabals' heart dic within him. 1 Sam. 25.37.  
It cannot be denied by the strongest Christian, that the guilt of sin once truly apprehended, with all the consequents of horror it draws after it, is able to sink a very clear and serene soul, into an Alysse of black, and sad thoughts: from which nothing is able to buoy, and raise it up; but the light of God's countenance, shining upon, and influencing that spirit, by forcible assistances of Grace. But yet most evident it is, that the mourning of some Christians is like that of Rachel, they will not be comforted: yea so predominant in them, sometimes, is that torpid and pensive humour; that it converts comforts themselves, into matter of discomfort: the goodness, patience, and long-suffering of Almighty God, together with his unfeigned offers of mercy, and pardon to all that truly turn unto him, (those high and excellent Cordials for soul-sick Christians) being by the prejudices of a misguided Imagination, corrupted into most bitter jealousies, either against God or themselves.  
Sometimes their spiritual troubles spring from the passions or unskilfulness of the Ministry, under which such persons live: who either wanting the sagacity, dexterity, (or which is most to be feared) the Charity of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 19.20, 22. to become all things to all men; especially in that most Christian and wholesome branch of it, the being weak with them who are weak, in the Flock of Christ; thunder out the threaten of the Gospel, promiscuously in the ears of all; making their hearts sad, whom God hath not made sad, Ezek. 13.22. and so vexing them whom God hath wounded, Psal. 69.27. instead of calling, encouraging and comforting sinners under Repentance (that small and still voice) terrifying them with the Menaces of the Law, (that loud and furious wind) and casting upon men strong suspicions of their having elapsed the time of mercy; seeming to antedate the great and terrible day of th● Lord, by taking the sentence of condemnation out of his mouth. Not considering, that the Ministers of the Gospel have their Commissions dated from Zion, and not from Sinai; and that the method, and language of S Paul in the Pulpit, is not only more suitable to that Message of Peace, but most imitable by us; because it proved so successful, in the business of Reconciling men to God.  
I know that a Son of Thunder may have much said on his behalf, from these evil and deaf times in which we live: to lift up the voice like a trumpet, and to show the people their transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sins, Isai. 8.1 is a duty, strongly and indispensably lying on a Minister of the Gospel at all times, much more in such an age as this we live in; wherein so many thousands of Christians hold the truth of God in unrighteousness, Rom. 1 18. and turn his Grace into wantonness, Jud. 4. justifying not only Samaria, but Sodom and her Sisters; by outballancing her, and them, in all manner of carnal, and spiritual pollutions: but that we speak is mostly against the undue care of some Preachers of the Gospel, not sufficiently heeding and discriminating such, who mourn in Zion, Eze. 9.4. upon whose foreheads Ezekiels mark hath past, and against whom the severities of those Comminations ought not to be used.  
Sometimes this Trouble of mind, (if it doth not wholly spring, yet) receiveth much strength and nourishment, from some Accidents of life. Every unusual circumstance in providential dispensations, in the apprehensions of such men, carries with it the Shape and Terror of Divine Revenge: and all loving corrections, of a most wise and merciful Father, are reckoned upon, as the sad Presages of everlasting Torments. Nothing but the angry frowns of a terrible Judge, flaming Torches, Fire and Brimstone, are the Scenes and Phantasms of such clouded brains: yea, so sullen and distrustful, is the Repentance of such men, that they suspect every blessing, and good thing, that God bestows upon them in this world, as so many golden Balls cast out before them, to betray them in their Race. They eat, drink, sleep, converse with such anxiety of Spirit, that they thereby become intolerable to themselves and others. Again,  
Satan most times hath a deep hand in these troubles; who being unchangeably malicious toward mankind, incessantly disturbs the Peace of such Christians whom he cannot ruin. Yet so secret and close are his Devices, that many prudent Christians are not able (as indeed it is very difficult) to discern, betwixt his injections, and the motions of their own Appetites. By which error Satan exceedingly troubles their quiet, and sets them into perpetual quarrels against themselves, whereby he thinks it not impossible, at last to engulf them in Despair.  
To this may be added, that some False Principles have in them a very immediate tendency to beget trouble in men's minds, who are of instable judgements, but yet of a good and ingenuous disposition: those especially concerning the Irresistibility of saving Grace, the necessity of ones believing himself to be Justified, unconditionate Election to Salvation, with some others, whose falsity is plainly demonstrated, by many excellent Treatises of learned, judicious, and pious Divines.  
Neither is it a consideration impertinent to the matter in hand, that there is a difference worthy our observation, betwixt Sin in the Memory, and in the Conscience of a sinner; the not perception whereof, may cause great trouble, and disquiet in men's minds. For as the Conscience and the Memory are not really one and the same thing; so neither is sin to be accounted of the same concernment to the sinner, when it is only represented by the Memory, and when charged upon him by his Conscience. Usually, proportionable to the measure of our Faith and Repentance is our Peace of Conscience; by these are the Marks and Characters of our guilt purged away by degrees: but the transient Act of sin committed, is ever recollected by the Memory, apportionately to the natural vigour of the faculty in every man. And from hence it is, that in the fourfold distinction of Conscience, there is one sort which is said to be good, but not quiet: which (for my own part) I conceive to be an effect, produced betwixt the memorative and imaginative faculties; rather than a true, and distinct state of Conscience in a Christian; it being, to my understanding, equally possible for the Imagination, to act and personate Conscience (in some men) as well in the punitive and vindicative, as in the affirmative and interpretative power of Law. Where the Imagination (as conscience) may make Law to govern men's actions, as in some it confessedly doth: it is not disproportionable to steason to believe, that Imagination may likewise perplex, and punish those men, for the breach of such Laws, as likewise Conscience doth.  
5. But let the Causes and Occasions of these Distempers be what they will; be it the Conscience, or imaginative Faculty, or Memory, or all, or any other thing, that procures, or promotes this trouble; usually, these are the effects thereof, in sad reiterated Objections.  

OBJECTION I.  
My Sins are not as other men's, they are not the Spots of God's Children: they have these Circumstances, that render them most formidable. They are 1. more than other men's, 2. greater, 3. more loved, 4. longer lived in, 5. less grieved for, than the Sins of other men.  

SOLUTION.  
6. PUt all these Circumstances together, but the last (which shall be answered by itself) your sins can be but great, many, loved, relapsed, and perhaps after sharp Corrections for them, Vows against them, sense of strength and ability through grace, to oppose, resist, and overcome them, and all the most powerful temptations to them, and this acknowledged, and owned by yourself, in your impassionate, and deliberate thoughts.  
Now what hinders the Remission of such Sins? are these the first Scarlet sins that have ever been brought before the Throne of Grace, to receive another tincture by the hands of Mercy and pardon? is there any incapacity in the Sinner, any defect in the means, any qualification in the sins themselves, any bar or obstacle to the Judge, that these sins, that such a sinner should not be remitted?  
What makes you uncapable of Pardon? any Decree concerning your person, in God's secret Will? in his revealed Will there is nothing but grace and mercy offered to you, because to all that truly repent and turn unto him, Ezek. 18.21, 22. but if you suspect the Will of God's purpose, what he hath determined concerning your Person, in that Will. you must know, that as there are not two Wills in the Divine Majesty, nor two contradictory Acts of one and the same Will: So may you assure yourself, that what may directly be concluded from his Revealed Will concerning the salvation of mankind, you have your joint-interest therein, with the rest of the Redeemed World: and that no Decree hath from all eternity been past against you, whereby a bar is set against all your good and square endeavours, and your person rejected into a fatal necessity of being damned. Impossible indeed it is that such dormant Attainders should lie against the Persons of some men, for the Prevarication and Rebellion of our first Parents, and yet that General Act of the Grace and Favour of Almighty God, be so solemnly proclaimed by that great Ambassador of our Reconciliation, 1 Tim. 2.4.    

OBJECTION II.  
But I have made myself uncapable by losing the opportunities, and heretofore despitefully using both the inward, and outward means of my Calling, and therefore justly is that fallen upon me, foretold and threatened in, Prov. 1.24. Because I have called, and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded, etc. v. 26. I will laugh at your Calamity, etc.  

SOLUTION.  
7. IF by the Opportunity or Season of repenting unto Salvation, you mean one point of time, wherein God doth sufficiently once for all, or as the last tendrie thereof, not only offer us the means of Grace, but also sufficiently prepare and dispose the Will to receive it: I doubt not, but that answer of our Saviour to his Disciples, Act. 1.7. will be very appliable to you, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. As Grace itself is the free and undeserved gift of God, so are the circumstances of giving it, for time, manner, and measure, His; and disposed of according to the Will of his purpose, wherewith you are not made acquainted, nor privy to any determination concerning yourself, unless you have had, some known Revelation thereof. I believe that the Day of grace, as far as we are able to collect is not shut up; nor the Sun of Righteousness, that at our Saviour's Baptism risen upon our Souls, with healing in his Wings, set, and gone down over us, till our life be ended. Some were called at the eleventh hour, when there was but one hour more to work in: yet by the bountiful promise of the Lord of the Vineyard were rewarded with the penny, i. e. everlasting life, as well as they who bore the burden and heat of the day, Matth. 20.9. Sincerity of Resolution is precious in God's eye: and where sufficient time to approve the same by good works is not allowed; I doubt not of the savable state of that soul. Yet I do profess, not to believe, that such an one shall have an equal share of glory, with Saints of the first magnitude; neither can there in reason be so comsortable a posture of mind looked for in such an one: this being most commonly the Result of that experience we have of our own repentance, by bringing forth fruits worthy of it; which ought, when time and means permit, to carry in them a due proportion, to the continuance, and vileness of our former unregenerate life.  
Now, though Almighty God doth sometime accept the will for the deed, viz. a firm and irrefragable Temptation-proof Resolution of Conversion for all future actual performances thereof; as being able to Foresee, that that man would perform his resolutions, in case God did permit him so much time: yet should no man upon this Consideration, defer his Repentance, but rather most studiously embrace the present time offered; not only for that this is to be interpreted an affront of the Divine Majesty, by turning the Grace of God into wantonness; but for that no man is assured, that ever he shall have any such late, and precious minute vouchsafed unto him; or if it be, can possibly have any assurance, that he will be true to his word with God, in his Vows and Resolutions; God alone, with whom all future things are present, being able to foreknow the soundness, and steadiness of such shipwrackt ingagers. And as these dependencies are seldom so successful (at least not so often) as many men imagine, and in Charity we may very fare hope; so would I have them to be esteemed, as such, which can have no right Aspect upon, nor encouragement from, the usual, regular Proceed of the Divine Majesty: but are rather to be laid, on the unpromised excesses and superabundancies of an infinite goodness, extending itself to a sinner, Repenting him of his sins, beyond the full and free limits of the first gracious Concession of Pardon: from a Reliance on which, as I would not deter any the most grievous offender; whose neglects and former Supinity had cast him on this little Plank, in a Sea of Perplexities; so do I almost assure myself, that such a Christian, who dares continue in sin, upon the confidence of this superabundance of grace, shall never be partaker thereof; this being a Pearl of too incomparable a value, to be cast before that Swine, who hath so contemptuously trampled it under his feet.  
Yet, if you mark it, your Case is far different from the state of such a man, who hath neglected (say despised) the offers of mercy till the last minute of his life, wherein he rather snatches after, then embraces pardon; being more sensible of his own danger, than the love of God: for (blessed be God) you have not received any Summons, to a speedy account of your stewardship, by a decrepit old age, or a violent disease, or other contingency; but have made it your blessed choice, to double your Pace in the ways of Holiness; having yet, (as far as we are able to guests) the Postmeridian part of your Day before you; time enough by the good blessing of God, to finish your Task which is set you, ere the night come wherein no man can work, Jo. 9.4.  
As for your Despitefully using the Spirit of Grace, Heb. 10.29. (as you phrase it after St. Paul) an expression more suitable to a state of Apostasy than unregeneracy, (as you would have me suppose yours to be) as in your former course of life, you set (if I may believe yourself) too little an esteem, upon the ways of God (the manner of unregentrate men:) so have you now too bitter a censure upon your own, the sins of our unregenerate life, being after conversion, by all Divines (I presume) accounted araungable, under the style of Infirmities; and therefore of what sort soever, yet pardonable upon Repentance.    

OBJECTION.  
I grant (say you) that it may be with some Christians as with St. Paul; he was a most violent Persecutor of the Church, but than it was in a state of Ignorance and Unbelief, and therefore he says, God had mercy upon him, because he did it through Ignorance, and in Infidelity: From whence 'tis easy to in infer, that had St. Paul maliciously and knowingly acted those outrages against the Church of Christ, he had undoubtedly been excluded from all hopes of Pardon; What think you then will become of me, Who knew the will of my Master and did it not.  

SOLUTION.  
8. THat Saint Paul did Ignorantly persecute the Church of Christ is unquestionable; and that if Saint Paul had done the same Knowingly, and Maliciously, he had not had any grounds to expect Pardon may probably enough be true; but I do not take it to be out of all Question, but the Inference from hence against yourself is Illogical, and will by no means follow upon those Premises. For thus your Argument stands, Saint Paul had mercy from God for persecuting the Church of Christ Ignorantly, therefore whoever committeth any sin against Conscience and Knowledge shall not have mercy, and such sins I am guilty of.  
I shall not stand to show you the falsity of this way of reasoning, but only discover unto you how erroneous your Principles are, and that so evidently, as I need not torture you into a confession thereof; Do you profess to believe that there is an equality in all kinds of Sin? that Adultery is not a greater sin than Swearing? Murder or Idolatry than Sabbath breach? Rebellion than Theft? I am assured you are not involved in this gross error. But then do you believe, that that circumstance [of doing it Knowingly] can render the same sin unpardonable, which if done Ignorantly will upon Repentance undoubtedly be forgiven. Who then can be saved? What were the sins of David and of Saint Peter? were they not sins against Knowledge, yet Repentance restored both of them to their former station in God's favour, you cannot suppose that those persons with whom our Saviour conversed, were all of them Sinners only out of Ignorance: Marry Magdalen was never held to be Ignorant (much less to be Inculpably so,) that her course of Life was not agreeable to the Law of God: yet so dear was she to our Saviour, upon her hearty Repentance, That after his Resurrection he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom be had cast seven Devils, Mar. 16.9.    

OBJECTION IU.  
But under the Law the Soul that did aught presumptuously, was to be cut off from Israel.  

SOLUTION.  
9 WE are not under the Law but under Grace, and Saint Paul tells us plainly, that a main branch of that Privilege is, That by Him, (i. e. Christ) all that believe are justified from all things, from which Ye (i e. the Jews) could not be justified by the Law of Moses, Act. 13.39. from whence 'tis clear, that Remission of sins is given to all Sinners, who repent and believe the Gospel. Besides, every sin that a man commits against Knowledge, is not a sin of Presumption, or a sin committed with an high Hand; Presumption is not an error of, or in the Understanding, but in the Will; at least is much more fixed in the Will, than in the intellectual faculty, and therefore to sin against Knowledge, and to sin Presumptuously are not convertible, and the same thing; Presumption being not only the highest degree of wilfulness, and very properly placed under the v ce of Audacity; but it reflects more upon the person of the Lawmaker, than on the Law itself; and the contempt of persons in Authority is ever more grievously punished than the breach of such Laws and constitutions, as are made by them.    

OBJECTION V.  
〈◊〉 to relapse into sin, after not only Resoluttions but Vows against it, as they who sin after Baptism do, is intolerable and a sign of one that hath forfeited the Grace, that is given him, and is judicially hardened by God.  

SOLUTION.  
10. TO sin, and to relapse into sin after a Vow against it, is that thing indeed which every baptised Christian doth: and in those who are Adult, or at years of discretion (not invincibly ignorant of their Obligation) is infallibly not only a very great Aggravation of sin, but a sin itself: and such an Offendor is (in very truth) not only a great Dishonour to the Gospel of Christ, but a great scandol to the Communion of Saints; disinherited (and that actually) of his interest in the Kingdom of Christ, whilst he continues in that state of Impenitency: but when the course is broken, the case is quite the contrary; and the Prodigal returning, capable of as benign and as hospital a Reception in his Father's house, as was that other Son, able to boast of his good demeanour from his Childhood. This is the case of Repentant Sinners, and for such it is, that when they (nay though but a single one) return, There is joy in the presence of the Angels of God. Luke 15.12.  
But for the Vow in the Baptism, I am not for the present) of opinion, that it is any aggravation of sin, till the baptised Person comes to years of Discretion, and hath either actually taken upon him the performance of his Baptismal vow, or else hath attained so much knowledge of his Profession, as that he hath, or may have information, that he was initiated thereinto, and admitted under such a solemn Stipulation. But when I speak of Actual taking upon him the performance of this Vow, I do not mean that solemn, direct, oral, and public transferring the Obligation on himself in Episcopal Confirmation: but also the doing any Christian duty of Communion, whereby he doth (though but implicitly) own his Faith, and consequently his Obligation thereto, made on his behalf by Sureties in his Baptism.  
And again, you must conceive, that every wilful sin against Knowledge and Conscience (even in those who are adult, and have Actually put themselves under the performance of the Vow) is no abdication of our Vow in Baptism, neither do I apprehend that Person which so offends to be guilty of Perjury, upon every Act of such sin of wilfulness, no more than I believe, that every single disobedience of her Husband may be interpreted to be a perjury in the Wife, because she hath promised, and solemnly vowed to obey him in the Marriage Contract.  
I confess, that an habitual course of wilful sin, in such as do own their profession; nay that any sin presumptuously committed against the Divine Majesty, doth imply a breach of this vow, as well as final Apostasy; yea that the abnegation of any evident Fundamental of Religion, as the Resurrection of the Dead, the Doctrine of the ever blessed and holy Trinity, (after first and second Admonition, Tit. 3.10. etc. is) a breach of the Vow in Baptism, but that every Act of wilful sin is such, is to my Apprehension no more a truth, than for a Christian of the Protestant persuasion to deny Christ's local descension into Hell, (which hath no undeniable ground in Scripture) and for that error (for to that Persuasion the Church is not infallible) to be held guilty of perjury in breaking, the second clause, or branch of this Vow in Baptism, requiring him to believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith, as well as doth the first and third, exact from him a forsaking of the Devil, the World, the Flesh, and the keeping of God's holy Will and commandments all the days of my life.  
But let the most that you fear be granted, & you be held guilty of as many perjuries, as you committed other sins, and this not only in your own esteem, but in the opinions of learned Divines, yet still this may render that condition to be more lamented, but it cannot make it irrecoverable; for is there any thing in Scripture more frequent than God's Messages by his Prophets to the People of the Jews, calling them to repentance, & that after Covenant-breach, and promising them pardon if they would repent, and convert unto him? The Prophet Jeremy may supersede your searching any other Scriptures to this purpose who indeed is abundant in those promises of Mercy, and therefore a Book very fit to comfort every penitent Soul, and likewise as fit by reason of the Threaten therein to convert the Impenitent.  
As for that you speak concerning judicial induration, or Gods hardening men's hearts in Judge ement; 
Mat. 25.28. Luke 8.18.  I confess, that there is a taking away the Talon from the slothful Servant, a withdrawing of Grace from him that doth not use it, to that end for which it was given him by God: but that such a judgement is not (ordinarily) revealed, save by the treasuring up of wrath against the day of wrath, the final impenitence of him who is thus judicially hardened by God, will be difficult to prove, there being no very sure example of this Induration in Scripture, save that of Pharaoh, in whom those consequents were most visible, and of those obstinate and incredulous Jews to whom our Saviour preached, or in whose presence, or Country he wrought so many Miracles, mentioned in Mat. 13.14, 15. but that you are in danger of such judicial Induration as this, is a very remote fear, and to my judgement wholly inconsistent with your present Christian Deportment.    

OBJECTION.  
But you say, my Sins are confessedly very great, (being accompanied with such circumstances as they are) even withal the Allowances your Charity or Judgement can afford them: they cannot then but require a proportionable Grief for them, which as yet I find not in myself; Moses Rod that drew water from Rocks of the Wilderness, being not able to break and wound my stony Heart into Rivers of Tears, such as are fit to cleanse and wrince away these stains of Sin.  

SOLUTION VI.  
11. THis complaint is but a retrieve of one of those Aggravations of your sins mentioned by you at the first, and by me deferred to be satisfied at that time. I say therefore that it cannot be denied, but that Grief for sin committed aught to bear some proportion with the heinousness of our Crimes for which we desire to grieve and lament: but you may be very unfit to judge of this proportion; especially seeing your Grief and Revenge, with an intermixture of other Irascible passions, hath made you already too obnoxious to the devices of Satan, 2 Cor. 2.11. and Peter three times denied that he knew his Master, Mark 14.66. and that with Curse and Swear, Imprecations (perhaps) upon himself if he knew any such man, Luk. 22.55. Here was a Complication of very gross sins, as Swearing, Cursing, Denial of his Master, whom lately he professed to be the Son of God; and all this a flat Perjury; yet you never read of Tears shed for these Sins more than once: 
Mat. 26.75. Mar. 14.72. Luk. 22.62.  but then they are recorded to be Bitter ones, what they wanted in the Extrinsecal Proportion to the Standard of man's Judgement, they had in the Intrinsic value, most proportionable to the Judgement of God.  
You must know then, that Grief and Shame, and such like Affections of the Irascible Appetite, are parts of that corrective Justice, which we execute upon ourselves; and very properly on the lower Soul, because that hath been most instrumental in our Sins, and hath likewise had the greatest share of the Sensual Pleasure received in sinning; as also for that she is the most proper instrument to macerate and chastise the Body, (the other Associate and Conspirator in offending.) That which ought to give the greatest satisfaction to the Penitent, concerning the Truth and Measure of his Sorrow for Sin, is the Aversation of his Spirit and Mind to all former evil ways, as such; with a full Resolution, and sincere Endeavour, to avoid and fly all Sin for the time to come, and to embrace and practise most impartially, all Rules of Godliness, Righteousness and Sobriety, at what rate soever he purchase the performance of them; facilitating his way thereto, by a frequent and prudent exercise of such helps of Mortification, as his Lord and Master Christ, and the Church his Mother, have recommended by example, or enjoined by Precept.  
Neither is there any cause to complain, that these Severe Courses are not reconcileable to a cheerful manner of living in this World, so far as not to cast any torpid Languishments on our frail Bodies, or to render ourselves complyable with sober and honest Conversation: for they who have, and daily do make Trial of these Rules and Canons for a Christian man's life, do not find so much trouble in ●…e practice of them, as in the sad Reflections on their former Unregenerate State; which yet they may now contemplate with Glory to God, and Comfort to themselves, who through the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, hath given them the Victory over so Unwearied, so Politic, and so Powerful Enemies to their salvation: if Reason can persuade you, that it is matter of Sadness for a man to pass through rough and dirty ways, that he may in short time go and be possessed of a Kingdom; or if you can imagine, that that man hath reasonable cause of Complaint, who is sure to escape the Bloody Hands of Assassins, if he will but take the pains to Wind himself after a sure Guide, through a narrow Path, beset here and there with Briars and Thorns; then, and not else, hath that man cause to complain of the unchearfulness of an Holy Life, who hath engaged to follow Christ his Leader, in the Duties and Contingencies of so Noble a Profession.    

OBJECTION VII.  
But I still fear the Issue of all my Travails; not thinking any thing too Dear to be bought, or too Heavy to be borne, so I might be assured to finish my Course with joy: I am told by my Saviour himself, that many shall seek to enter in at the strait gate, and shall not be able to enter. If my former Sins be not pardoned, all I do will be to no purpose; the not accepting of my Person will render all the good I do contemptible, and punishable by God, as being so many guilded Sins, as such moral Works are wont to be called.  

SOLUTION.  
12. IF nothing but your Pardon in your hand will satisfy you, and shake off the Scruples and Perplexities of your mind; you must know that this Pardon and Justification of ours, is rather under Promise now, and by Title of Law, then Actually passed upon our Souls in this Life: yet are not we the less secure of it, for the Word of God is unchangeable; but no man hath reason to expect, with Vnconditionate and Absolute Assurance, what must depend upon our own Co-operation with the Grace of God. And though God hath assured us, that He will not forsake us, till we forsake Him, no nor presently then neither; yet what assurance we shall have of our own endeavours, must be sought for in the promises of God made & performed to his gracious Servants, and also in our own free Wills, and the preseverance of them in Grace daily and minutely begged of Him in Prayer. 
Luke 19.26. 1 Cor. 15. ult. 2 Pet. 2.9. Phil. 1.6.  God first gives us grace to ask, then commands us to ask, then helps our Infirmities in ask, and promises he will give if we ask as he hath bid us; if then our wants be not supplied, where will the fault lie but in ourselves? Grace is cheaply enough obtained, if it may be had for the ask, and increased for the using.  
But being you speak of Gods not accepting your Person, as if that had so necessary and immediate an influence upon all your practice, that not only nothing were accepted without it, but every thing for it and from it; we will a little consider that expression, as it is used in Scripture, with reflection upon the erroneous doctrine wherein you seem to me to be (I believe unwittingly) involved.  
To accept any one's person hath in Scripture a twofold sense: sometimes it is taken in a good sense, but not often, so in 1 Sam. 25.35. where David being interceded with by the eloquence, wisdom, and presence of Abigail, changeth his determination of destroying her Husband Nabal and his Family, and this is there called an accepting of her Person. In a bad sense it is more usually found, so God forbids the Ministers of Justice to accept men's Persons: Leu. 16.15. and in this sense it is, that God will not accept the Persons of Men, 2 Sam. 14.14. Mat. 22.16. Gal. 2.6. yea in this sense the Person of God Himself may be, but must not be accepted, as in Job. 13.7, 8. Will ye speak wickedly for God, and talk deceitfully for him? will ye accept His person? wherein Job admonisheth his Friends that they should not argue for God (with opinion thereby to vindicate his Justice) from false Allegations of Jobs Hypocrisy. So do those men, who equivocate, or lie, steal, rob, commit Sacrilege and murder for God's glory, etc. accept the person of God.  
When therefore the Phrase of [accepting of men's persons] is used in a good sense, it signifies thus much, that the person of such a man in conjunction with his good qualifications, or deserts, is accepted & rewarded: but when it signifies to a bad sense, than it imports thus much; that such a Man is accepted, favoured, or rewarded, without any intuition of his Qualifications be they good or evil; this is Partiality and Injustice, and we may not use it even for God himself.  
Now by your Objection, I conceive, you believe that he is an Accepter of Persons in this last sense, viz. an absolute Elector, who out of the mass of Mankind corrupted, did by virtue of his Sovereign power, and Omnipotent will, irrespectively choose some few men's Persons, and reprobate Myriad of others, without any previsional regard to their Works, expressly contrary to that of Saint Paul, Gal. 2.6. where the Apostle says, that God respects no Man's person, (the Gentiles being as eligible in God's eye, as the lineal seed of Abraham, of which the Jews could not easily be persuaded;) neither james nor Peter who seemed to be Pillars, being preferred and respected before Saint Paul, (a late abortive Convert,) by Him who seethe not as Man seethe. And therefore if God hath not elected some, and reprobated others, without prevision and Intuition of their Qualifications; as foreseeing what good, or what bad, or what noose men would make of Grace given, and consequently, thereby assure or divest themselves of the Advantages and Privileges of Gods common Love to Mankind; your fear of not being accepted, because God hath from all Eternity some Quarrel or No Love to your Person, is not only frivolous, but dangerous, and in itself destructive of all your Labours and Endeavours for eternal Life; keeping them under the dismal, and false Apprehension of Tyranny in the Divine Majesty, which the Heathens themselves rejected, under the Notion of Superstition.  
To be short, I shall only confront the Answer of God to Cain, Gen. 4.7. (whom I believe the Assertors of that Doctrine have ever held to be a Reprobate) against the strongest Argument that may be used for inducing and confirming the belief of this prosopoleptical way of electing and reprobating men, without any intuition of their good or evil deeds: [If thou do well, shall thou not be accepted?] from whence are inferred these two things; First, that Cain himself might have offered an acceptable Sacrifice to God as well as Abel; and Secondly, if he had done so, he had been accepted by God, as well as was his brother. So that it was not any Quarrel and Hatred that God had to the Person of Cain irrespectively considered; but either to the evil that he had formerly done (for we cannot presume Cain to have lived without sin, till the time of the offering that Sacrifice, nor doth the Text assert, that to be the first Sacrifice, that either he, or Abel offered) or that which he had now committed in offering a Sacrifice not worthy God's acceptance at his hands.  
What reason therefore you should have to fear the success of your Labours in the Lord, upon Misprision of Personal Acceptance with God, you see by what hath been said; as also of your groundless fears of not being able to enter in at the strait Gate; our Saviour having (if you mark it) threatened, not them who strive (because he hath commanded that active, industrious way of attempting) but them who only seek, 
Luk. 13.24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  (a way of getting Heaven very different from the former) importing very little more (though no more to the purpose) than Balaams Wish, that he might die the death of the righteous. Numb. 23.10.    

OBJECTION VIII.  
But though it will follow from hence that Personal Assurance of Remission and Pardon of Sin, be not always a necessary effect of Gods pardoning of us, or our being in a way to be pardoned: yet surely it is somewhat unlikely (say you) that the clean contrary, viz. a persuasion that I shall not be pardoned, should flow from so happy a condition, as you would make me believe I am In.  

SOLUTION.  
13. IF you should throughly examine yourself; that you do thus persuade yourself, will undoubtedly appear to be false. For to what purpose do you then pray, fast, and give alms, lead a strict and severe life, etc. if you were indeed persuaded that you shall not be saved? would any one but a mad man keep on his pace, in rough, and almost impassable ways, if he were certainly assured, that he should never come to his journey's end? his feet must needs be thought to confute his tongue, if he should do thus.  
Besides how preposterous a thing were it, if you should take such sharp and severe courses, as you do, to enlarge your score, supposing all these Actions of yours should be charged by God upon your account, as so many guilded sins, as you lately termed them? But this, I think, you will have little reason to be afraid of, seeing our Saviour hath told you, that the Alms-deeds and Prayers of the Pharisees themselves were so rewarded, as they desired they should be, (viz. with the Praises and Commendation of men, Math. 6.16) and are not by him either styled sins, or threatened with any punishment, more than with the no-ground of expecting a Reward from God.  
But as concerning the pardon of our sin, it will be very useful to observe these four things. 1. That the point of Faith, concerning Remission of Sin, is, That by Christ, Remission of Sins is given to Mankind through Faith in his Blood. 2. That this Remission is not absolutely, though freely given; but doth depend upon certain Conditions or Qualifications, whereby men are made fit and capable of receiving it. 3. That the Rules as well for the means of conveying this Donation to us, as for our aptitude and capacity to receive the benefit thereof, are to be sought out and taken from the Scriptures. 4. That because many things of Importance, concerning this doctrine, are to be deduced from the Scriptures, by the Mediation of humane understanding, it is a mark both of Piety, Wisdom, and Humility, to take the Catholic Church for our Guide, and reliance therein. False Interpretations of Scripture, prove either full of Perplexity, or Danger, or both, to ourselves and others; but most especially in such Doctrines, so nearly importing our Salvation, as this of Remission of Sin doth. Therefore it is not to be regarded, by what Medums, or from what Principles your conclusions are drawn, if they be only your own: if you mean to sail securely amidst the Tempests raised in the World by such diversity of Judgements and Imaginations, embark yourself in the Universal Consentient, and Ancient Interpretations and Doctrines of the Church; and do not adventure so precious a Fraught, as is your soul, redeemed with the blood of Christ, in the tottering Boat of your own, or other men's private Interpretations of Scripture. The Church teacheth you this doctrine, viz. 1. That you are pardonable upon your Faith and Repentance. 2. That God hath promised (who cannot lie, Heb. 6.18.) that he will pardon you, if you believe and and repent. 3. That the Manifestation of Gods pardoning your sins, is at present but imperfectly, and inchoately wrought in your Heart by the Holy Ghost, and the use of Sacraments; but the full Evidence thereof is to be expected from Christ the Judge, and to be patiently, and cheerfully waited for by Faith in the promises. 4. That the Testimony of your own Spirit, arising from your sincere conversation in the doctrines of the Gospel, is the most certain Evidence, that you or any man can ordinarily expect in this life: and all this from pregnant Testimony of Scripture.  
For you, who hold a lawful and uninterrupted Succession of Ministers in the Church of Christh, you cannot but believe, that in the hands of the Church lies much of your Peace, as well as of your safety: considering the Power they have over you, Heb. 13.17. and the Power they have for you, John 20.21.22.23. and both these derived down to this present Age, and shall so continue wheresoever the Church shall be, (though there be no necessity that they should be continued wheresoever Christians are) by verof our Saviour's promise, even to the end of the World. And these powers to be pleaded for by them, and submitted unto by you, as being of Divine right; framed and appointed by the Holy Ghost, (the principal Administrator of Church-Government) for the Advantage and Edification of the Body of Christ.  
I doubt there be some, and those no inconsiderable ones, that believe this doctrine not sufficiently asserted by the Church of England, there being in the Frame and Contexture of her Church-Government, too much of the Lay, and too little of the Clergyman. And though my Judgement tells me, that there is not any Civil Magistrate on earth, be he Emperor, King or Prince, that hath so Evident, and Immediate a Commission for his Power, and the Exercise thereof, as hath the Church: yet who sees not, that both the Administration, and the Administrators of this Government are despised, save in such a subordinate way of dispensing this power, that must needs render it precarious in the eyes of ignorant men, and the Church Officers themselves, no other things, but such borrowed Hands, as by pulling, now this way, now that way, help to keep the carriage of the Civil State from overturning in rough and dangerous Descents    

OBJECTION IX.  
But you say, that could you have believed the point of Sacerdotal Absolution, and the Obligation (that seems to infer) to private Confession; you had long since enjoyed your Peace, at least you had not felt so great a trouble as now you do.  

SOLUTION.  
14. OUr Judgements no whit differ in this, for I clearly believe, that on earth, as there is no surer way to prevent men's falling into sin (especially many close Enormities) than the discreet and conscionable practice of the Duty of Confession: so is there not a more proper and undoubted way, for allaying the Troubles of mind, flowing from the guilt of Sin; then a grave and considerate Execution, of the Power of Absolving Sinners.  
I say the power of absolving Sinners; for if this Clause in his Commission stand not good by Divine Right; I know nothing a Priest can do more than other men; and am well assured, that in some part of their Office, they can do (many of them) much less. Not to signify any thing of the grief I have, for your not believing so evident Texts of Scripture, as this Doctrine is built upon; I shall endeavour to cut up your Infidelity in this point by the Roots, by a very brief Examination of these few particulars. 1. What the power of Absolving is. 2 Whether it be conveyed down to the present Pastors of the Church, in the ordinary way of commissioning them to that Function, by the Imposition of the hands of Bishops and Presbyters. 3. Of what concernment this Power is, in the Execution thereof, upon Penitent Sinners.  
1. The power of Absolving Sinners, is comprehended in one branch of the power of the Keys, viz. remitting sin: expressly mentioned in Christ's Commission given to the Apostles and their Successors, Matth. 16.19. and Joh. 20.23. which in the point in hand, as it much differs from readmitting into the Church, (that part of the power of the Keys which seems, and doth but seem to be the same with this) so is it in a Priest or Presbyter (to my Judgement) no judicial, but rather an Annuntiative act, the Priest being none of that order to whom the promise of our Saviour is made, Matth. 19.28. of sitting on twelve thrones, and judging the twelve Tribes of Israel. My reason for my opinion is, because a Priest cannot be thought to Absolve otherwise, than he can Retain (else there will be more in one, then in the other of the correlatives,) Now a Priest doth not retain sin judicially (for that is the office of the Bishop, and is only done by the sentence of Excommunication) but declaratively only, showing the Impenitents (whether collectively, or personally) that by reason of such or such Impediments, their sins are not forgiven; but not binding their sins upon them judicially, so that the Offender shall not only be obliged to repent, but also (as under the sentence of Excommunication) to sue for the removal of the Censure. Like as in the Law, one who is sued to an Outlawry for Debt, must as well procure the Writ of Outlawry against him to be reversed, as take care to pay the Debt.  
Neither do I by this, make the pronouncing of a sinner absolved, by a Priest, to be of no more efficacy then if a Layman had done it: for a power to pronounce or proclaim a Pardon in the name of a Prince, by virtue of a Commission issued out to one for that purpose, or by one to whose office it belongs so to do; is quite another thing, than the same Pardon reported by one, who hath no power and authority to proclaim the Prince's pardon.  
But if I am thought by this to infringe the power and privilege of the Sacerdotal Function, and any way to lessen the Authority of that Order; I must speak my mind freely, I do not conceive that the same words in the Ordination of a Priest, do in the Intention of the Church signify to the same latitude, as they did in the Institution of Christ, and therefore I believe a Presbyter or Priest, doth not (more, but yet as much) in this point, as the Church hath invested him with in her Ordination of him to that Function; which is the exercise of an Authority limited, as I have already said.  
However this is enough for the Penitent, for if the Priest hath Judgement (which in Reverence to the Church which hath had Inspection of his abilities we ought to believe) to discern when the Penitent is pardonable, you cannot deny but he hath authority committed unto him, in God's Name, and from his Word, to let the Penitent know, not only that he is pardonable, but that God will undoubtedly pardon him, and all such as he is; in case of their Perseverance in their Repentance.  
2. As for the second thing proposed, viz. whether this power be so conveyed down, etc. it is strange, me thinks, it should be any matter of scruple to you. For if you had not some prejudice to every thing that relates to pardon of Sin, I would ask you (and do verily suppose should go away without an answer) whether you believe a Presbyter hath power to consecrate the Elements in the blessed Sacrament, by virtue of this Ordination? and whether a Layman can do as much therein, if he should take the Common prayer Book, and read over the Bread and Wine, the Form of the Consecration? I know you believe the later as much as you believe the former. What hinders then, that this branch of power should not be conferred upon him in his Ordination? The Authority conferred upon the Church by Christ is the same in both, and both are by the Church (with due Limitation) invested on the Presbyter in his Ordination. And good reason it should be so, for I doubt not that the Sacrament ought (regularly) to be administered to none but absolved persons; as none were to eat the Passover, but those who were clean from all Legal pollutions. We see that the Presbyterians, and all other Sectaries amongst us, are so tender of this point, that they are so far from lessening the Authority of their Church-officers in this particular, (or at least of the whole Church as they please to term it) that they are much more rigid and severe, in executing a Power like this, of their own making, then ever the Bishops were, in putting the power Christ undoubtedly gave them, in execution. But I need not say much of this second branch to one of your persuasion.  
3. Lastly, if you desire to know what advantage, this is to a Penitent? I answer, that if a Penitent do but believe, as much of the Priest's authority (though I shall be thought no very great friend to the enlargement of it) as I have asserted; viz. an Annnnciative power from God not only to declare men Pardonable (as he doth in preaching the Gospel) but to pronounce them pardoned, upon inspection of their faith and repentance, as he doth in giving them absolution; he shall not only receive comfort, by the Priests assuring him of the safety of his condition, and of his redintegration into grace and favour with God; but shall enjoy the benefit of his prayers, whom God hath appointed to that Duty most especially, and whom he hath promised to accept: together with the Blessing of the Priest (Blessing him in God's stead as well as in God's name) a favour which nothing but some lend Hophni's, and Phinees amongst the Clergy. Numb. 6.23.27. but multitudes of profane Esau's amongst the Laity, could have had the skill or luck to have rendered so contemptible as we see it is, the punishment whereof (as likewise of Despising the Persons and Offices of such whom God hath appointed to serve at the Altar of Blessing, in many other particulars) both this present and many future unreformed Ages shall (as well as have some passed times) undoubtedly bear, even to the removal of the Golden Candelstick from among them.  
That thus a Priest is enabled to do, is clear from the Form of Absolution, appointed in the Liturgy of our Church to be used in the Visitation of the sick, wherein as the Authority of the Church in that point, as also of the Priest, are plainly asserted, so is it matter of wonder, that so many Legal Protestants have such a slender respect for an important and necessary duty, it is not to be believed that either that Power of the Priest that form of absolution, and the Duty of Confession are reserved to be huddled up in so troublesome an hour, and all the time of health passed over without any inquiry into our Accounts: the Church enjoins it to be used then, but doth not forbid the use of it at other times. My advice to you is that if you desire the recovery of your own Peace of conscience; you put this Duty in practice more frequently, and see that your Ghostly Father, do his Duty in this and no other form of Absolution, (I mean any of his own making) lest by some error he may seem to do more than his power will permit him, or not do as much as the Church hath enjoined.    

OBJECTION X.  
You will say perhaps what settlement of Conscience by a Sacerdotal Absolution? seeing the Priest can but see, with the eyes of a Man, and hath no Knowledge of my heart; which is so Deceitful, that it is a very great difficulty, for any man to find it out, though it lodge in his own breast, and if he had knowledge thereof, yet is the Act but Ministerial, not Dispoticall, and who knows whether God will confirm it or no.  

SOLUTION.  
15. THe Priest seethe but as man seethe, but he may see what you see not, and judge better of what he sees then every common person, seeing the lips of the Priest do preserve knowledge. If therefore he have understanding to discern and judge aright of what he sees, (as you must suppose he hath, else you will (at least) condemn yourself of an unreasonable choice) it is your buisiness, to lay your Soul before him; and to acquaint him throughly, and truly, with your Condition: if you fail in this (and consequently the Act be done under an error) the blame hereof will light on none but yourself. And as for the knowledge of your ways, there is no doubt but if St. Paul's Rule be true, though nothing else without us but God doth, yet the Spirit of a man doth know the things of a man, 1 Cor. 2.11. and the heart may be Emptied to the very bottom, by such rules as a judicious prudent and pious Confessor shall prescribe.  
But in the later part of your Objection, I am sorry to hear any question made of God's confirmation of that due and necessary Act of Absolution made in His name, and by virtue of a Commission derived from him. Any thing of this nature amongst men, would sound too infamous, especially if fixed upon such Persons who have the Power and Honour of Giving commissions to other men. To question God's faithfulness, is a sin of infidelity, and he that hath promised under the second covenant, he will remember our Sins and Iniquities no more, Heb. 8.12. i e. of such as embrace the Gospel preached unto them.  
14. To conclude my Answer fully to these two last Objections, I suppose, that because we have no visible bloody Sacrifice, nor a most-holy (on Earth) into which the Highpriest may enter with blood for his own and our Sins, it is therefore a matter of difficulty in your judgement to be ascertained of the way of obtaining pardon for Sinners under the Gospel; the means of doing it being so secret and invisible, and the Threaten (in case it be not done) so open and terrible.  
The Apostle tells us plainly, That jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever: Heb. 13.8. which imports not only the immutability of Gods accepting Christ, as the meritorious cause of Remission of Sins, but also the unchangeableness of that method, whereby this Kingdom of Christ under the Gosper is administered. For this later, which most concerns your case, the Apostle tells you, that Christ ever lives to make intercession for us, Heb. 7.25. this being the most considerable part of his Office in the administration of his mediatory Kingdom. This jatercession for us, i e. the Church in general, and each one in particular, being his own immediate Act in Heaven, (and prefigured unto us by the High-priests going into the Most-holy, once only in every year, Heb. 9.8.) doth consist of two branches, because it supposeth that we have need of two things, Justification and Sanctification, therefore doth our Highpriest intercede with his Father for two things; for 1. pardon of Sin, for 2. grace of Obedience, or holy living; and these not intermitted, but continued Acts of intercession for us, to the end of our lives, and for all unto the end of the world.  
And this Act of Christ's Intercession for pardon is two fold; First a preventive act of Intercession, (or rather the beginning of an Act continued to higher degrees) whereby Christ doth intercede with God for us, that the Legal forfeiture of our lives by sin, may not be taken immediately after the Fact; and also that Grace of Repentance may be given us: of this nature I conceive that Intercessional prayer of our Saviour, Luk. 23.34. Father forgive them, they know not what they do. Where though the giving to such men Repentance be not expressed, yet is it (questionless) employed, because without Repentance they cannot be pardoned. The second branch of this Act is a subsequent mediatory act of prayer, or [Plea] with God (for so much the word Advocate will bear, (if any man sin, we have an Advocate, etc.) on the behalf of the sinner repenting; whereby Pardon is procured for him, upon God's Foresight, that his Contrition and Repentance will be sincerely continued, by the virtue and efficacy of the grace of perseverance, which is interceded for by Christ, and obtained, upon the Penitents using the former measure of assisting grace; and this, as a blessing upon, and a reward of his sincere endeavours of obedience.  
This later branch of Christ's intercession for pardon, is that, whereby Christ the Mediator doth receive into his protection, the humiliating acts of a penitent soul, perfuming the Tears and prayers of such a one, with clouds of his own most precious Incense; and together with his own, offering them to Almighty God, as the fruits of his former Mediation, and an earnest of that enlargement of his Church, which, as it is the travail of his soul, jai. 53.11. which he delights to see, so will it be the joy of the holy Angels in the presence of God.  
16. Upon this Intercession of Christ, depends our pardon of Sin, and renovation by Grace: from hence it is, that all but Apostates, and such as cease not to do despite to the Spirit of God, by a continued presumptuous and malicious course of Sinning, receive a benefit apportionate to their several Stations and Degrees. And that you have no reason to think yourself rejected, into the fatal portion of them, (being indeed the purchase of the sinner himself, thus cruel to his own soul) who have no advantage, (nay not the greatest of all) by this Intercession of Christ: your Eyes filled with your Tears, and your Ears deafened with your own Sighs, your Hands so busy in distributing Alms, your Feet so Active in visiting the Sick, and your Knees made callous (like the Primitive Saints) with frequent Praying, are a sufficient witness to yourself, and to all the world beside.    

OBJECT. XIII.  
But you Reply. Did not Esau seek the Blessing with Tears, and yet missed of it.  

SOLUTION.  
17. BUt I presume you think St. Paul hath put this Objection into your mouth; but if you please to survey the place in Hebr. 12.16, 17. you shall find that this doth not reach you, unless you have at any time sold the blessing for a mess of pottage, i. e. renounced your interest in the land of Promise, (the precious promises of the Gospel,) for the enjoyment of that Plenty, Honour, peace, etc. the Pomp's and vanities of this wicked World; I say renounced your part and interest in the Merits and Mediation of Christ; and that not indirectly and remotely (as all who are guilty of wilful sins in some measure do) but orally, scandalously and treacherously; which (I presume) you will not forge, and charge upon yourself; though your fancy hath a large Shop, and many Tools to work with.  
Seeing then, that by virtue of that preventional act of intercession, (lately mentioned) you have not been cut off in your sins; but have your life given unto you for a prey; and withal, Grace for Repentance unto life, which like good Physic, by reason of a mass of crude humours in the Stomach) doth thus work somewhat violently in your soul; why should you doubt that other subsequent Act of Christ's Intercession, whereby your pardon will be obtained? hath God pleasure in the death of him that dyeth? doth not he swear he hath not? Ezek. 33.11. and hath the Divine Majesty so far lost his credit with you, as not to be beiveled upon his oath? can he which is Love it self, not only scorn, but hate the Prostrations of a Sinner? that Sinner, whose eyes would be content to pour out Rivers of blood before the throne of Grace, to obtain a Reconciliation with the offended Majesty of Heaven? even that Reconciliation which Himself prays from us men, by the Ambassadors of his Holy Gospel, as St. Paul hath told us, 2 Cor. 5.20. O do not thus struggle to deprive yourself of your interest, and share in those merciful embraces, which hasten to meet, and not fly from Repenting Sinners!    

OBJECT. XIV.  
But yet still, me thinketh, my Sins are such, as God cannot in Justice pass by; his promises are too precious to belong to me; more temperate Sinners, and such who have not so violenced the Law of God, and provoked his Long-fuffering, may (doubtless) have the benefit of them: but as for me, why should not my Lot be with them, who but for ten times provoking were for ever secluded the Land of Promise.  

SOLUTION.  
18. YOur Charity is very commendable, that can make you believe so much for others, and so little for yourself: but you should do well to remember, that the Attributes of the Divine Majesty, may not be limited by us; not that I think any one so foolish, as to attempt it in respect of their nature, which is impossible; but in respect of their effects which to do is sinful, they are infinite in their own nature, and must be so in our esteem: to say God cannot forgive your sins, is a sin against his power and justice; to say he will not (where he hath promised) is a sin against his truth and goodness. His goodness hath made him promise that he will do it; and that he might make this promise good, he hath provided a full satisfaction to his justice, and all this as much before us, as without us, and this limited as fully and as largely to you, as to any other Christian in the world.  
This you cannot but see, in that most comfortable and full affirmation of the Apostle. Heb. 2.9. When he tells you plainly that it was the design of God's Grace. That Christ should taste death for every man: and God so loved the World (saith St. John. cap. 3.16.) That he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish but have everlasting life.  
As for that example of God's wrath upon the Provoakers, (which you think doth so nearly concern you, because you have sinned wilfully more than ten times;) you must give me leave to tell you, that you are very unfortunate in your application of Scripture; this example not reaching home to your case, indeed overreaching it more than Jonathans' third arrow did the Lad that fetched the other two. 1 Sam. 20. For the Caution given by the Apostle to the Hebrews, in that place is, that they take care of falling away from the Gospel, upon temptations or persecutions; and so after the example of many already fallen from the faith of Christ, should become Apostates; whereby they might be sure that the promises of the Gospel, should be no matter of advantage to them, because they should be as certain never to enter in God's rest; as were those provoakers in the Wilderness, who for tempting God so often, were finally by God's Oath excluded, from all hopes of entering into the Land of Canaan; their Carcasses falling in the Wilderness, as the trophies of God's vengeance upon them, for their infidelity of his power, and goodness, and promise.  
This (I doubt not) doth clearly appear unto you (unless you have engaged never to repudiate your pregnant fancy, how Spurious soever her conceptions are) to be of no concernment to your case: who carry in your breast, so many witnesses of your belief of the Gospel, especially the threatening part of it, that (as your posture is for the present) to fear your Apostasy from the faith of Christ; were an apprehension too remote from all excuses allowable even to persons of your temper.    

OBJECTION  
Yet who knows but I may fall away? I am not yet persuaded that I shall be saved.  

SOLUTION.  
19 THough my prayer to God for you is that you may not be so persuaded totally, and finally, yet if any one should be so, it doth not therefore follow, that such a one is fallen from the faith of the Gospel: for the belief of this is so far from being a disbelief of the Gospel of Christ, that it is not so much a direct disbleif of any part of the word of God; because God hath no where declared by special affirmation, that such a man shall be saved. But be it that you were persuaded that you should be saved, neither of these two things would follow thereupon, either first, therefore I shall infallibly be saved, or 2. I am assured that I shall never be an Apostate, because I thus believe, for what text of Scripture doth affirm this proposition, viz. he that is firmly persuaded that he shall be saved, shall never become an Apostate? or this, he that believeth he shall be saved, shall infallibly be saved?  
In a word, had you an Assurance of your salvation absolutely, and unconditionately given unto you, by all the Divines in the world; yet was this but an humane assurance, and could amount to no more, but a testimony from men, the stability whereof would be as demonstrable as their own mortality, being the evidence of this Proposition [you shall infallibly be saved] is taken from the will of God's purpose concerning that man, to which secret will, of the Divine Majesty, matters that concern God's prescience do belong, though indeed the conditional assur ance of any man's salvation, doth relate to his revealed will.    

OBJECTION. XIV.  
But doth not St. Paul. tell us Rom. 8.16. That the Spirit itself beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the Children of God? I want both these testimonies of my Adoption, that of the Spirit of adoption and that of mine own Spirit witnessing that I am a Child of God: surely then my condition is not such as it ought to be, and as I desire it should be.  

SOLUTION.  
20. THat this Epistle of S. Paul (and especially the 7th. 8th. and 9th. Chapters) hath in it some things that are hard to be understood, those Esau, and Jacob-like contests in the Bowels of the Church about the meaning thereof, do sufficiently witness: I pray God that we may all of us, in the heat and animosity of our disputes, have an eye to that example of admonition St. Peter mentions of those in his times who being unlearned and unstable, did wrest those and other Scriptures to their own destruction. 2 Pet. 3.16.  
But I am persasaded better things of you, and such as accompany salvation. And therefore to give you a full and tender account of your objection, I conceive it consists of 3. branches. 1. You suppose that every Child of God hath testimony that he is such. 2. that the Scripture asserts the testimony to be twofold one the testimony of the Spirit of adoption, the other the testimony of his own Spirit. and 3. that you want both these and therefore hastily conclude that you are not the child of God. To these I shall answer distinctly thus.  
1. I do affirm with your supposition that every child of God, hath testimony, or witness, that he is such. I shall give you but one place for all, 1 Joh. 3.9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin i. e. he is such a one as keeps a sincere Eye upon himself in respect of all, especially of deliberate sins.  
2. In the 2d. I am likewise of your judgement, that this testimony is the testimony of the Spirit of adoption, and of his own Spirit; but whether it be necessary that a child of God have both these testimonies, giving the like full and joint evidence for his sonship; and therefore till such full and joynt-evidence be given to him, he really is not (and therefore ought not to repute himself) a child of God is more than matter of doubt with you having (it seems) indissolvably espoused the negative part. But I doubt you do not rightly apprehend what the Apostle doth mean by [the self same, or the Spirit itself bearing witness] with our Spirit, to me he seems to mean one or rather all of these 3. things, either 1. The Witness of Scripture (which in the testimony of the Spirit of God) that such as believe in Christ Jesus, i. e. receive him as their Priest Prophet and King, are infallibly adopted into God paternal Relation to Christ Jesus, the adoption by Grace, as truly interessing those believers in God's Paternity, as doth the Divine Nature Christ himself according to that of St. John. cap. 1.12. As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. and this testimony have all the sons of God, or all true believers. Secondly it may signify the aeconomy of the Gospel in opposition to that of the Jews, whose state or condition, was that of Servitude; as ours under the Gospel is a state of Freedom they Servants, we Sons: they full of the Spirit of bondage, engendered from Sinai, we filled with the Spirit of adoption, flowing from Zion: Gal. 4.25. a sufficient evidence whereof is the divers Methods that God hath made use of, in delivering the System, or Rules of either dispensation unto both People. A 3d sense may be this; the Apostle may intent by the Testimony of the Spirit in God's Children, that Inclination and dust of Obedience which Gods Children do, (though not all of them in the same measure) feel in their hearts, sweetening their natures, and bringing them gently to a complyableness with the Precepts of the Gospel, and a putting their necks most willingly into the yoke of Christ, his Commandments being no whit grievous to them, 1 Jo. 5.3. like as yokes are very troublesome to Beasts not accustomed thereto, (as the Prophet speaks of the Jews, Jer. 31.18. I was chastised as a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoke;) but to such whose necks have been used to draw in them, yokes are no way dreadful, or troublesome. In the first of these senses, the word Spirit must be taken personally, for the third Person in the ever Blessed and Glorious Trinity: in the 2d it must be taken tropically, the word not signifying in the natural and proper sense thereof, but yet not without example, Rom. 8.2. 2 Cor. 3.6. Gal. 4.29. in the 3d sense it must signify metonymically, the effect of the Spirit being called by the name of him that works that blessed effect in the Souls of God's Children.  
In the first and second of these senses, the Testimony of the Spirit is communicated to all true Christians; but in the third I know lies the ground of your exception: but because I shall have occasion to speak somewhat afterward directly to this point, be pleased for the present to remember, that I have told you, that this inclination to obedience, the dust of the Gospel is not alike efficacious upon all the children of God, this Spirit being not given in the same measure to all the Sons of God.  
As to the third branch of your Objection, (rather but one part of it) viz. the want of the Testimony of your own Spirit, that might witness (together with the other) that you are the Child of God; to give full satisfaction therein, we must inquire into 1. the meaning of the word [Spirit] in this place. 2. What the Testimony thereof is. And of 3. what Authority in a business of this Importance the Testimony of a man's own Spirit is.  
For the first; the word [Spirit] in this place must signify (I conceive) one of these two things: either first, some noble and sublime Essence, presiding in a Christian, either as a Distinct subsistence from that, which is one of the essential constitutive principles of every man; or else as the Celestial and more Seraphical part of the Soul, informing, ordering, and governing the rational faculties in all Spiritual and Divine things. And in this sense it must be conceived to have some Resemblance with the office of the Imaginative faculty; which being seated betwixt the outward senses and the Understanding, conveys the Species of all sensible objects to the Intellectual faculty, being itself of a middle nature, betwixt rational and sensible. To one of these senses (I judge) those Divines refer their opinions, who assert man to consist of 1. Spirit, 2. Soul, and 3. body: unless by [Soul] in this tripartite division, they understand an Essence capable of no other offices in Man, but the performance of sensitive and vegitative operations. Or 2ly the word [Spirit] in this place may signify (and me thinks not at all incongruously) some excellent gift of the Holy Ghost, infused from above in our Baptism, into the Souls of Christians, whereby they are not only made capable of receiving divine Revelations, and things above Reason, but likewise inclined, and encourain the performance of all those things which God requires at their hands, to render them capable of obtaining the further inestimable degrees of his Love and Favour to Mankind. And therefore 2ly the Testimony of any man's Spirit, is that Evidence which it gives concerning the whole Series of his conversation, in reference to those principles of Faith and Obedience which God hath given him, in his revealed Will, as the Grounds and Rules of his Practice. The 3d Authenticness of which Testimony doth manifest itself to every man, partly by the known truth of the things attested, which are not concealed from him, but represented as the things of himself; and partly from that power which God hath over it, not only in rectifying any Errors thereof, but likewise in showing himself merciful toward us, in such things, wherein such a Testimony is not for, but against us. This Testimony you (say you) want, because you find not any Witness in yourself that you are a Child of God.  
I conceive it is not impossible for your Spirit to give this Testimony, though you have deafened your ear to it, and take it for some deception of flesh and blood, or a delusion of Satan, using all the Devices he can, to ensnare you in carnal security: but whether it be thus or no, I shall advise you to endeavour to elicit and call up this Testimony by that which is the Test of it: Do you continue in any wilful course of deliberate sin? what know you by yourself? are you still guilty of any of those sins which in the judgement of the Apostle render a man uncapable of any inheritance with the Children of God? if you are; then look not for this Testimony till you have repent, and amended your life; nor then neither for it presently, until such time as you have good experience of your Resolutions, how they have held out in the time of trial and Temptation, and that the greatest and sharpest that in all likelihood may happen unto you. But if you are not thus guilty (as for my part I believe you a re not) of any mortal sin reigning in your body; go to the Rule with this argument in your mouth: The Holy Spirit of God saith, Whosoever is born of God doth not sin [wilfully and deliberately] Joh. 3.9. But upon a strict survey of myself, I find that I do not commit any such sin. Therefore I am borne of God.  
Upon the Truth of the middle Proposition depends the validity of this Testimony of your Spirit; for the major is infallible, and the Conclusion is undoubtedly true, upon supposition that there be no such sin, either of omission or commission, in your conversation, which may exclude you from your Sonship: But yet for as much as the Apostle doth tell us, that though he knew nothing by himself, yet was he not thereby justified; we ought in reason to lay no more weight on this disquisition and search of ourselves, than it will bear: for our Knowledge being imperfect, this search and inquiry into our own ways cannot be absolutely perfect: and consequently we subject to errors therein: yet is it most certain, that if we do it in sincerity of heart, without partiality to ourselves; not only, not allowing in our practice any the smallest sin, but by deeds of Mortification, earnestly, and faithfully endeavouring to subvert the power of it; we have the Faith of the Divine Majesty to rely on, in the Tenor of the Gospel, not exacting unsinning obedience under pains of eternal death, from those who shall be reputed, and rewarded as the Children of God.    

OBJECT. XV.  
But if I were a Child of. God, I cannot but in reason expect a more compliable temper with the Laws of Christ, than I find in myself: even to those things, from which I actually do abstain, I perceive in myself most violent, and strong inclinations; so that I have no Comfort from the Victory over my Lusts; such murmur and regrets I have in myself, for not letting lose the Rains of my corrupt Nature.  

SOLUTION.  
21. MY answer to this Objection will likewise discharge your expectation of what I promised more fully to speak, in reference to that (supposed) exception you would have against yourself, from the third sense I suggested unto you, which the Apostle might intent, by the Testimony of the Spirit, in that of the Romans lately mentioned.  
It is not to be denied by any the Greatest Saint upon earth, but that he feels in himself the Contests of two contrary Principles, Flesh and Spirit, the old and new man: and evident I presume it is, that from hence arises very much of their trouble who have tender and good natures, but weak and disordered Judgements. For first, many of those Christians do conclude, that all, even the first motions to sin, which they feel in themselves, how suddenly, and impetuously soever rejected by their Spirits, do yet leave some dangerous guilt sticking upon their Consciences. And 2ly that the state of a Christian liable to such motions against the Law of God, springing from corrupt nature in him is wholly deplorable and forlorn; these being most sure marks of his unregeneracy.  
Concerning the first of these; though there be many very judicious and pious Divines, that are of a contrary judgement acknowledging no more in these motions to sin, than an jnfelicity accompanying the nature of the holiest men in this life; affording indeed matter of humility, to all the Children of God, but not aspersing them with any guilt: yet if your judgement run along with those of the other persuasion, I shall not Endeavor to alter your opinion; it being long since imbibed (I believe) and therefore not only difficultly changed, but almost impossible to be clearly eradicated out of your mind; and consequently; may be a means not of lessening, but enlarging your Troubles: yet would I desire you to retain your own Persuasion, with this grain of Salt, viz. that those Motions are but sins of Infirmity and Venial, which have pardon of course under the Gospel to all the Children of God; it not being possible that they can live in the Flesh, without such Motions to sin, unless you will suppose them capable of living in a state of Impeccability, a not-sinnable condition in this World; for that such Motions must in reason be supposed to be in all persons lapsible (as was Adam and all his Sons,) being that indeliberate sins, as well as sins of a slower fermentation in men's Souls, must be preceded by such Motions of their Appetites, as naturally and as necessarily, as the collision of Flints must be before the emission of fire.  
As for the second, such Motions as these how vile and irregular soever they are, (Blasphemies having the same mint with Fornication, Adulteries, Murders, as our Saviour telleth us, Mat. 15.19.) yet being (as we have said) immediately, and with Indignation rejected by us, are no marks of an unregenerate Man, but rather the contrary: For do not we Christians engage in a warfaring life against the Flesh, the World, and the Devil? is not the Holy man, he that leads a virtuous and religilife, a Conqueror? and is there a Conqueror where there is no Enemy; have we weapons, spiritual ones, put into our hands, to beat the Air withal? are not these Motions the enmity of the Flesh, which we are engaged to oppose and destroy, that Amalek, with which we must have war for ever? I mean whilst we live in this World. And must it pass for a Character of Treason or Cowardice, (and not rather a note of Infelicity) to be daily surrounded with multitudes of these Philistims, which yet (like David) a valiant Christian destroys by ten thousands at a time? if this be that Shibboleth, and Test of discerning and distinguishing the good from the bad, Heaven will be filled with none but Angels, and those innocent Creatures, whose good hap it was to die whilst their ignorance of Good and Evil (like the Children of the Ninivites) might give them undeniable pretensions to the crown of Glory.  
Should you therefore condemn yourself, for that such Duels and Battles as these are daily fought in your Breast, for that Plots and Conspiracies against the Kingly Government of your Appetites, are daily detected and prevented; the Plotters and Conspirators subdued, chastised, and kept under by an high hand; should you, I say, condemn yourself for this, you would in that sentence condemn the Generation of God's Children; the main difference betwixt spiritual and carnal Men and Women lying in this, (not that one sort feels not contest with Motions to sin, the other have Souls daily clouded and pestered with such Locusts) Gal. 5.16. but one of them, viz. spiritual Men do conquer and subdue, but carnal Men and Women do yield to, and are vanquished by these Lusts.  
Honour and commendation are not only due to Fortitude, but do foment and cherish that Virtue: take you heed therefore that that be not appliable to you, which the valiant and wise General of King David's Army foretold him upon his sour entertainment of his Soldiers, after their Victory over Absolom (the King's Darling as much as Enemy,) 2 Sam. 19.7. You ought to encourage yourself in God, and bless and praise him by whose Grace it is that you are thus victorious, and that for the praise of his Glory, as the Apostle doth more than once intimate in Eph. 1.12, 14.    

OBJECTION. XVI.  
But how then is my Nature changed, where is that new Creature, created after God in Righteousness and true Holiness? What Renovation by the Spirit, if such Motions to Sin as these, crowd in upon the Soul of a regenerate Christian? I cannot but be persuaded it was much otherwise with the Apostle, and is so still with Holy men, though not with me.  

SOLUTION.  
22. THe Anatomy of every, or any single Christians Soul, with the true state and posture of his Mind you cannot certainly know, unless the person may be presumed, not only to speak truth, but throughly to understand his own condition in this point, even as St. Paul did. But certain enough it is, that Holy men extraordinarily inspired by God, have grievously complained of the guilt of Sin, and of their exceeding great troubles for it, even to distraction, Ps. 88.15. neither of which could possibly happen unto them, (the later being the fruit and effect of the former) with these precedaneous motions to fin.  
Besides, let the Thoughts, Words, and Deeds of the holiest person which you would instance in, be sifted to the bottom, and some bran will be found in them, some chaff will be winnowed out of the heap of his conversation; even since that time, that he hath had some comfortable assurance of his good Estate: but all this is not only tryable by experience, but by Rules and Grounds of Divinity, which have proportion with the Analagy of Faith.  
23. The new Creature, or the Regenerate man who doth sincerely endeavour to perfect Holiness in the fear of God, doth not pass into this estate, by any physical and natural, but by a spiritual and moral change; the principles of Motion and Operation in him, continuing not only the same, but still liable to the same Errors in working as before; otherwise (as we have already said) his state must be a state of Impeccability, which was never in our earthly Tabernacle but once, when Christ Jesus took our nature upon him: in whom, though the humane nature was lapsible, because otherwise he had not been made in all things like unto us, Sin only excepted, Heb. 2.17. (which lapsability is not,) yet by reason of the hypostalical union of the Humane and Divine nature in his Person; he could not only not fall but feel no Motion to the least sin, neither was Guile found in his mouth.  
So then, by reason the faculties in the Soul remain the same, after, as before conversion, (as that man doth will Virtue with the same Individual will, wherewith before he did will Vice: he doth love God with the same natural power of affecting, wherewith before he loved the World.) It must follow, that the Soul and her Appetites, as well concupiscible as irascible, being still physically the same; the change is only in these 3 things especially, the 1. cause, 2. manner, and 3. end of their operation. The Moral cause, (if I may so term it) by the efficiency whereof the Will and her Appetites are in a Regenerate man moved to act, upon the proposal of any object, is that Tincture of Grace, which is cast into the Soul by the blessed Spirit of God: which is a kind of Principium motus & quietis in Moral, as Nature is in things Natural, mingling itself into every faculty of the Soul, apprehending in the Intellectual, willing or nilling in the Elective power, governing and guiding the Affections in all their Operations, both of aversation and desire, being so perfectly assimilated to the nature of the Soul, that (as is the Soul in which it dwells) Grace is better apprehended by her operation in Regenerate men, than defined in its essence: something there is that moves them to Act, not only so contrary to others, but even to themselves whilst unregenerate, Rom. 6.21. (as the contrary effects of Glory and Shame in the same Persons, flowing from the same Acts, though under a different state doth evidence) but to define what this is, whether a substance or a quality, whether an Act, or any Assistant form, may (possibly) appear a difficulty so much the greater, by how much the more solidly it is inquired into.  
As for the manner of a Regenerate man's working by Grace, it is regular, according to that order which God himself hath fixed in our Nature, Reason being the Judge of all our Actions, uncorrupted by any prepossession, passion, or interest, which are the causes of all disorderly Actions of the Soul, invading by force or stratagem, the more noble and rational faculties, whereby Unregenerate men are carried (vertiginously) about with divers Lusts, as well as with every wind of Doctrine, Eph. 4.14. which is a lust in the Understanding, and so the more dangerous, as are Diseases that fix themselves in the vital parts, and in circular motion, we know that each part of the Orb hath a vicissitude of Superiority: but in the Soul of man Reason ought to be fixed in the highest seat, the deepest mysteries of Faith no way deposing this Queen Regent from her Dignity, but only exacting from her that Homage and Fealty which is due to Divine Revelations, and the Assistances of the Spirit acting herein spiritual and heavenly things.  
And lastly, for the change that is wrought in the end of a Regenerate man's Actions, that which he now ultimately and chief aims at, is the manifestation of God's Glory: and the subordinate end of all his Endeavours, is his own, and the salvation of other men's Souls: but with men of unchanged Natures, as Nature in a state of Corruption is the Principle from which they work, and their Manner wholly enormous; so is their end ever their self, even in that worse sense, wherein an obedience; and captivity to all, or some kinds of carnal Lusts, for satisfaction of the unreasonable and brutish part in them is signified, in opposition to that manual of Gospel-Duties, (as I may call it) abridged into that most comprehensive Notion of Self-denial.  
Briefly then, if you will but observe the Principal efficient of your moral Actions, the manner and end of doing them, I trust you will be able to see so great a contrariety betwixt those of the Unregerate, and Regenerate life, that you will without any just cause of doubt as freely assert the spiritual Life you lead, from the vigour and energy of that New Nature in you; as you do the Natural life you live, by the power of the Old Nature, in a physical sense.    

OBJECTION. XVII.  
But me thinketh [say you] I may and aught to be a much better Christian than I am.  

SOLUTION.  
24. NO moral duty (like Mathematical proportions) doth consist in an indivisible point. That which we judge to be the worst may yet be worse, and that which we take to be the best may yet be better, if done by any Creature not impeccable. Eschew Evil, and do Good is the rule of holy living, Ps. 34.13. which he that sincerely doth, needeth not be scrupulous and critically inquisitive into every single Action of his Life, though he may not be remiss and supine in doing any the most inconsiderable, whilst it is in doing.  
25. There is no Divine, that will assert the necessity of perfect and unsinning obedience under the Gospel: his own experience without the Authority of Saint John, will confute such Magisterial Theology,  it run from a pen, held by a hand of flesh and blood. All humane Actions must needs carry a proportion to the nature of the Agent by which they are effected: in all moral Actions, the intermediate Agent betwixt the Spirit of sanctification, and the material part of the Action is the Soul of Man, in which, and by which, as by a natural and voluntary Instrument, the blessed Spirit doth work: so that all moral productions must needs receive some impressions from the next, and immediate cause of their being: an Artificer never so skilful, yet the defects and ineptitude of the Instrument by which he works, may somewhat abate of the excellency of the work, unless he can suppose the Soul of Man in all her faculties to be not only regular, but inerrable; that transpiercing Eye will sinned some flaw in the most orient moral Action, which a state of Separation and Bliss might have rendered that Action free from; our very Prayers and Praises are (undoubtedly) not so perfect in this, as in the other life: and this is one reason, why till the day of Judgement Christ doth not deliver up the Kingdom to the Father: his Melchesidekian Priesthood continuing in (my opinion) till that time, both for the Quick and Dead, that they may have their Perfect Consummation and bliss in everlasting glory: this the Church prays for, and for what the Body prays, the Head doth undoubtedly intercede.    

OBJECT. XVIII.  
But me thinketh (say you) I may do more good than I do.  

SOLUTION.  
26. COncerning the measure of well-doing, if it were in Moral positive precepts of Gods revealed Will, there needs nothing more be said, but that of our Saviour, These aught to be done, Matth. 23.23. But because such doubts or Scruples, that afflict your mind, are most likely to arise from those duties, which are prescribed only in gross; but the Quotum or measure left to our own prudence to determine, as Fasting, Prayer, Alms, etc. I shall only insist upon these, there being no tolerable doubt or scruple to be made concerning the other, which oblige ad semper, at all times, and in their full measure.  
But you must take notice, that it is not possible that part cular Rules and Directions can be given to all Christians, concerning these Duties, whereby all objections may be prevented: some what may be said in general, which may serve so far to direct you, and all good Christians, concerning these duties, that by observing them you may be left secure from all damnable omissions of any of these duties, and from any dangerous errors in performing them. Fasting is a duty when enjoined by public lawful Authority, and for Christian ends, and to be performed in a charitable manner, is an indispensable duty upon all, save such, with whom that Authority doth actually dispense, or may duly be supposed to be dispensable by such an Authority. But for private Fasts, how frequently they are to be observed by every one, cannot be defined without some regard had to our constitution of Body, our calling, the usual Contingencies of necessary affairs, etc. which may hinder the performance, or make it impertinent to our end. Public Fasts are less liable to errors in the performance, than private are: one reason amongst others is, because the management of every one for that time, is for the greatest part left under public circumstances of Time, Persons, Place, etc. which render the Duty more free from error and scruple in the Performance: Private acts are seldom free from private faults and inconveniencies. Now because the circumstances of Complexion, Age, Sex, Contingencies, etc. are so variable; my judgement is, that few Christians oblige themselves by Vow, (but under a pecuniary mulct to the poor they may) to the observation of weekly, voluntary fasts, making those the choicest opportunities, when they are most fit for those duties. The best conjuncture is Prayer, Fasting and Alms together, (or in those who have no corporal Alms, some spiritual Largess to the Souls of others, which all may give) these set a price upon the Service of God, and keep our Religion from being cheap and refuse, and such as costs us nothing, but the expense of a little time and breath.  
But by this I desire not to be thought to discharge the weekly days of abstinence appointed by the Church, or to commute for them, by the observation of a day of your own; for I look upon the Authority of the Church you were baptised in, as uncancelled in point of obliging you, and all others, who call yourselves the Sons and Daughters of the Church of England.  
These Cautions I shall recommend unto you, and others, in reference to the matter in hand. 1. The duties of our honest and necessary calling, (wherein men do undoubtedly serve God, when orderly and Christianly performed) may, though not wholly supersede, either out of our family, or private practice, any of these duties, yet moderate us in the practice of them. So much time spent in prayer, cannot in reason be expected, from one that subsists by his honest Calling, as from him that lives of a plentiful Revenue. 2. Diversions and recreations ought not to govern us in of respect these duties: but if they be such as require much of our time to the exercise of them (which I believe is not agreeable to Christian principles) the seasons must not be robbed away from these duties, but from something else, wherein we have a power to dispense. I do not believe that an Hunting-Match, a Cittie-Visit, or a Pack of Cards, etc. aught to exchange and alter the fittest, and usual times, and hours for prayer, (though necessary employments, deeds of Mercy and Charity may) much less abbreviate or wholly dispense with the duty. 3. If it happen that there be an opportunity of doing some duty of Piety, (as public Prayer or Sermon, etc.) in that place where you are enjoined to be an Auditor & Member of the Congregation on the Lord's day (or in any other place where you are, in case there be no Schism in the National Church) you may not absent yourself only for such Diversions and Recreations; the reason is, not only for that a guilt of omission, and also a scandal will follow from thence, but you may lose an opportunity of doing, or receiving some good at that time, which you may not have tendered to you again. To lavish away one's time is a very great imprudence (besides a sin) in any Christian; but to lose seasons and opportunities is a very great piece of guilt, as well as folly. 4. In case you have bound yourself to any of these, in respect of the measure and frequency, either by Vow, or promise, or firm Resolution (especially if by way of Revenge for former faults, 2 Cor. 7. 11.) by all means, be as projectual as you may in the observation there of: assuring yourself, that as you shall meet with the more and greater oppositions after such Vow, Promise or Resolution, so you will find much more trouble upon the not performance of the duty so vowed, promised, or resolved on; because the duty thereby becomes in its circumstances to the hic and nunc of it, of the nature of God's unchangeable precepts, and the sin of unfaithfulness is added to the omission of that duty by you. 5. You need not scruple the Condition or persuasion of the Person to whom you give in bestowing of your Alms; if you perceive the Receiver thereof be such, as by honest endeavours cannot provide for himself, and his Family in a way proportionable to the Dignity of man's Nature, you have a good aim to hit the mark of Charity; if nothing be probably suggested to the contrary, you may safely suppose any one that asketh, capable of your charitable Benevolence. 6. in giving ever have regard to that your Eye informs you, the poor Wretch stands most in need of, and which others are not so likely, or so well able to supply, as yourself. I need not mention to you any caution against vain glory, the forfeiture of your Reward in Heaven, upon our Saviour's own caution against it, will be your daily Remembrancer thereof. 7. To constant Prayers and other holy Duties in your Family, though there be no Positive command in Scripture for it, I believe you hold yourself obliged. Yet would I not have you so wedded to any form, as not being able to please yourself therein, you should wholly discharge the Duty itself, that which best opens your Wants as a Christian, and cometh home to the concernments of your own Family, is the most proper, and in all likelihood may best suit with the temper and persuasion of every Person in your House; which in this Age we live in, may not be so unanimous, as you desire. 8. In the performance of any of these (as of all other Duties) labour to show yourself of an alacrious Spirit. For being they are Free will Offerings, (at least many Acts of them may be so) it is true in all the rest, which the Apostle speaks of one of them, God loveth a cheerful Giver. 2 Cor. 9.7. 9 I shall conclude with this caution (which I desire you to make use of as a cordial, and not as a conserve to make other things glib and palatable in swallowing) remember that there is great difference betwixt the certain punishment annexed to the breach of Law, and a lesser degree of Glory in the life to come, he that soweth plentifully, shall reap plentifully; 2 Cor. 9.6, 7. though where there is no sowing at all, no Harvest (in Justice) can be expected, yet where there is this spiritual sowing the crop shall be answerable to what is sown. Though it should be every man's design, to aim at the highest degree of Glory, and yet believe that he deserves not the least: yet I would have such as are of your sad temper to consider; that there is no danger incurred, by being only capable of receiving a less reward than other men.    

OBJECTION XIX.  
But I think myself bound in Conscience to do the most and best I may, and therefore I condemn myself of sin, as  as I fail of doing that which is best.  

SOLUTION.  
27. YOur condition may be such, as that you may be utterly uncapable of doing that which is best; and consequently you ought not in reason to think yourself bound to all that is best. A single life is best, in comparison of Wedlock, (supposing the Person qualified for Coelibate:) yet if you are entered into the state of Marriage, (though you found yourself capable of living without Lust of burning) yet you must now content yourself with that state of life, and therein abide with God, 1 Cor. 7.24. doing the Duties agreeable, and proper to that kind of life. But you mean (perhaps) of such things as are yet in your choice; as to Pray in Canonical hours, as do the Regulars or Religious of the Roman Persuasion; or to give so much Alms, as may quadrupliate the proportion you have hitherto given, being able so to do. I confess I do not take it to be a fault, but a piece of Heroical Charity, if any one doth by this means, so lessen himself, in respect of his former quality, that the Place and Dignity he formerly enjoyed as his Civil Right, (provided he be no public Magistrate, which (perhaps) may alter the Case) the Port and Equipage of his living is thereby depressed, and made inglorious in the eyes of worldly men. But as I take this to be no fault, but much otherwise; so I must take leave to scruple your scruple you raise from your private belief in this point; viz. that you are obliged thus do; because your Conscience tells you, you are capable of doing it. Your Argument stands thus; Such an Heroical piece of Religion I am capable of performing, therefore my Conscience tells me I am bound to perform it.  
Two things must here be enquired into. 1. Whether my capacity of doing that which I am not apparently commanded to do, be a sufficient ground to infer my obligation thereto? in case this be not so, whether 2. my belief that it is so, hath a power of obliging me thereto? as in matters of Indifferency.  
That the first Proposition cannot be held for an universal Affirmative, may be clear to any one, from these two Instances. 1. There be divers persons in the world, that are capable of performing the Ministerial Function, in point of Parts and Moral Behaviour; which yet never did conceive themselves, nor any body else believe, that they were indispensably bound, by this aptitude of theirs to enter into Holy Orders. I must confess that in the first Plantation of the Gospel, or in an intolerable scarcity of Ministers, the case may (possibly) be otherwise; especially if such persons perceive in themselves an unusual acquisition, and improvement of their abilities, under common means; and a greater violence and stirring of Spirit in them toward that Profession, (especially if under persecution, or very slender encouragements to embrace it) together with the remarkable desires of others, that they would engage therein, (the Concurrence of which are very near to an extraordinary Calling.) But generally I conceive the case to be as is afore determined. Again 2ly 'tis clear from 1 Cor. 7. That a single Life is better, in many respects, than Marriage: now if a Virgin living in her Father's house, should find in herself no necessity to marry, but rather strong inclinations (and for the best reason of all, that she might serve the Lord without distraction by worldly business) to continue a Virgin, supposing she were actually obliged so to do, upon finding in herself this capacity of living unmarried; I desire to know, whether her Father (if he sees it necessary for himself, estate or Family that she should marry) may compel by his Fatherly Authority, such a one to accept of a fit Husband, tendered to her by her Father? on the one side here is the Command of a Father; on the other (on that supposition) the Command of God; this to abstain, that to marry; into what a sad perplexity will such a one be cast, if that supposition were true?  
But I desire him that holds the first opinion [that his capacity of doing that which he is not apparently commanded to do, is a sufficient ground to infer his obligation thereto] to consider this reason to the contrary: the capacity of doing any thing, whether precedaneous, concomitant or subsequent to the command, is no more than a Qualification, or obediential power and passivity in the object, by which the Law becomes suitable to the Creature, to whom it is given, and without which the Command can neither be reasonable, nor just it being as disagreeable to original justice, that a Law or Command be given to any Creature Superior to his abilities of keeping it; as it is contrary to ordinate justice to punish that Creature, for the not performance of a Command so given. Not the Obligency therefore, but the equity, or reasonableness of the Law, is founded in the Capacity of the Creature to obey it (that being indeed founded in the Sovereignty of the Lawmaker) otherwise there would be transgression, where there is no Law, contrary to the saying of St. Paul, Rom. 4.15.  
The main doubt behind is, whether a belief grounded upon such an aptitude, doth oblige that person in whom it is, to the performance of such things, for which there is no particular precept given him by God? and so may be understood to be of the same nature with that, which Divines call a Personal precept, as was that of our Saviour to the young man, requiring him to sell all, and give to the Poor, Luke 18.22. a Precept which Divines have hitherto held to be of the nature of those Constitutions in the Civil Law, called Constitutiones personales, Inst. lib. 1. Tit. 2. n. 6. none of which transgreditur personam, goes further than the person to which it is given, and therefore be-become not Precedents or Examples for others, though they have Legis vigorem the force of Law, in respect of them to whom they are given.  
Therefore I answer, That a Person that thus believes, is bound by his erroneous Conscience, or Judgement to the thing which he conceives himself thus capable of doing, but yet not irreversibly bound, as that man that receives a personal Precept from the Lawgiver is, till the Lawgiver himself be pleased to reverse it. He than that is thus bound by the error of his Judgement, in the first of those things controverted betwixt us, under this objection, is freed from all Obligation to performance, as soon as his Judgement (or Conscience) is rectified; which is done assoon as he is persuaded of the truth of this proposition, viz. That the capacity of doing what is best, doth not render the Person capable obliged to do what is best. Wherein (I think) the reason foregoing will give satisfaction to any unprejudicate Person.    

OBJECTION. XX.  
But doth not our Saviour discharge the force of your reason in Mat. 19.12. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it;— But I am able to receive it,— therefore I am bound to receive it.  

SOLUTION.  
26. YOu must prove, that our Saviour enjoins that as a Precept, and not proposeth it as his Advice or Counsel; otherwise it cannot be thought to contain in it the force of a Command; and consequently hath not in it the obligatory of a Law, but the perswasory efficacy of an Advice.  
Now that those words do not contain the force of a Precept in them, will (I believe) be evident, if you consider the passage to which they are immediately related; and that is the saying of the Disciples v. 10. concluding Marriage to be (in point of Prudence) much worse than a single life, in case there ought to be no divorce of Man and Wife, save for Adultery only. It is not (say they) good to marry, if the case be thus; which clearly implies thus much, that it is best in point of prudence, (this being in every man's choice) not to marry; to which our Saviour's Answer is to this purpose, that they are in the right, if it were alike with all men in respect of abstaining from Marriage; but being it is not so, they that cannot contain aught to marry, but if a Man can contain, their Judgement is good, and is confirmed with our Saviour's own Resolution therein, it is best for him not to marry. I believe Saint Bawl will give full satisfaction to this scruple, if you read his 7th. chapter, 1 Cor.    

OBJECTION XXI.  
But is not every Christian bound in Conscience to use the things that God gives him, to the best advantage of his Master?  

SOLUTION.  
27. BE is bound so to do in point of prudence: but not by any express Law given by God. Now the Obligation which prudence lays upon any man, is not in respect of such things as are Good or Evil; for therein there is no liberty of Election, that which is Evil being by no means eligible: but only concerning such things as may be well or better done, either way of doing them being choosable without guilt, because there intervenes no Law, which may determine my will, but I am left to govern myself by prudential reasons only, which amount to no more, but the modification of my Act of choosing, whereby it is resolved to be more or less prudent, not to be lawful or unlawful.  
Now if I choose that which is least to my own advantage, I do no more than what may be done, where the election of my will is not predetermined: and if that be least for the profit of my Master, yet he having given me no other Command, than to use those things well which he hath given me, I have obeyed his Commands who enjoined me to do so much.  
If a Merchant should deliver a large stock of Goods or Money to his Factor, and should say unto him, employ this to my best advantage, in all instances and at every opportunity your prudence shall judge to be fit: in this case the Factor is preobliged, and must do only what is best, else he breaks the Command of his Master. But if his Master say thus unto him, employ this stock to my advantage, and your reward for so doing shall be proportionable to the advantages I receive by your Endeavours: in this case the Factor is not obliged by his Master's Command, to do anic more than employ his Master's goods to his profit; which if he do, be it much or little, he obeys the Command of his Master; but prudence binds him to do the best he can, for the advancing and improving his Master's Goods, because his own Reward will carry its proportion to that success, whether it be for the better or no, the case corresponds to the latter part of this illustration.    

OBJECTION XXII.  
But how can this stand with mine, (and the obligation of all Christians) to love the Lord, with all my Soul, with all my mind, and with all my strength.  

SOLUTION.  
28. I Do not conceive this Paramount Law inevitably infringed, by not doing every thing that we have ability of doing, but are not thereto expressly required by precept. Indeed it binds the whole man to all Duties, exacted from him by Gods revealed will, and to submit to, or not withdraw my obedience therefrom, for any Competitor whatever, that may pretend claim to my subjection, because for that time, & in that thing, (if I were never so good a Christian) my Disobedience of God's Law, would unquestionablie condemn me of not loving Him, with all my mind, with all my soul, and with all my strength; the demonstration of which Love (as our Saviour himself resolves) is the keeping of God's Commandments, Jo. 14.15. if you mark it, the keeping his Commandments is the Test of every man's love, so that he that doth that; that observes what ever doth appear to be God's Commandment, is said truly to love God, and that with all his Heart. So that consequently there is left unto men a Latitude of expressing their Love to God, in some Acts of Heroical Virtue, proportionable to the freewill offerings amongst the Jews; whereby God may have occasion given him, of remunerating such men according to his Bounty; like as the Duties performed agreeable to his Law, are rewardable by his justice. You may take this Resolution of your scruple in this formal way of reasoning. The Love that Christ requires from his Disciples is the Love of Him with all their Heart, with all their Mind, etc. But such a Love as this is expressed by keeping his Commandment. Ergo, The keeping of God's Commandments is such a Love as God requires from his Children.  
We may add hereto, that when a man doth sincerely propose the glory of God, as the scope and centre of all his Actions, every single Act of his Life, whether civil or religious, may be interpreted as a line tending thereto; drawn from the Circle of his first Resolution, and cannot be truly said to be a breach of Duty, for that it tends less to perfection than doth every other Action of his Life; gradual Differences in moral Actions, (as good, better, and best) making no essential difference in the Subjects in which they are: whereas the objects of Reward and Punishment, must be opposed by contrariety as are Virtue and Vice, which diversity of Degrees in the same subject are not, as well in moral, as in natural Things.  
So that without forfercing your Reason you may believe, that you do not love the Divine Majestic with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength, because you do not every thing, which some eminent Christians have done before you, as giving all to the poor; etc. such high Attempts require long sitting down, and considering with yourself,  you ing age in them; lest not only that happen unto you, which befell the man in the Gospel, who beginning a building too great for his Purse, Luke 14.30. and desisting, was derided therefore by his Enemies, but a much worse thing, I mean the irremoveable anxiety of future life, with all the vexatious scruples that Satan, or a volatile fancy may cast upon your Soul.    

OBJECTI. XXIII.  
But I need not contest so hotly about the measure of holy and virtuous Actions. The Apostle tells me, that without Charity all is nothing worth: I cannot deny, but that I do hearty endeavour to do all the good that I may, to any one who stands in need thereof; but I have no assurance that I do it in Charity, and so all my Hay, Wood, and Stubble may perish, when it comes to the Test.  

SOLUTION.  
29. IT is no small difficulty to define what that Charity is, which you suspect you want. You accuse not yourself of the neglect of any good Duty, that concerns the bodies or souls of men, and that as your Brethren and Partners with you in the common benefit of Redemption. You sincerely endeavour to practise forbearance, are patiented and not revengeful of Injuries; kind, tender and compassionate; as sensible and zealous of other men's good as of your own,; far from envying; well-pleased at other men's happinesses; hating all foolish elation of mind; as also all pride and insolence, in over-valuing yourself and despising others; you keep yourself from using others unseemly; either in Words or Gesture; inclinable to take care of others Good and Safety, and not only of your own; you fall not upon any provocation, into violent and immoderate distempers of Anger; keep account of all the Good that hath been done by any, but none of the Evil; you rejoice not at the Errors and Sins of other men, but are passionately grieved for them, and contrarily made glad, by the good and holy conversation of your fellow Christians; inclinable to conceal all the Evil that you know of another, so far as is for his Good, and not contrary to the greater Good of others; you blelieve without prejudice all the Good you hear of others? or have Ground in Charity to believe of them? you hope that you believe not, and never so far despair of their Repentance, as to give over using all probable means which may reclaim your wand'ring Brethren; enduring much pain, trouble and loss, without Regret, for the recovering of such as are endangered by any unchristian practices. Now that this is that Charity the Apostle so magnifies, you have not only the evidence of the thing itself, but the credit of a most learned, pious, and judicious Paraphrast on that Chapter; whose very words I have transcribed (at least the full importance of them) for your satisfaction in this scruple: presuming that the authority of so reverend a Person, will fix your judgement beyond the assaults of any ordinary Temptations.  
I cannot therefore be so uncharitable to you as to join with you in a Verdict against yourself, for want of Charity. I doubt not, but you have in your heart this Water springing up to eternal life; though like Hagar almost dead by thirst, you want an Angel to show you this Fountain, Gen. 21. When such fumes as these darken your Soul, do not seek for light from sparks of your own kindling; but from the Sun of Righteousness; that Light that lighteneth every one that cometh into the world. Jo. 1.9.  
In a word therefore, you must know, that when the Apostle thus magnifies Charity, it is the same thing as to comprise and exalt the whole dutio of man toward our Neighbour, in that one word; and to prefer that before the gifts of edification, whether Tongues, Healing, Miracles, etc. the excellency and reputation whereof, or of any heroical Action, as giving one's Goods to the Poor, or one's Body to suffer Martyrdom, is not comparable to that practical Virtue, in the full latitude thereof. And this cannot but be evident unto you, if you consider the comparison the Apostle makes betwixt Charity and such Gifts, in the 12, & 13 Chap.    

OBJECTION XXIV.  
But in all my Actions I endeavour to skrien myself from the wrath of God, and to prevent his Justice upon my person for Sin already committed, perfectly indeed abhorring it as the cause of all my Troubles, but not truly enamoured of Virtue (me thinks) because it yields me no such. Harvest of Content, and felicity as the Heathens themselves could boast of.  

SOLUTION.  
30. THat your self should be your end, aswell as God, is not contrary to Piety; but yourself must be put in a second and subordinate place, and God in the first and chiefest: because God, being the chiefest good, and our Salvation subordinate to his Glory, as he is in this the prime mover of our Wills, (both objectively, and efficiently) so consequently must he be the ultimate end of our Actions.  
But in this case we must distinguish betwixt what God is, and what we apprehend him to be: a Sinner is not presently brought to lay aside the fear of Gods revengeful hand, and to embrace, and depend upon him, for the mercy that is offered to him. Ordinarily (I conceive God doth manifest his love, goodness, and mercy to penitent Sinners, gradually; and with proportion to future experience, of the truth and sincerity of their Repentance. I mean such a manifestation of himself, in these Attributes of complacency and benignity to Mankind; which one may term the overshadowing of the Spirit of Love upon the Soul, enlightening, refreshing, and comforting her, against the terrors of the Divine Justice due to Sin without a Propitiation by Christ.  
Let me therefore advise you, to wait with patience till the day break, and the shadows flee away; Cant. 1.17. till this Sun of Righteousness arise upon your Soul with healing in his wings, Mal. 4.2. and to endeavour to be persuaded (as of other men's so) of your own filiation, and that you may the better believe it, to bless God most frequently for the inestimable gift of his Son Jesus Christ, by whom alone a Reconciliation was wrought betwixt. God and mankind; by the Faith whereof holy Men and Women look for the inheritance of Sons and Daughters, and do not stand in fear of stripes as vassals, and Bondslaves: being emancipated from the Spirit of Bondage, through the freedom they have by the Spirit of Adoption, whereby they cry Abba Father: Rom. 8 15. meditating upon the greatness, and excellency of that love, the ever-blessed and glorious Trinity, hath expressed unto our Souls, engraven before our eyes in eternal Characters of Blood; even the Blood of the only Son of God largely described by all four Evangelists in their Histories of the Gospel; though sundry, yea innumerable other passages of our Saviour's life are omitted S. Jo. 21 (yea even the birth of Christ by two of them) intimating unto us, not only the certain truth of his Passion (which had been unquestionable if but recorded by one of them) and the great concernment of it to all mankind, as well in the example as necessity thereof; but likewise recommending by that variety of describing the last tragical Act of his Blessed Life, the frequent perusal of it in all times, and kinds of Trial, and Temptations.  
What therefore you want of felicity (at present) and content in your New life, do not despair of, but expect; assuring yourself, that you shall one day know, and feel, that the Kingdom of God is Righteousness, Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghost, Rom. 14.17. God alone knows how much of Heaven 'tis best to give you in this Life: that Angelical state which you aim at, might be much more dangerous for you then you imagine. When St. Paul had been rapt up into the third Heaven, and heard things impossible to be uttered, because he should not be elated by the abundance of Revelations, there was given unto him a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan, 2 Cor. 12.7. some humiliating Temptation, that might make him know, that as yet he was locked up in an earthly Tabernacle, as liable to the Assaults and Invasions of Satan, and his Complices, as to a final dissolution by death.    

OBJECT. XXV.  
But still, me thinketh, if God had such a Love to my Soul, he should vouchsafe me some manifestations thereof. St. Paul rejoiced in his Infirmities, desiring to be dissolved, and to be with Christ: but nothing is so terrible to me as Death; as if I had either no Christ to go unto, or no such Christ as Saint Paul had.  

SOLUTION.  
31. THe Consideration of the World to come, and expectation of the Revelation of the Righteous Judgement of God, dispensed by Jesus Christ, according to the things that men have done in their bodies, whether it be good or evil, (2 Cor. 5.10.11.) is questionless a very terrible thing, even to such Christians, as shall never have their share in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for evermore. But is it not the same Word of God which promiseth a Pardon to the Penitent, and threatneth damnation to the impenitent Sinner? Why do you not believe him when he promiseth Mercy, as well as when he threatneth Vengeance? He that believes not the Divine Majesty in any one branch of Faith, revealed plainly in his Word, doth not believe him in the rest; because the ground of Faith, viz. the Veracity of God is the same in all: the same Truth in Promises of Mercy, as in Threaten of Punishment; the same Fidelity in performance of Good things, as in the Execution of Evil.  
As for your instance in St. Paul; (I think) I have already intimated unto you, that he being a Saint of most eminent and exemplary piety, of a Charity and Love to Christ and his Church even unto Ecstasy and Frenzy in the eyes of the World; you ought not to expect the extraordinary favours vouchsafed him by Heaven. A lass why should you or I look for so much of Heaven to be delivered to us before hand? or else must judge ourselves wholly unconcerned in the distribution of those heavenly Mansions? I am confident either of us would be well content, for such an assurance as had St. Paul, to lie mouldering in our graves a million of years, after the rest of our Brethren are crowned with Glory; yea (perhaps) as long in the Refining Flames of the Romish Purgatory. But I mention not this as the faint Ejaculations of men that live without Hope; but as expressions, suitable to a sad Reflection upon our own Demerits.  
Remember therefore, that if God think fit to give you no Assurance, yet he hath vouchsafed unto you (with the rest of Believers) Promises of Glorification, much fit to be looked after, and relied upon, than any sensible and experimental Consolation: for what is tendered to us in the Holy Scriptures, is immutable and permanent: but such conclusions as are drawn only from experimental knowledge of our own obedience, are very transjent and incertain; never (as is the Word of God) infallible and eternal.  
As for your Fear of Death; which you are so far from meeting with St. Paul's alacrity of Spirit, that you dare not encounter the thought of it in your breast: the sound of a passing Bell, or the Sight of a Friend struggling with the pains of Death, being (next to your remembrance of your own last end) the formidablest thing imaginable; no question the moral causes thereof aught to be heeded, and the effects prevented. I say [moral causes] because I presume there is in all creatures (men not excepted) a natural cause of fear of death: which may be as innocent in men, as the affections of Joy, Delight, Grief, Anger, etc. and this can no more be alike in all men in the world; than it can be imagined, there should be the same degrees of other Affections, in all constitutions and complexions of men. Death without question is the most formidable of all things in the world; being that strong bridle which the hand of Providence holdeth in the Jaws of wicked men, who else would (most of them) break out into the greatest excesses of insolency and outrageous mischief; this Great King of Terrors over-awing the most daring, and violent Spirits of men in the world. And of this natural cause of fear of death, you cannot but be thought to have you share; for that neither your Sex, nor your Complexion, can be supposed to season you against the but ordinary impressions of that Afflictive Passion.  
That which I have termed a moral cause of this fear, I believe you already apprehend to be that (or some remainders of that) Spirit of Bondage, mentioned by S. Paul, Rom. 8.15. which (as it seems by that Apostle) doth in nothing more fully discover itself, then in the bitter apprehensions of death, Heb. 2.15. this cannot be excused (much less encouraged in you, or in any other; but will stand in need of much good counsel, and your own most sinewed endeavours to remove or lessen it.  
But what is it that you fear in death? the pains thereof you cannot in reason fear, because you know not of what, or whether of any disease you may die: whether you may have pains or no, or sense to feel them, if you have any: though even against these you are not without a Promise (to which I am assured you have as good a claim as any one) viz. that God will make the merciful or Charitable man's bed in his sickness, Psal. 41.3. though when God undertakes to make the sick man's bed, his Soul (indeed) shall lie much easier than his body. But that you indeed fear is after death: that Thunderclap which set Foelix a trembling, when it sounded from the mouth of St. Paul; I mean, Judgement to come, Acts 24.25. which for a good man to fear too much is a sign of Pusillanimiite; not to fear at all is no sign of Piety: our God is a Consuming Fire, and in the best of us there is that dross, which dreads the fury of Everlasting Burn. In a word; above all other Remedies against the fear of death, there is none more powerful, yea so powerful, as the contemplation of the death of Christ, which gave the fatal blow to the Chain of Adamant, wherein all mankind till then, were held captive; being indeed the death of death, Hos. 13.14. The Representations whereof may be (questionless) very usefulty, as well as innocently beheld by you, or any other Christians; but not under any barren and melancholic fixation of your eye or car on the story of our Saviour's Passion: but by a wise selecting out the fruits thereof, and feeding upon them by discreet contemplation, for the strengthening of our inward man, against such intimidating thoughts of Mortality.  
Neither can I advise you to avoid any thing that may stir up this passion of fear in your heart; but rather the contrary; I mean to be forward in embracing any seasonable opportunity of making these objects of sadness familiar to you. For besides that it is a duty of Religion to weep with them that weep, Rom. 12.15. to visit the sick; Matth. 25.36. to attend at the burial of our (not friends only, but) brethren, Tob. 2.2. yea to bury them with our own hands, or to do any preparatory office about their Corpses, if need be: you will find thereby this double advantage, viz. that you will most earnestly fly sin, (the cause and sting of death) and in short time gain a great victory over this Passion.    

OBJECTION. XXVI.  
But though my fear of death be removable, yet is not my fear of falling away from Grace to be removed.  

SOLUTION.  
32. ANd why do you not as well fear, that the earth will open, and swallow you up quick? you have some dependence upon the Goodness and Providence of Allmighty God, that he will not thus deal with you; if you had not, your fear of the later would be as just, and as irremoveable as of the former. For what assurance have you against the one, that you have not against the other? are not the Souls of men as precious in the Eyes of their Creator and Redeemer, as are their bodies? can there be so great and prodigious a judgement happpen to the Body of any man, as is God's total and final withdrawing of Grace from his Soul? and have you not the same Good Word of God to depend upon in your fears of the one, as well as of the other? Doth God take care for oxen? doth he give and perform promises of Food and Raiment, and Health and Peace, etc. unto the Body, but is he a dry and a barren Wilderness (as the Prophet expresseth it, Jer. 2.31.) unto the Souls of his People? I shall leave you to ruminate on that Argument of Saint Paul, Rom. 8.32. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all; how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?  
Remember, I pray, that God takes his Grace from no man, who doth not abuse it. The Talents were taken from none, but him who wrapped one up in a Napkin: from him it was taken away indeed, and that justly, because he made no use of that, which was not only intended for use, but would have been increased by using. He could not help indeed the taking it from him, when God for his Sluggishness thought this the most proper punishment for the one, and reward for the other, upon their Reckoning for the Talents; but by Industry he might have prevented it, as did the other two Servants.  
And to render you satisfied with an evident and full passage of Scripture, be pleased to peruse that of St. Paul to the Hebrews, Chap. 6.15. where after he had spoken of falling away, and the dreadful and irrecoverable estate of Apostasy, he adds, that he is persuaded better things of them, and such as are seen only in good Christians; and his ground of that no fear is, for that God would reward their former labour of Love with the grace of perseverance, the due reward of such (as like you) do make use of Grace given, as our Saviour witnesseth, Mat. 25.29.    

OBJECT. XXVII.  
But sensible alteration in me, and the Promised effects of Conversion, I find none.  

SOLUTION.  
33. COnversion sounds not the same thing come as it did to the Jews, & Heathen, in the Apostles times, and after the first Plantation of the Gospel, who are not only to suffer a Change in point of moral practice, but in point of belief. Neither are there any extraordinary gifts of tongues, and Miracles, or Healings, etc. to be poured out upon new Converts, for confirmation of Faith, and increase of believers. When the Jews were come into the promised Land, Manna ceased, we are now in a way of ordinary dispensation, and though the Holy Ghost be the Author of this, as well as of the other; and our submission to this, as deeply exacted, yet is the Method, and manner of the economy, in some sort changed, (at least in the accidental parts thereof;) experience of our Religion, and the Faith of former ages, being argument enough to convince any rational Souls, of the truth of it.  
Such extraordinary gifts, I suppose you will not look for; but if for an extraordinary change, in your mind (though this may be thought superfluous) yet do but set Repentance from sin, against Continuance in sin, Obedience, against Rebellion, Righteousness against Sin, a Child of God against a Child of Wrath, Heaven against Hell, the Fellowship of God and his Holy Angels, against the Company of Devils and Wicked men, Eternal joys against Eternal torments, and the alteration is visible enough. But if the Way bringing of you into this, must have been by miracle, as was the conversion of St. Paul. or with an audible voice, as was God's Revelation of himself to Samuel: the weakness of this expectation betrays itself, by the singularity of it, carrying with it a secret condemnation of the Stupidity, of other Christians, who go hoodwinked they know not whether, never thinking on any such sensible Epiphanie, and manifestation of Christ to their Souls.    

OBJECT. XIII.  
But the root of Bitterness, from which most of these Doubts, Scruples, and Fears do spring is my Aptness to fall into sin; together with such horrible thoughts Startling up in my Heart that I could even tear that Body to pieces, and rend out the Soul that harbours, and Evaporates, such black, and Stinking Eruptions.  

SOLUTION.  
34. IF the sins you have formerly been guilty of, are sins of wilfulness, and the Relapse, you may be thought to intent in your objection, be into such sins; then is your case so much the more dangerous, by how much the more certain it is, that such sins of Wilfulness are not reconcilable to a State of regeneracy. The determination whereof, I must refer to the Judgement of him, with whom you shall think fit to intrust the Anatomy of your soul. But if they are but sins of Humane, and Personal infirmity; then shall I offer to your consideration, these two things: First, that it being supposed that the sins you mention, are only sins of insirmity; that Relapses into such sins, are no new thing to every Child of God. as being spots so inseparable from a State of mortality, that the Spirit of God hath Styled them by the mouth of Moses, the Spots of God's Children. Deut. 32.5. aly. that it is not to be expected, that there should be an Equality, of the Number or Kinds of these sins, in all the Children of God; some being guilty of more, some of fewer; some of more of one kind, of sins of infirmity; some of another; and much of this not only depending upon the diversity of the measure of grace given; but likewise upon the different complexions, and former habits of those Christians, before their Penitence and Reformation.  
But if the case be of other Sins, viz. of Sins of Wilfulness, then observe, that there is a very considerable difference (at least in your apprehension perhaps) betwixt the aptness, or facility, of falling into Sin, and actual relapsing thereinto. You find (perchance) the temptations are frequent and strong upon you, and your enemy very indefatigable and restless; and you fear that the battery in the end, will be too forcible for the fortification to hold out against it is that these assaults of Flesh and blood, will not only Storm, but take, or else surprise your Resolution: but all this while, this is but anxiety: and if those temptations do get ground of you; draw your will to some short parley with them, and thereby increase your fear of Yielding to this enemy; yet is there no relapse: and if there were, yet ought you to have conifort, against temptations to despair of final victory: because these utmost endeavours of yours together with your grief conceived for but inclining to these temptations, will render your condition commiserable in the eyes of your tender, and compassionate Father: who will in the end, make his strength to be seen in your weakness; giving you good reason to ascribe, the cause as well as the honour of the victory, to him alone, by whom you shall be able to do all things. Phil. 4.13.  
But to prevent your danger by temptation you shall do well, to open your condition freely to some Grave, Pious, Discreet, and Learned Divine; one well seen in the Study of men's Consciences, (a great rarity I must tell you amongst Protestants,) to have often conference with him, to confess freely to him, to receive directions from him, for preventing your guilt and trouble, to communicate frequently: the blessed Sacrament having a special designation, for those in your condition, refreshing of wearied Souls being the great intendment of that Commemoration of Christ's death: All temptations under such hard usage as is now prescribed, will whither away, and die in their prime; which by our private endeavours of eradication, do most times exceed our fears, as well as our expectations, in the growth of them.  
As for the other part of your objection, wherein you complain of the depravity and corruption of your nature, belched out many times in Prodigious thoughts of your heart, (it may be against the goodness, or justice, or perhaps against the very essence of the Divine Majesty,) the more holy you desire to be, the more grievous will such thoughts (as you call them) be unto you. Therefore be pleased to consider, 1. that in my judgement, many of these are not your own thoughts, or motions of corrupt nature in you, as you conceive; but really injections of Satan, strongly savouring of malice against God, and the merciful work of our Redemption. This Itake to be it, which is called the Devil's putting of somewhat into men's hearts, as he did the treason of Judas, the prevarication of Ananias and Sapphira, david's numbering the People, and St. Peter's effeminate suggestions to our Saviour, etc. These sometimes are punishments for sin either in ourselves or others, sometimes only trials from God, for the manifestation of the power of his Grace, in men's souls: and I suppose they are not duly styld our thoughts, till they are admitted, and treated by us, they then become our finfull thoughts, assoon as we incline to entertain and in●●r ace them. And 2ly. I doubt not, but such as these may be injected into holy men, as in the case of David, and Peter, as we have instanced before. Yea and not so only but they may be hardened to, and embraced, and consequently, their state endangered till renewed again by faith and Repentance.  
Wherefore if you reject, and not own them; grieving for them as punishments for sin, praying against them, and perfectly hating them, with what e'er is the Author of them, having an holy jealousy over your own nature, labouring to shut the Den of your heart against such intruders, and to give the possession of the considerable fort to better friends to your salvation; you are not hereby endangered by present guilt, or engaged under just fear of Apostasy; your state in this (as in all other things) being not without example in the dearest Children of God.    

OBJECTION. XXIX.  
But God hath manifested his Displeasure against me in many accidents of life.  

SOLUTION.  
35. IT may be Gods not giving you Children is principally intended by you in this objection: the Key of the womb being (as the Hebrews were wont to say) in the Hands of God, there being indeed a more immediate coucurrence of the Divine Majesty required to the fruit thereof then to the production of other things in the ordinary course of Providence. I have known this prevail very far with some of your sex, heightening their perplexityes from that of St. Paul to Timothy, 1. Ep. 2.15. from whence they conclude, that if a Woman continue barren in a state of Marriage, there is no hopes of her salvation; that depending so necessarily upon the former condition of Childbearing, to this we answer by these degrees.  
1. It is no mark of God's irreversible anger against us that many Cross accidents befall us in this life; seeing they are generally acknowledged, to be not only matter of advantage to our Souls, bettering us by such chastments? but they ought to be apprehended as Signatures, or Marks of our adoption; St. Paul having illegitimated all such as are not owned by God for sons by these fatherly Corrections of them Heb. 12.8. very far are they too from being distinctive prognostics, of those everlasting distributions, at the day of judgement, in the opinion of King Solomon; who tells you that, no man knoweth either Love or Hatred by all that is before them. Eccle. 9.1.  
2. Where God hath given Children, and by some evil accidents taken them away, there may more justly be supposed a manifestation of God's heavy displeasure, then where he gives no Children at all: yet that hath been the case of many (holy Men and Women, as appears in the example of Job. and David, whose Histories are furnished with most remarkable passages to this purpose, their lives being checkered (as one may say) with various contingencies of good and evil.  
3. Be it granted that barrenness, amongst the Jews was reputed a curse, and that God threatneth it as a judgement upon them to have miscarrying wombs, and dry breasts. yet ought it not to have that Character with us Christians, who are not engaged to obedience by promises of temporal, but of Spiritual and eternal blessings: things of that concernment even in those days, (clouded with shadowing and carnal ordinances,) that God himself proposes them to the obedient Eunuches, as a full (indeed superabundant) satisfaction for their Sterility, Is. 56.5. the truth is, there ought not to be (neither is there without our own fault) any barrenness in Christians of either sex, the forming of Christ in their Souls (intimated by the Apostle, Gal. 4.19.) being a mystical birth in all the Sons and Daughters of God; and not without some reflection on this, did the Church appoint the Magnificat, of that blessed Virgin, to be publicly sung in her Liturgy; it being hoped that every member thereof, would consider, that they were bound to bring forth this fruit unto God.  
4. Lastly, for that of the Apostle to Timothy, the sense is so obvious, and that false interpretation so remote from the wisdom, goodness, and truth of God; that it is strange the Fancies even of women (who 'tis confessed are very forcible) should be able by any chemistry of imagination, to extract such a disproportionall meaning from that text. For St. Paul. having fixed that sex, in their due place of subordination in the Church; that he might give them some reasons to be content with that portion, mentions the order of their Creation, the woman being not only form after Adam, as that signifies order of time, but of Nature also, (the Man being as one may speak the first running of the metal) and her being first in the transgrssion, (a token of weakness and frailty) as the Grounds upon which he builds a conclusion, or canon for the order; not so likely to stand fast, upon the bare authority even of the Apostle himself without being cemented and crankt with very good and undeniable reasons. but yet, not to leave them under the dishonour of being first in that fatal Crime, (Ringleaders in Rebellion seldom tasting, of that mercy which is showed to their followers) and likewise to keep them from being chrust out of that place, by the anger and insolence of the other sex, the Apostle tells them that by the fruit of their Womb they made amends for the miseries and mischiefs of their fault; the Remedy coming by them (namely the incarnation of Christ) as well as the disease, of the efficacy whereof they were likewise to have their part if they should continue to perfor me the conditions of that merciful Covenant; the Apostle very seasonably minding them, of constancy in their professions, and Practise: of which the first of that sex, shown no good example, in her harkening to the suggestions of the Serpent in Paradise.  
More (perhaps) might be said to this purpose, but the apprehensions I have of your abilities and art of discerning, beyond the common capacity of your sex, having already checked me, for falling into this solemn, and foreseen Digression.  
Thus, Madam, have I given you my thoughts, in these general, and conjectural applications hoping that they may possibly light on the whole, or some part of the cause of your trouble. I have offered them to you, not so much in acknowledgement of those favours, I have heretofore received from yourself, and your dear Husband (since with God) (though my obligation, thereby could not be discharged, by a far greater attempt to recompense them) as for the tender respect I have to your afflicted state. That this should do a perfect cure (though I know God doth (many times) great things by small means,) I have no grounded hopes to believe: not only because of the defects, and impotence of my endeavours, but for that difeases of this kind, are influenced upon by the distempers, or complexion of the Patient, and have a secret and malign aspect upon them from many circumstances, not guessable (I presume) by persons more Acute, than I can deserve to be thought.  
I know Divines should not undertake to cure, like Empirics, by Guesses, and at random; and therefore, madam I have not obscurely intimated, my desire unto you in this Paper to make a very seasonable and home address to some one of a Thousand, Job. 33.23. A skilful Physician of Souls; that you may not be thought, to subordinate the care of your better, and eternal part, to that Cabinet of beautiful earth, wherein God hath locked up that rich Jewel for some few years: I am confident Madam, it is not only the best, but the only Counsel you can follow, with assurance (by God's blessing) of cureing these wonnds in your Spirit: no if I have but cleansed and Wiped, or done the least other good office, of helping forward their cure; as I ought (and you) to give all the Praise thereof to God, so shall it be esteemed a plentiful Reward, for this little Labour of Madam,   
Your affectionate Servant in Christ Jesus.    

A PRAYER.  
OAllmighty God, the Creator and Preserver of Humane Spirits, the searcher of all Hearts, who knowest, and tryest all our ways, and understandest our thoughts afar off: from thy love and bounty it is, and not from our desert, that we have any measure of grace, whereby we may know, and obey thy Will, any impression of Godly sorrow, when we have broken thy laws, any desire to resolution and performance of what is pleasing in thy sight, after we have erred and strayed from the paths of thy commandments: mercifully I beseech thee to behold all such as are grieved, oppressed, and perplexed in Spirit, through the guilt of sin, weakness of Grace, frailty of Nature, or the devices of our grand enemy, and accuser. Especially be mindful of thy Servant B. B. who hath aesired the prayers of me thy most unworthy Servant, and grievous finner. O Lord, to thee are known all the causes, and accasions of her trouble and confusion of Spirit; the distractions and terrors of her soul, are not hid from thine Eyes: O thou that hast the Balm of Gilead, the Soul-healing Oil of mercy, and pardon of sin, pour the same I most humbly beseech into her wounded Spirit, bind up this bruised Reed, kindle this Smoking Flax, preserve her from the Snares of Satan, free her from the delusions and errors of a deceitful imagination, and vouch chase to her such a measure of Spiritual Consolution, that her soul may be comforted and strengthened thereby; to the finishing of her course with joy, through a final Victory over all her Enemies, by the goodness and power of Jesus Christ our Saviour, Amen.  
FINIS.   

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