A most sweet and assured comfort for all those that are afflicted in conscience…A most sweete and assured comfort for all those that are afflicted in consciscience…

Such was Davids state, after Nathan reproved him & gods spirit began to work with him, that he crieth out as ye heard before, of the loss of Gods graces: & when he saith, that God will accept of no sacrifices nor petitions, without a contrite hart & broken spirit, he showeth that for a time (even after the prophet had reproved him) he wanted both. This is your case, & therefore you are in the state of salvation; for David was in this case, even after he had confessed his sin, as my trust is you do: & was certainly persuaded of the pardonableness of it, through gods mercy, although ⟨image 81⟩he was far off from the feeling it, or applying to his woeful conscience: his state was good, and very well to be hoped of; and you must know and be persuaded, that those things which are written of Gods saints, & namely of David and Peter, & such others, are examples for us, if we will stay our selves upon the word of God in the mystery of his servants, and wait upon the Lords good time, till he come nearer unto us by his spirit: nearer I say, for he is come already unto you; or it may be he never went from you; because to be grieved and humbled with blindness of mind ⟨image 82⟩and hardness of heart, to believe certainly the trueth of God is promised in general, & to reverence the servants of God, which bring the glad tidings of the Gospel; & prayer, the Sacrament of the supper, & the company of gods children, contrary to hope, under hope, yea without any present feeling: all this is a certain argument, that gods spirit is with such, and therefore with you. This estate although it be very grievous, yet it is never danger us, much less is it fearful; unless any be so wilful, that they persevere and continue in desperate refusing all good means: ⟨image 82⟩unless they persevere I say, for through the subtle sleight of the spiritual adversary, and his forcible power, whereby God suffereth him sometime for a season to winnow them as wheat, they are so bewitched and intoxicated, that they are carried by violent force of temptation, to wax weary of, or to refuse all means of comfort by fits; yea, almost to have no desire at all unto them: yea, sometimes to speak very evil of them.

Such was Dauids state, after Nathā reproued him & gods spirit begā to work with him, that he crieth out as ye heard before, of the losse of Gods graces: & when he saith, that God will accept of no sacrifices nor petitions, without a contrite hart & broken spirit, he sheweth that for a time (euen after the prophet had reproued him) he w̄ated both. This is your case, & therfore you are in the state of saluation; for Dauid was in this case, euen after hee had confessed his sin, as my trust is you doo: & was certainly perswaded of the pardonablenesse of it, throgh gods mercie, althogh