The new birthThe nevv birth

but in that hour and after that, O then how terrible are his terrors, made by seeing himself disappointed! Shall a man, think you, have any refreshing in hell, from the remembrance of his former conceits, whereby he did account himself the child of God, which now all too late he findeth quite contrary? On the other side, if the child of God remain fearful of his estate, and cannot tell what to affirm of himself, but rather conceiveth he is not Gods child then otherwise; I confess he hath many needless fears, many causeless disquietments, & a life far more uncomfortable then he need to have: but, when after death he shall be received, into the inheritance of Gods children, then his former fears shall no whit impeach his present glory, he is safe and happy for all his fear. Much rather therefore would I so speak, that you might be fearful without cause, then hopeful: for I wish your present disquietment ⟨p. 92⟩without your future peril: rather then your present case with your future destruction. This is the cause that I dwell so much upon this point, that I urge it so hard, and strive to set it so near unto thy soul, advising thee, to ask thy self once; am I regenerate? and not to believe thy self at first (because thou mayest perhaps quickly say, I hope I am); but to demand the second time and say, yea, but do I not deceive my self? am I so indeed? and is not my conceit of my self groundless? and yet not to rest in the second answer, but to go about again, and to inquire often, and often, saying, to thy self, what am I? a child of God or not? begotten again or not? where be the reasons of my taking my self for his child? what due proofs can I bring that I am regenerate? what arguments soundly grounded, and gathered from the word of God can I produce, to demonstrate to my soul, that I am translated from death to life? It is good to be suspicious of the well known partiality of our own hearts; it is good to be jealous of our too too palpable guilefulness in this case: and so shall a thing well done, be more then twice done; and a sound and and thorough search, breed a sound and infallible assurance. Let me then undertake the examination for every of your souls at this time;

but in that houre and after that, O then how terrible are his terrors, made by seeing himselfe disappointed! Shall a man, thinke you, haue any refreshing in hell, from the remembrance of his former conceits, whereby he did account himselfe the childe of God, which now all too late hee findeth quite contrary? On the other side, if the child of God remaine fearefull of his estate, and cannot tell what to affirme of himselfe, but rather conceiueth hee is not Gods child then otherwise; I confesse he hath many needlesse feares, many causelesse disquietments, & a life far more vncomfortable then he need to haue: but, when after death hee shall be receiued, into the inheritance of Gods children, then his former feares shall no whit impeach his present glory, he is safe and happy for all his feare. Much rather therefore would I so speake, that you might be fearefull without cause, then hopefull: for I wish your present disquietment