Casuistical morning-exercises the fourth volume /

I don't mean that all must pass under the like terrors of Conscience; some have a more easy passage from a state of Nature to ⟨p. 228⟩Grace, from Death to Life, from Terror to Comfort; they may sooner get over their Tears, and attain to peace, than others may. But this I say, that all who have fled for refuge unto Christ, are sensible of this, that they have escaped eternal Death, are delivered from the wrath of God, they remain under this conviction; and it adds much to their comfort, that they have escaped so great danger, and glad they are to see themselves safe under the Wing of Christ; they live in a constant admiration of the goodness of God to them, in bringing about so great Salvation for them, who had no might nor power to do any thing for themselves; it was not their own Arm that saved them; they who know not the Nature of sin, may think it an easy matter to be saved; slight wounds are easily cured, but old putrefied Sores require more Sovereign Remedies, and good skill to apply them. Sin is an old Sore, they who know the plague of their own Hearts do count it so; 'tis more than a cut Finger, it has infected the very Vitals, and will prove mortal; if the Blood of Christ be not applied as the only remedy in that case, nothing else will do. Slight thoughts of sin is the cause of all that neglect and contempt of Christ that is in the World; the whole need not a Physician, but they that are sick; 'tis a fatal Symptom when the Brain is affected, and the Senses taken away; when the malignity of sin has quite stupefied the Conscience, and wrought a numbness and mortification, there is little hope of such a one; and thus it is with too too many hardened, seared, senseless Sinners, who think themselves safe, though they are at the brink of destruction; they bless themselves, and cry, Peace, peace, when the Curse of God lies upon them, Deut. 29.19, 20.

I don't mean that all must pass under the like terrors of Conscience; some have a more easie passage from a state of Nature to ⟨p. 228⟩Grace, from Death to Life, from Terror to Comfort; they may sooner get over their Tears, and attain to peace, than others may. But this I say, that all who have fled for refuge unto Christ, are sensible of this, that they have escaped eternal Death, are delivered from the wrath of God, they remain under this conviction; and it adds much to their comfort, that they have escaped so great danger, and glad they are to see themselves safe under the Wing of Christ; they live in a constant admiration of the goodness of God to them, in bringing about so great Salvation for them, who had no might nor power to do any thing for themselves; it was not their own Arm that saved them; they who know not the Nature of sin, may think it an easie matter to be saved; slight wounds are easily cured, but old putrified Sores require more Sovereign Remedies, and good skill to apply them. Sin is an old Sore, they who know the plague of their own Hearts do count it so; 'tis more than a cut Finger, it has infected the very Vitals, and will prove mortal; if the Blood of Christ be not applyed as the only remedy in that case, nothing else will do. Slight thoughts of sin is the cause of all that neglect and contempt of Christ that is in the World; the whole need not a Physician, but they that are sick; 'tis a fatal Symptom when the Brain is affected, and the Senses taken away; when the malignity of sin has quite stupify'd the Conscience, and wrought a numness and mortification, there is little hope of such a one; and thus it is with too too many hardned, seared, sensless Sinners, who think themselves safe, though they are at the brink of destruction; they bless themselves, and cry, Peace, peace, when the Curse of God lies upon them,