A Continuation of morning-exercise questions and cases of conscience practically resolvedA Continuation of morning-exercise questions and cases of conscience practicaly resolved

3. And abundance are cast down by ignorance of themselves, not knowing the sincerity which God hath given them, grace is weak in the best of us here, and little and weak grace is not very easily perceived, for it acteth weakly and unconstantly, and it is known but by its acts, and weak grace is always joined with too strong corruption; and all sin in heart and life is contrary to grace, and doth obscure it; and such persons usually have too little knowledge, and are too strange at home, and unskilful in examining and watching their hearts, and keeping its accounts: And how can any under all these hinderances, yet keep any full assurance of their own sincerity; if with much ado they get some assurances, neglect of duty or coldness in it, or yielding to temptation, or unconstancy in close obedience, will make them question all again, and ready to say it was all but hypocrisy, and a sad and melancholy frame of mind is always apt to conclude the worse, and hardly brought to see any thing that is good and tends to comfort.

3. And abundance are cast down by ignorance of themselves, not knowing the sincerity which God hath given them, grace is weak in the best of us here, and little and weak grace is not very easily perceived, for it acteth weakly and unconstantly, and it is known but by its acts, and weak grace is always joyned with too strong corruption; and all sin in heart and life is contrary to grace, and doth obscure it; and such persons usually have too little knowledge, and are too strange at home, and unskilful in examining and watching their hearts, and keeping its accounts: And how can any under all these hinderances, yet keep any full assurance of their own sincerity; if with muchado they get some assurances, neglect of duty or coldness in it, or yielding to temptation, or unconstancy in close obedience, will make them question all again, and ready to say it was all but hypocrisie, and a sad and melancholly frame of mind is always apt to conclude the worse, and hardly brought to see any thing that is good and tends to comfort.

4. And in such a case, there are too few that know how to fetch comfort from bare probabilities, when they get not certainty, much less from the mere offers of Grace and Salvation, even when they cannot deny but they are willing to accept them; and if none should have comfort, but those that have assurance of their sincerity and salvation, despair would swallow up the souls of most, even of true believers.