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

3. You will never be able to suffer for your Religion, if you cannot give (at least) your selves an account of it: nor suffer for that, the Reality of which is Doubtful to you. You will soon make shipwreck of a good Conscience if you be at uncertainties about that Faith which should help you to keep it. Get well settled or you will be easily shaken; you will very scarcely venture your All in the World in Expectation of Eternal Life, when you are not sure there is such a thing, or that you have a Title to it, but rather fear that the hopes you had of it, were no better than waking mens Dreams, or pleasing Visions of an imaginary Happiness which had no Subsistence but in your own Fancies. You are like enough to come into sufferings, you had need see upon what Ground you stand that you may be able to hold out. If you once come to Question the reality of your Faith, you will soon come to forsake it: And if you know not but your Practice hitherto hath been unreasonable, you will think, when troubles come upon you, you have reason to alter it. If your former Strictness, and Zeal in Religion seem Folly to you, you will count it your Wisdom to grow loose, and cold, and careless in it, especially rather than hazard Estate, or Liberty, or Life for it. What man of Sense would Hang or Burn rather than forgo that which he himself took to be but a Fancy, at least had no assurance that it was not?

3. You will never be able to suffer for your Religion, if you cannot give (at least) your selves an account of it: nor suffer for that, the Reality of which is Doubtfull to you. You will soon make shipwrack of a good Conscience if you be at uncertainties about that Faith which should help you to keep it. Get well settled or you will be easily shaken; you will very scarcely venture your All in the World in Expectation of Eternal Life, when you are not sure there is such a thing, or that you have a Title to it, but rather fear that the hopes you had of it, were no better than waking mens Dreams, or pleasing Visions of an imaginary Happiness which had no Subsistence but in your own Fancies. You are like enough to come into sufferings, you had need see upon what Ground you stand that you may be able to hold out. If you once come to Question the reality of your Faith, you will soon come to forsake it: And if you know not but your Practice hitherto hath been unreasonable, you will think, when troubles come upon you, you have reason to alter it. If your former Strictness, and Zeal in Religion seem Folly to you, you will count it your Wisdom to grow loose, and cold, and careless in it, especially rather than hazard Estate, or Liberty, or Life for it. What man of Sence would Hang or Burn rather than forgoe that which he himself took to be but a Fancy, at least had no assurance that it was not?