The Morning exercise [at] Cri[ppleg]ate, or, Several cases of conscience practically resolved

¹1. Is it nothing to thee, to live in the daily neglect of a commanded duty; is it not the injunction of thy Lord, whose servant thou dost profess thy self to be, that thou shouldest give all diligence in this matter, and wilt thou not give any at all; or not at all proportionable to the weightiness of thy concernment herein? might not this raise doubts and jealousies in thy soul, that thy condition is not good because thou art not diligent to know, and to prove it to be good? especially when thou dost consider that thy Lord commands thy diligence herein; Mightest not thou question the sincerity of thy obedience to any of Gods commands, for want of the universality of it, extending it self to all Gods commands? tell me Christian, why hath God given us this charge? read 2 Pet. 1.10. Wherefore, the rather brethren give all diligence to make your calling and election sure; is it not the same God that commands thee to Pray, that commands thee to make sure of Heaven? didst thou never read these words; or hast thou read them and thrown them by, and thought this counsel is not fit to be followed, nor this command to be obeyed? what canst thou say for thy neglect? look a little into the Text, what is it that you are commanded to make sure of; house or land? if it had been so, it is like thou wouldest have obeyed; but it is something better, infinitely better, whether thou are effectually called, & eternally elected; and is this to be done slothfully, carelessly; or doth not God require thy diligence, thy utmost diligence, nay all thy diligence, nay thy speedy diligence without delay, thy painful diligence without indulging thy self in thy sloth;² thy continual diligence without ⟨p. 315⟩weariness, or till thou hadst got a certainty of thy state? and shouldest thou not do this, rather than any temporal concernment? shouldest not thou make sure of grace, rather than of riches; of heaven, rather than the earth; of an interest in God, rather than of earthly possessions?

¹1. Is it nothing to thee, to live in the dayly neglect of a commanded duty; is it not the injunction of thy Lord, whose servant thou dost profess thy self to bee, that thou shouldest give all diligence in this matter, and wilt thou not give any at all; or not at all proportionable to the waightiness of thy concernment herein? might not this raise doubts and jealousies in thy soul, that thy condition is not good because thou art not diligent to know, and to prove it to bee good? especially when thou dost consider that thy Lord commands thy diligence herein; Mightest not thou question the sincerity of thy obedience to any of Gods commands, for want of the universality of it, extending it self to all Gods commands? tell mee Christian, why hath God given us this charge? read