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

These are the Characters, some I have omitted, and in others I have been brief, because I would reserve a little room for the second Case: Give me leave but briefly to suggest a few things for satisfaction of one doubt, and I shall presently come to that. Will some say, If this be love in sincerity, who then loves him aright? It is no less dangerous to draw out the description of a grace, so as none can find it, than to leave it so, as none may suspect the want or absence thereof in themselves; and upon that Rock, they will tell me I have splitted in the decision of this Case, there being hardly any one that can go from Character to Character, and say after a thorough search, Now I know that I am a lover of Christ in sincerity: For answer to which scruple, I shall barely suggest a few Considerations.

These are the Characters, some I have omitted, and in others I have been brief, because I would reserve a little room for the second Case: Give mee leave but briefly to suggest a few things for satisfaction of one doubt, and I shall presently come to that. Will some say, If this bee love in sincerity, who then loves him aright? It is no less dangerous to draw out the description of a grace, so as none can finde it, than to leave it so, as none may suspect the want or absence thereof in themselves; and upon that Rock, they will tell mee I have splitted in the decision of this Case, there being hardly any one that can go from Character to Character, and say after a thorough search, Now I know that I am a lover of Christ in sincerity: For answer to which scruple, I shall barely suggest a few Considerations.

1. It is most certain, and notorious, that there is much counterfeit love abroad; and it was not the least part of my design to unmask it. Characters serve as well to convince the presumptuous, as to establish the sincere and upright. There is much in the world, that looks like love, that is not; such are those Vagous affections, that are to a Christ in general, and not to him, as King, Priest, and Prophet; And those counterfeit affections, which are to Christ upon the sole Arguments of Education, Custom, which are as truly in a Turk to his Mahomet, and serve as well to justify the Jew in his blasphemy against Christ, as the Christian in his pretended love of him; for love to Christ, say Divines, is not so much to be measured by the degree, and fervour, as by the grounds and motives; And also that barren love, which works up the soul to no measure of obedience unto him; And lastly, that which allows Christ but the worlds leavings in our hearts, every thing being constantly,