A Christian Directory

To Repent is the best way to prove that I am elected to Repent. 9. They never read or hear of any miserable instance, but they are thinking that this is their case! If they hear of Cain, of Pharaoh given up to hardness of heart, or do but read that some are vessels of wrath, fitted to destruction, or that they have eyes and see not, ears and hear not, hearts and understand not, they think, This is all spoken of me; or this is just my case: If they hear of any terrible example of Gods judgements on any, they think, it will be so with them: If any dye suddenly, or a house be burnt, or any be distracted, or dye in despair, they think it will be so with them. The reading of Spira's case, causeth or increaseth Melancholy in many; the ignorant Author having described a plain Melancholy, contracted by the trouble of sinning against Conscience, as if it were a damnable despair of a sound understanding; 10. And yet they think that never any one was as they are; I have had abundance in a few weeks with me, almost just in the same case; and yet every one say that never any one was as they. 11. They are utterly unable to Rejoice in any thing: They cannot apprehend, believe or think of any thing that is comfortable to them. They read all the threatenings of the word with quick sense and application, but the Promises they read over and over without taking notice of them, as if they had not read them; or else say, They do not belong to me: The greater the mercy of God is, and the riches of grace, the more miserable am I that have no part in them. They are like a man in continual pain or sickness, that cannot ⟨p. 313⟩rejoice, because the feeling of his pain forbiddeth him. They look on husband, wife, friends, children, house, goods and all without any comfort; as one would do that is going to be executed for some crime. 12. Their Consciences are quick in telling them of sin, and putting them upon any dejection as a duty: but they are dead to all duties that tend to consolation; as to Thanksgiving for mercies, Praises of God, meditating on his Love and grace and Christ and promises: Put them never so hard on these, and they feel not their duty, nor make no conscience of it, but think it is a duty for others, but unsuitable to them. 13. They alway say that they cannot believe, and therefore think they cannot be saved:

To Repent is the best way to prove that I am elected to Repent. 9. They never read or hear of any miserable instance, but they are thinking that this is their case! If they hear of Cain, of Pharaoh given up to hardness of heart, or do but read that some are vessels of wrath, fitted to destruction, or that they have eyes and see not, ears and hear not, hearts and understand not, they think, This is all spoken of me; or this is just my case: If they hear of any terrible example of Gods judgements on any, they think, it will be so with them: If any dye suddenly, or a house be burnt, or any be distracted, or dye in despair, they think it will be so with them. The reading of Spira's case, causeth or increaseth Melancholy in many; the ignorant Author having described a plain Melancholy, contracted by the trouble of sinning against Conscience, as if it were a damnable despair of a sound understanding; 10. And yet they think that never any one was as they are; I have had abundance in a few weeks with me, almost just in the same case; and yet every one say that never any one was as they. 11. They are utterly unable to Rejoyce in any thing: They cannot apprehend, believe or think of any thing that is comfortable to them. They read all the threatnings of the word with quick sense and application, but the Promises they read over and over without taking notice of them, as if they had not read them; or else say, They do not belong to me: The greater the mercy of God is, and the riches of grace, the more miserable am I that have no part in them. They are like a man in continual pain or sickness, that cannot