Directions for weak distempered Christians, to grow up to a confirmed state of grace…

3. And for the seeming Christian, this is his condemnation, that Light is come into the world, and he loveth darkness rather than light, because his deeds are evil. He cometh not to the light, lest his deeds should be discovered and reproved, Joh. 3.19, 20, 21. He liketh a searching Preacher for others, and loveth to hear their sins laid open, if it no way reflect upon himself. But for himself he liketh best a General or a smoothing Preacher; and he flieth from a quick and searching ministry, lest he should be proved and convinced to be in a state of sin and misery. Guilt maketh him fear or hate a lively searching Preacher, even as the guilty prisoner hateth the Judge. He loveth no company ⟨p. 30⟩so well as that which thinketh highly of him, and applaudeth and commendeth him, and neither by their reproofs nor stricter lives, will trouble his conscience with the remembrance of his sin, or the knowledge of his misery. He will take you for his enemy for telling him the truth, if you go about to convince him of his undone condition, and tell him of his beloved sin: Sin is taken to be as himself; It is He that doth evil, and not only sin that dwelleth in him: And therefore all that you say against his sin, he taketh it as spoken against himself; and he will defend his sin as he would defend himself: He will hear you till you come to touch himself, as the Jews did by Stephen Act. 7.51, 54. when they heard him call them stiffnecked resisters of God and persecutors, then they were cut to the heart, and grind their teeth at him. And as they did by Paul Act. 22.22. They gave audience to this word, and then lift up their voices and said, away with such a fellow from the earth, for it is not fit that he should live. Gal. 4.16. Joh 9.40. Mat. 21.45. The priests and pharisees would have laid hands on Christ, when they perceived that he spake of them. And Ahab hated Michaiah, because he did not prophesy good of him, but evil.