The right method for a settled peace of conscience, and spiritual comfort in 32…

We must sugar and butter our words, and make them liker to stroking then striking, liker an approving then a reproving them, liker flattery then faithful dealing, and yet when we have all done, they go down very hardly, and that but half way, even with many godly people when they are under a temptation. 5. The like may be said of all those Duties which do pinch upon our credit or profit, or tend to disgrace us or impoverish us in the world: As the confessing of a Disgraceful ⟨p. 98⟩fault: the free Giving to the poor or sacred uses, according to our estates: the parting with our own Right or Gain for Peace: the patient suffering of wrong, and forgiving it heartily: and loving bitter abusive enemies: especially the running upon the stream of mens displeasure, and incurring the danger of being utterly undone in our worldly state (especially if men be rich: who do therefore as hardly get to Heaven as a Camel through a needles eye:) and above all, the laying down of our lives for Christ: It cannot be expected, that godly men should perform all these with perfect Willingness: The flesh will play its part, in pleading its own cause; and will strive hard to maintain its own interest: O the shifts, the subtle arguments, or at least the clamorous and importunate contradictions that all these Duties will meet with in the best, so far as they are unrenewed, and their Graces weak! so that you may well hence conclude that you are a sinner; but you may not conclude that you are Graceless, because of a backwardness and some unwillingness to Duty.

We must sugar and butter our words, and make them liker to stroaking then striking, liker an approving then a reproving them, liker flattery then faithfull dealing, and yet when we have all done, they go down very hardly, and that but half way, even with many godly people when they are under a temptation. 5. The like may be said of all those Duties which do pinch upon our credit or profit, or tend to disgrace us or impoverish us in the world: As the confessing of a Disgracefull ⟨p. 98⟩fault: the free Giving to the poor or sacred uses, according to our estates: the parting with our own Right or Gain for Peace: the patient suffering of wrong, and forgiving it heartily: and loving bitter abusive enemies: especially the running upon the stream of mens displeasure, and incurring the danger of being utterly undone in our worldly state (especially if men be rich: who do therefore as hardly get to Heaven as a Camel through a needles eye:) and above all, the laying down of our lives for Christ: It cannot be expected, that godly men should perform all these with perfect Willingness: The flesh will play its part, in pleading its own cause; and will strive hard to maintain its own interest: O the shifts, the subtill arguments, or at least the clamorous and importunate contradictions that all these Duties will meet with in the best, so far as they are unrenewed, and their Graces weak! so that you may well hence conclude that you are a sinner; but you may not conclude that you are Graceless, because of a backwardness and some unwillingness to Duty.