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

15. Much less, is it lawful for men to feign and suppose such calamities to themselves, as God doth never try men by, and then to ask themselves, Can I bear these for Christ? and so to try themselves on false and dangerous grounds. Some use to be troubled, lest if they were put to long and exquisite torments for Christ they should renounce him. One saith, I cannot endure the torments of Hell for Christ: Another saith, Could I endure to be roasted or torn in pieces so many weeks or days together? or could I endure to die so many times over? These are foolish, sinful questions, which Christ never desired you to put to your selves. He never tries mens faith on this manner. Tormentors cannot go beyond his Will. Nay it is but very few that he tries by death: and fewer by an extreme tormenting death. All this therefore proceeds from error.

15. Much less, is it lawfull for men to feign and suppose such calamities to themselves, as God doth never try men by, and then to ask themselves, Can I bear these for Christ? and so to try themselves on false and dangerous grounds. Some use to be troubled, lest if they were put to long and exquisite torments for Christ they should renounce him. One saith, I cannot endure the torments of Hell for Christ: Another saith, Could I endure to be roasted or torn in pieces so many weeks or daies together? or could I endure to die so many times over? These are foolish, sinfull questions, which Christ never desired you to put to your selves. He never tries mens faith on this manner. Tormentors cannot go beyond his Will. Nay it is but very few that he tries by death: and fewer by an extream tormenting death. All this therefore proceeds from errour.

16. Observe, from the fifth Mark, That the present Prevalency of your Resolutions now against those Temptations which you encounter with, may well encourage you to ⟨p. 110⟩expect that they should prevail hereafter, if God bring you into greater trials. Can you now follow Christ in a holy life, though your flesh repine and would have its liberties and pleasures, and though the world deride or threaten you, or great ones turn against you and threaten your undoing? Can you part with your money to the poor, or to the promoting of any work of Christ, according to the measure of estate that God hath allotted you, notwithstanding all temptations to the contrary? Some trials you have now: if you can go well through these, you have no cause to disquiet your mind with fears of falling in greater trials. But he that cannot now deny his greedy Appetite in meats and drinks so far as to forbear excess; nor can deny his credit with men, nor bear the scorns or frowns of the world, but be on the stronger side, and decline his duty to avoid danger, whatever become of conscience or Gods favour; this man is not like to forsake and lay down his life for Christ and his cause.