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

For I have seen in divers professors of my long acquaintance, the strange power of Opinion and Fantasy in this thing. I have known those that have lived many years in doubting of their Salvation, and all that while walked uprightly; and in the late Wars, falling into the company of some Anabaptists, they were by them persuaded that there was no right way to their comfort but by being Re-baptized, and associating themselves with the Re-baptized Church, and abstaining from the hearing of the Unbaptized Parish Priests (as they called them) No sooner was this done, but all their former doubtings and troubles were over, and they were as comfortable as any others (as themselves affirmed) which no doubt proceeded from, partly the strength of Fantasy conceiting it should so be, and partly from the Novelty of their way which delighted them, and partly from the strong▪ Opinion they had that this was the way of Salvation, ⟨p. 154⟩and that the want of this did keep them in the dark so long, and partly from Satan's policy, who troubleth people least, when they are in a way that pleaseth him: But when these people had lived a year or two in this comfortable condition, they fell at last into the society of some Libertines or Familists, who believe that the Scriptures are all but a dream, fiction or Allegory: These presently persuaded them, that they were fools to regard Baptism or such Ordinances, and that they might come to hear again in our Congregations, seeing all things were lawful, and there was no Heaven or Hell but within men, and therefore they should look to their safety and credit in the world, and take their pleasure. This lesson was quickly learned, and then they cried down the Anabaptists, and confessed they were deluded, and so, being grown loose while they were Anabaptists, to mend the matter, they grew Epicures when they had been instructed by the Libertines, and this was the end of their new gotten comfort. Others I have known that have wanted Assurance, and falling among the Antinomians, were told by them that they undid themselves by looking after Signs and Marks of Grace, and so laying their comforts upon something in themselves: whereas they should look only to Christ for Comfort, ⟨p. 155⟩and not at any thing in themselves at all: and for Assurance, it is only the Witness of the Spirit without any Marks, that must give it them;