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

DIRECTION XXI.

21. The next advice which I must give you is this, Be thankful if you can but reach to a settled Peace and composure of your mind, and lay not too much on the high raptures and feelings of comfort which some do possess: And if ever you enjoy such feeling Joys, expect not that they should be either long or often.

21. The next advice which I must give you is this, Be thankfull if you can but reach to a setled Peace and composure of your minde, and lay not too much on the high raptures and feelings of comfort which some do possess: And if ever you enjoy such feeling Joyes, expect not that they should be either long or often.

IT is the cause of miserable languishing to many a poor soul to have such importunate expectations of such passionate Joys, that they think without these they have no true comfort at all; no witness of the Spirit, no Spirit of Adoption, no joy in the holy Ghost. Some think that others have much of this though they have not, and therefore […] themselves because it is no• […] as with others: when alas, they little […] how it goes with others! Some […] ⟨p. 228⟩raptures sometimes themselves; and therefore when they are gone, they think they are forsaken, and that all grace, or peace at least is gone with them. Take heed of these expectations. And to satisfy you let me tell you these two or three things: 1. A settled calm and peace of soul is a great Mercy, and not to be undervalued and looked at as Nothing, 2. The highest raptures and passionate feeling joys, are usually of most doubtful sincerity. Not that I would have any suspect the sincerity of them without cause: but such passions are not so certain signs of Grace, as the settled frame of the understanding and will nor can we so easily know that they are of the Spirit: and they are liable to more questioning, and have in them a greater Possibility of deceit. Doubtless it is very much that Fantasy and Melancholy, and specially a natural weakness and moveable temper will do in such cases Mark whether it be not mostly these three sorts of people that have or pretend to have such extraordinary raptures and feelings of joy. 1. Women and others that are most passionate 2. Melancholy People. 3. Men that by erroneous opinions have lost almost all their understandings in their phantasies, and live like men in a continual