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

and so keep the sinner from actual Repenting, or at least, from a full ingenuous acknowledgement and bewailing of the sin which is necessary to full Repentance: and how long Repentance may be so far stifled, as to remain only in some inward grudgings of conscience, and trouble of mind, hindered from breaking out into free Confession (which seemeth to have ⟨p. 270⟩been David's case long.) Nay it is impossible to know just how long a man may live in the very practice of such gross sin, before Christs habitual Interest above the flesh be either overthrown, or proved not to be there? and how oft a man that hath true Grace may commit such sins: These things are undiscernible; besides that none can punctually define a gross sin so as to exclude every degree of Infirmities, and include every degree of such gross sin.

and so keep the sinner from actual Repenting, or at least, from a full ingenuous acknowledgement and bewailing of the sin which is necessary to full Repentance: and how long Repentance may be so farre stifled, as to remain only in some inward grudgings of conscience, and trouble of minde, hindered from breaking out into free Confession (which seemeth to have ⟨p. 270⟩been David's case long.) Nay it is impossible to know just how long a man may live in the very practice of such gross sin, before Christs habitual Interest above the flesh be either overthrown, or proved not to be there? and how oft a man that hath true Grace may commit such sins: These things are undiscernable; besides that none can punctually define a gross sin so as to exclude every degree of Infirmities, and include every degree of such gross sin.

Perhaps you will marvel why I run so far in this Point; It is both to give you as much light as I can, what sins they be which be to be called Infirmities, and so what sins they be that do forbid that gentle, comforting way of cure, when the soul is troubled for them, which must be used with those that are troubled more then needs, or upon mistakes: and also to convince you of this weighty Truth, That Our Comfort yea and Assurance hath a great dependence on our actual obedience: yea so great that the least obedient sort of sincere Christians cannot by ordinary means have any Assurance: and the most obedient (if other necessaries concur) will have th most Assurance: and for the middle sort; their Assurance will rise and fall, ordinarily