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

It remains now that I further acquaint you what use you should make of this observation, concerning the dependence of Assurance upon actual obedience. And 1. I advise you, if your soul remain in doubts and troubles, and you cannot enjoy God in any way of peace and comfort, nor see any clear evidence of the sincerity of your faith; take a serious view of your obedience: and faithfully survey your heart and life, and your daily carriage to God in both. See whether there be nothing that provokes God to an unusual Jealousy. If there be, it is either the increase of some carnal interest in your heart, or else the wilful or negligent falling into some actual sin, of commission or omission. In the making of this search you have need to be exceeding cautelous; for if I have any acquaintance with the mystery of this business, your peace or trouble, comfort or discomfort, will mainly depend on this. And your care must lie in this point; that ⟨p. 281⟩you diligently avoid these two extremes: First, That you do not deal negligently and unfaithfully with your own soul, as either unwilling to know the truth, or unwilling to be at that labour which you must needs be at before you can know it. Secondly, That you do not either condemn your self when your conscience doth acquit you, or vex your soul with needless scruples, or make unavoidable or ordinary infirmities to seem such wilful heinous sins, as should quite break your settled peace. O how narrow is the path between these two mistaken roads? and how hard a thing, and how rare is it to find it and to keep in it? For your self and all tender conscienc'd Christians that are heartily willing to be Ruled by Christ, I would persuade you equally to beware of both these▪ because some souls are as inclinable to the later extreme as to the former (during their troubles.) But for the most Christians in the world, I would have them first and principally avoid the former, and that with far greater diligence then the later. For 1. Naturally all mens hearts are far proner to deal too remissly, yea unfaithfully with themselves in searching after their sins, then too scrupulously and tenderly. ⟨p. 282⟩The best men have so much pride and carnal self-love, that it will strongly incline them to excuse, or mince, or hide their sins, and to think far lightlier and more favourably of it then they should do, because it is theirs.