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

And here let me tell you, when you are making this search, what particulars they be which I would have you to be most jealous of. 1. The former sort which I call contrary carnal interest encroaching on Christs Right, are they that you must ⟨p. 287⟩look after with far more diligence then your actual sins. 1. Because they are the far greatest and most dangerous of all sins, and the root of all the rest: for as God is the End and Chief Good of every Saint, so these sins do stand up against him as our End and Chief good; and carry away the soul by that Act which we call simply willing, or complacency, and so these interests are mens Idols, and resist Gods very Sovereignty and perfect Goodness, that is, They are against God himself as our God. Whereas those which I now call Actual sins as distinct from these, are but the violation of particular Precepts, and against Gods means and Laws directly, and but remotely or indirectly against his Godhead; and they have but that act of our Will which we call Election, Consent or Use, which is proper to Means, and not to the End. 2. Because as these sins are the most damnable, so they lye deepest at the heart, and are not so easily discovered. It is ordinary with many to have a Covetous, Worldly, Ambitious heart, even damnably such, that yet have wit to carry it fairly without; yea and seem truly Religious to themselves and others. 3. Because these sins are the most common: ⟨p. 288⟩For though they reign only in hypocrites and other unsanctified ones, yet they dwell too much in all men on earth.

And here let me tell you, when you are making this search, what particulars they be which I would have you to be most jealous of. 1. The former sort which I call contrary carnal interest incroaching on Christs Right, are they that you must ⟨p. 287⟩look after with farre more diligence then your actual sinnes. 1. Because they are the farre greatest and most dangerous of all sinnes, and the root of all the rest: for as God is the End and Chief Good of every Saint, so these sinnes do stand up against him as our End and Chief good; and carry away the soul by that Act which we call simply willing, or complacency, and so these interests are mens Idols, and resist Gods very Soveraignty and perfect Goodness, that is, They are against God himself as our God. Whereas those which I now call Actual sinnes as distinct from these, are but the violation of particular Precepts, and against Gods means and Laws directly, and but remotely or indirectly against his Godhead; and they have but that act of our Will which we call Election, Consent or Ʋse, which is proper to Means, and not to the End. 2. Because as these sinnes are the most damnable, so they lye deepest at the heart, and are not so easily discovered. It is ordinary with many to have a Covetous, Worldly, Ambitious heart, even damnably such, that yet have wit to carry it fairly without; yea and seem truly Religious to themselves and others. 3. Because these sinnes are the most common: