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

Seeing this is so, let me advise you; Take it not for a calamity, but for a precious advantage, when God calls thee to a hazardous costly service, which is like to cost thee much of thy estate, to cost thee the loss of thy chiefest friends, the loss of thy credit, the indignation of Great ones, or the painfullest diligence and trouble of body: Shift it not off, but take this opportunity thankfully, lest thou never have such another for the clearing of thy sincerity, and the obtaining of more then ordinary Consolations from God: Thou hast now a Prize in thy hand for spiritual riches, if thou have but a heart to improve it. I know all this is a paradox to the unbelieving world: But here is the very excellency of the Christian Religion, and the Glory of Faith. It looks for its greatest spoils, and richest prizes from its Conquests of fleshly Interests: It is not only able to do it, but it expecteth its advancement and consolations by this way. It is engaged in a war with the world and flesh▪ and in this war it plays not the vapouring fencer, that seems to do much, but never strikes home, as Hypocrites and carnal worldly Professors do: but he lays it home and spares ⟨p. 324⟩not, as one that knows, That the fleshes ruin must be his Rising, and the fleshes thriving would be his Ruin. In these things the true Christian alone is in good sadness, and all the rest of the world but in jest. The Lord pity poor deluded souls! You may see by this one thing, how rare a thing true Christianity is among the Multitude that take themselves for Christians! and how certain therefore it is that few shall be saved! Even this one point of true Mortification, and self-denial, is a stranger among the most of Professors. Oh how sad a testimony of it are the actions of these late times, wherein so much hath been done for self, and safety, and carnal interests, and so little for Christ! yea, and that after the deepest engagements of Mercies and Vows that ever lay on a people in the world: Insomuch that through the just judgement of God, they are now given up to doubt, whether it be the duty of Rulers to do any thing as Rulers for Christ, or no? or whether they should not let Christ alone to do it himself? Well, this which is such a mystery to the unregenerate world, is a thing that every genuine Christian is acquainted with:

Seeing this is so, let me advise you; Take it not for a calamity, but for a precious advantage, when God cals thee to a hazardous costly service, which is like to cost thee much of thy estate, to cost thee the loss of thy chiefest friends, the loss of thy credit, the indignation of Great ones, or the painfullest diligence and trouble of body: Shift it not off, but take this opportunity thankfully, lest thou never have such another for the clearing of thy sincerity, and the obtaining of more then ordinary Consolations from God: Thou hast now a Prize in thy hand for spiritual riches, if thou have but a heart to improve it. I know all this is a paradox to the unbelieving world: But here is the very excellency of the Christian Religion, and the Glory of Faith. It looks for its greatest spoyls, and richest prizes from its Conquests of fleshly Interests: It is not only able to do it, but it expecteth its advancement and consolations by this way. It is engaged in a war with the world and flesh and in this war it plays not the vapouring fencer, that seems to do much, but never strikes home, as Hypocrites and carnal worldly Professors do: but he lays it home and spares