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

2. The same counsel I give you also in your rising from sin. It is the sad condition of those that yield to a Temptation, and once put their foot within the doors of Satan, that they ensnare themselves so, that they must undergo thrice as great difficulties to draw back, as they needed to have done before-hand for prevention and forbearance. Sin unhappily engageth the sinner to go on; and ⟨p. 326⟩one sin doth make another seem necessary. O how hard a thing is it for him that wronged another by stealing, deceit, over-reaching in bargaining, or the like, to confess his fault, and ask him forgiveness, and to the utmost of his ability to make restitution! What abundance of difficulties will be in the way? It will likely cost him the loss of his Credit, besides the breach in his estate, and perhaps lay him open to the rage of him that he hath wronged. Rather he will be drawn to cover his sin with a Lye, or at least by Excuses. And so it is in many other sins. Now in any of these Cases, when men indulge the flesh, and cannot find in their hearts to take that loss or shame to themselves, which a through-Repentance doth require, they do but feed the troubles of their soul, and hide their wounds and sores, and not ease them. Usually such persons go on in a galled, unpeaceable condition, and reach not to solid Comfort: (I speak only of those to whom such Confession or Restitution is a duty.) And I cannot wonder at it: For they have great cause to question the truth of that Repentance, and consequently the soundness of that heart, which will not bring them to a self-denying duty, nor to Gods way of rising from their sin. It seems at present the interest of the flesh is actually predominant, ⟨p. 327⟩when no Reason or Conviction will persuade them to contradict it. As ever you would have sound Comfort then in such a Case as this, spare not the flesh. When you have sinned, you must rise again or perish. If you cannot rise without fasting, without free confessing, without the utter shaming of your selves, without restitution; never stick at it. This is your hour of Trial: O yield not in the Conflict. The dearer the Victory costeth you, the greater will be your Peace. Try it; and if you find it not so, I am mistaken.

2. The same counsel I give you also in your rising from sin. It is the sad condition of those that yield to a Temptation, and once put their foot within the dores of Satan, that they ensnare themselves so, that they must undergo thrice as great difficulties to draw back, as they needed to have done before-hand for prevention and forbearance. Sin unhappily engageth the sinner to go on; and