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

ANSWER.

1. Feeding your Doubts and Perplexities, and arguing for them, is not a means to get the Testimony and Joy of the Spirit: but rather studying with all Saints to know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge, to comprehend the height, and breadth, and ⟨p. 445⟩length, and depth of his Love: and seeking to understand the things that are given you of God. Acknowledge Gods general Love to Mankind, both in his Gracious Nature, and Common Providences, and Redemption by Christ, and deny not his Special Mercies to your self, but dwell in the study of the Riches of Grace, and that's the way to come to the Joy of the Holy Ghost. 2. I have told you before what the witness of the Spirit is, and what is the ordinary mistake herein. If you have the Graces and holy operations of the Spirit, you have the witness of the Spirit, whether you know it or not. 3. If by your own doubtings you have deprived your self of the Joy of the Holy Ghost, bewail it, and do so no more; but do not therefore say you have not the Holy Ghost. For the Holy Ghost often works Regeneration and Holiness, before he works any sensible Joys. 4. You have some hope of salvation by Christ left in you: You be not yet in utter despair: And is it no Comfort to you to think that you have yet any Hope? and are not quite past all Remedy? It may be your sorrows may so cloud it that you take no notice of it: but I know you cannot have the least Hope without some answerable Comfort. And may not that Comfort •e truly the Joy of the Holy Ghost? 5. And for Communion with ⟨p. 446⟩God, let me ask you: Have you no recourse to him by Prayer in your straits? Do you not wait at his mouth for the Law and direction of your life? Have you received no holy desires, or other Graces from him? Nay, are you sure that you are not a member of Christ, who is one with him? How can you then say, that you have no Communion with him? Can there be Communication of Prayer, and Obedience from you? yea your own self delivered up to Christ? and a Communication of any life of Grace from God, by Christ and the Spirit? and all this without Communion? It cannot be. Many a soul hath most near Communion with Christ that knows it not.