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

I beseech you in all your Doubtings and Complainings still Remember the two Rules here laid down. 1. All Doubts arise not from the same Cause, and therefore must not have the same Cure. Let the first thing which you do upon every doubt, be this: To consider Whether it come from the Unbelieving or low Apprehensions of the General Grounds of Comfort, or from the want of evidence of special Grace? For that which is a fit Remedy for one of these, will do little for the cure of the other. 2. If your Doubting be only Whether you be sincere in Believing, Loving, Hoping, Repenting and Obeying? then it will not answer this Doubt, though you discern never so much of Gods Merciful Nature, or Christs Gracious Office, or the Universal sufficiency of his Death and Satisfaction, or the freeness and extent of the Promise of Pardon. For I profess considerately, that I do not know in all the Body of Popery concerning Merits, Justification, Humane Satisfactions, Assurance or any other point about Grace, for which we unchurch them, that they err half so dangerously, as ⟨p. 491⟩Saltmarsh and such Antinomians do in this one point, when they say, That Christ hath Repented and Believed for us; meaning▪ it of that Faith and Repentance which he hath made the Conditions of our salvation: and that We must no more question our own faith, then we must question Christ the Object of it. It will be no saving Plea at the day of Judgement to say, Though I Repented not, and Believed not, yet Christ dyed for me, or God is merciful, or Christ Repented and Believed for me, or God made me a free Promise and Gift of salvation, if I would Repent and Believe. What Comfort would such an Answer give them? And therefore doubtless it will not serve now to quiet any knowing Christian against those Doubts that arise from the want of particular evidence of special Grace: though in their own place, the General Grounds of Comfort are of Absolute Necessity thereto.

I beseech you in all your Doubtings and Complainings still Remember the two Rules here laid down. 1. All Doubts arise not from the same Cause, and therefore must not have the same Cure. Let the first thing which you do upon every doubt, be this: To consider Whether it come from the Ʋnbelieving or low Apprehensions of the General Grounds of Comfort, or from the want of evidence of special Grace? For that which is a fit Remedy for one of these, will do little for the cure of the other. 2. If your Doubting be onely Whether you be sincere in Beliving, Loving, Hoping, Repenting and Obeying? then it will not answer this Doubt, though you discern never so much of Gods Merciful Nature, or Christs Gracious Office, or the Universal sufficiency of his Death and Satisfaction, or the freeness and extent of the Promise of Pardon. For I profess considerately, that I do not know in all the Body of Popery concerning Merits, Justification, Humane Satisfactions, Assurance or any other point about Grace, for which we unchurch them, that they erre half so dangerously, as