The Saints' Everlasting Rest

SECT. VI.

3. The third thing that I promised is,¹ to show you what are the Hinderances which keep men from Examination and Assurance. I shall 1. Show you what hinders them from Trying, and 2. What hindereth them from Knowing, when they do Try: That so when you see the Impediments, you may avoid them.

3. THe third thing that I promised is,¹ to shew you what are the Hinderances which keep men from Examination and Assurance. I shall 1. Shew you what hinders them from Trying, and 2. What hindereth them from Knowing, when they do Try: That so when you see the Impediments, you may avoyd them.

1. 1§. 6. Hindrances of Examination.

And 1. We cannot doubt but Satan will do his part,¹ to hinder us from such a necessary duty as this: If all the power he hath can do it, or all the means and Instruments which he can raise up, he will be sure above all duties to keep you off from this. He is loath the Godly should have that Joy, and Assurance, and Advantage against Corruption, which the faithful performance of Self-Examination would procure them. And for the Ungodly he knows, if they should once fall close to this Examining task, they would find out his deceits, and their own danger, and so be very likely to escape him: