The blessedness of the righteous discoursed from Psal. 17, 15 /The blessednesse of the righteous discoursed from Psal. 17, 15 /

Fourthly, Canst thou pretend it to be impossible? Hath God left thee under a necessitated ignorance, in this matter? or denied thee sufficient means of knowing how 'tis with thee in respect of thy Spiritual Estate? Though he have not given thee a List, or told thee the Number, or Names of his Sanctified ones; yet hath he not sufficiently described the persons, and given thee characters by which they may be known? And hath he not furnished thee with a self reflecting power, by which thou art enabled to look into thy self? and discern whether thou be of them or no? Doth he not offer, and afford to serious, diligent souls, the assisting light of his blessed Spirit to guide, and succeed the inquiry? And if thou find it difficult, to come to a speedy, clear issue, to make a present, certain judgment of thy case; ought not that to engage thee to a patient, continued diligence, rather then a rash, despairing madness, to desist, and cast off all? In as much as the difficulty, though great, is not insuperable, and the necessity, and advantage incomparably greater? And (though divers other things do confessedly fall in) the principal difficulty lies in thy aversation, and unwillingness. Thou art not put to traverse the Creation, to climb Heaven, or dig through the ⟨p. 260⟩Earth; but thy work lies nigh thee, in thy own heart, and Spirit, and what is so nigh, or should be so familiar to thee, as thy self? 'Tis but casting thy eye upon thy own soul, to discern which way 'tis inclined, and bent, thou art urged to. Which is that we propounded next to discover. Viz.

Fourthly, Canst thou pretend it to be impossible? Hath God left thee under a necessitated ignorance, in this matter? or denied thee sufficient means of knowing how 'tis with thee in respect of thy Spiritual Estate? Though he have not given thee a List, or told thee the Number, or Names of his Sanctified ones; yet hath he not sufficiently described the persons, and given thee characters by which they may be known? And hath he not furnish't thee with a self reflecting power, by which thou art inabled to look into thy self? and discern whether thou be of them or no? Doth he not offer, and afford to serious, diligent souls, the assisting light of his blessed Spirit to guide, and succeed the inquirie? And if thou find it difficult, to come to a speedy, clear issue, to make a present, certain judgment of thy case; ought not that to ingage thee to a patient, continued diligence, rather then a rash, despairing madness, to desist, and cast off all? In as much as the difficultie, though great, is not insuperable, and the necessity, and advantage incomparably greater? And (though divers other things do confessedly fall in) the principal difficultie lies in thy aversation, and unwillingness. Thou art not put to traverse the Creation, to climb Heaven, or dig through the