A fourth volume containing one hundred and fifty sermons on several texts of Scripture…

God hath plighted his Oath to you, if there be such a Disposition in you, being startled and awakened with the sense of your sinful Condition, to take hold, and not let it go; then what mean those Fears and Scruples? Do not you desire to take Sanctuary in Christ, and wait upon him with strong Resolution, not to be discouraged? When therefore God ⟨p. 210⟩hath put it upon such low Conditions, why should we stand off?

Obj. All the fear is, these Terms are too easy and cheap to give a solid Comfort, and many miscarry by sudden and delusive Hopes, and this makes Christians stand at a distance from their own Comfort.

Answ. When a Man hath God's Warrant to show for his Confidence, why should he doubt? If Men were once serious in the Business of Salvation, there's no fear of Delusion. You will find Comfort cannot be counterfeited, as the Life of a Creature cannot be painted. Carnal Men, that feed themselves with delusive Hopes, who make an account they shall go to Heaven, are not serious, and mind not what they do, as appears by their Contradictions, for they blow hot and cold. They think that he is in a dangerous condition that doubts of his Salvation; and yet they say it is Presumption for a Man to say, he is assured of his Salvation: the one saying suits with their carelessness, and the other with their own private feeling: They have no deliberate and advised Confidence, only a rash Presumption. And because of their miscarrying, we have no reason to weaken our own Hopes; because a Man that is in a Dream, thinketh that he is awaked when he is not, shall not a Man that is really awake know himself to be so? Shall we suspect all our Interest in Christ, and the Terms of the Gospel, as too free and easy? Let me tell you, by Experience you will find, when you are serious and deliberate, it is not so easy a matter to have Rest for your Souls. Certainty and solid Assurance is not so soon had: Guilty Nature is subject to Bondage, and presagious more of Evil than of Good; more prone to Fear than Hope, and to Mourn than to Rejoice; therefore go on with your Business, wait upon God, and take his way without Jealousy and doubting. Thus I have showed how you should meditate on these two immutable things.