Again, If thou wouldst have Assurance, thou must be much in self-examination. Commune with thy own Heart, dive into the abyss of it, reckon with thy self, summon thy self to the Tribunal in thy own bosom. The Philosophers espied out this Rule. Pythagoras would not have us sleep till we had reviewed the day, asking our selves, [Greek or Hebrew], What have I transgressed, what done, and what omitted? This, though done by the candle-light of Nature, much promoted Virtue, and the comfort of it. Qual•s ille somnus post recognitionem sui sequitur, quam tranquillus, altus, & liber? saith Sencea. After a review ⟨p. 434⟩of ones self, Oh what manner of sleep is there, how still, deep, and free is it? Much more must such a search into ones own Heart conduce to the Christians Graces and Comforts, if done by the pure Sun-light of Scripture. Self-examination is a root which bears Self-knowledge, and at the top of it grows Assurance, which is the knowledge of gracious self. Awake therefore, O Believer, down into thy own Heart, rifle the labyrinths, and break open the false bottoms there; see what of Sin is in thee: Is there any darling Sin, such as cogs with thy complexion, or falls in with thy calling, or any way steals away thy Heart and Affections from God? Be sure that this is an accursed thing, a Delilah; as the word imports, an exhauster of thy peace and joy. However fair it may look to sense, it is virtually sorrow and wrath. See again, what of Grace is there in thee, do thou repent of Sin, and believe on the Lord Jesus, and love God and his holy Ways? Are thy Graces genuine, such as act thee in the power of the Spirit, and square thee to the holy Canon of the Word, and level thy Thoughts and Intentions at the Glory of God? If thou thus search into thy Heart. and do it in truth and faithfulness to the holy Light; I dare say, thou art ready for the sealing of the Spirit, and the very frame of thy Heart is a real prayer for it. O how soon may the Spirit come, and by a Divine irradiation on thy Soul tell thee, That thy Repentance is a Repentance unto Life, and thy Faith precious Faith, and ⟨p. 435⟩thy Love Love in Sincerity? How soon may it apply and seal the Promises to thy Heart, as if it should say to thee, Thou repentest indeed, and the Mercy in the Promise is thine; Thou believest indeed, and the Salvation in the Promise is thine;
Again, If thou wouldst have Assurance, thou must be much in self-examination. Commune with thy own Heart, dive into the abyss of it, reckon with thy self, summon thy self to the Tribunal in thy own bosom. The Philosophers espied out this Rule. Pythagoras would not have us sleep till we had reviewed the day, asking our selves, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, What have I transgressed, what done, and what omitted? This, though done by the candle-light of Nature, much promoted Virtue, and the comfort of it. Qual•s ille somnus post recognitionem sui sequitur, quam tranquillus, altus, & liber? saith Sencea. After a review ⟨p. 434⟩of ones self, Oh what manner of sleep is there, how still, deep, and free is it? Much more must such a search into ones own Heart conduce to the Christians Graces and Comforts, if done by the pure Sun-light of Scripture. Self-examination is a root which bears Self-knowledg, and at the top of it grows Assurance, which is the knowledg of gracious self. Awake therefore, O Believer, down into thy own Heart, rifle the labyrinths, and break open the false bottoms there; see what of Sin is in thee: Is there any darling Sin, such as cogs with thy complexion, or falls in with thy calling, or any way steals away thy Heart and Affections from God? Be sure that this is an accursed thing, a Deliah; as the word imports, an exhauster of thy peace and joy. However fair it may look to sense, it is virtually sorrow and wrath. See again, what of Grace is there in thee, do thou repent of Sin, and believe on the Lord Jesus, and love God and his holy Ways? Are thy Graces genuine, such as act thee in the power of the Spirit, and square thee to the holy Canon of the Word, and level thy Thoughts and Intentions at the Glory of God? If thou thus search into thy Heart. and do it in truth and faithfulness to the holy Light; I dare say, thou art ready for the sealing of the Spirit, and the very frame of thy Heart is a real prayer for it. O how soon may the Spirit come, and by a Divine irradiation on thy Soul tell thee, That thy Repentance is a Repentance unto Life, and thy Faith precious Faith, and ⟨p. 435⟩thy Love Love in Sincerity? How soon may it apply and seal the Promises to thy Heart, as if it should say to thee, Thou repentest indeed, and the Mercy in the Promise is thine; Thou believest indeed, and the Salvation in the Promise is thine;
