The doubting believer, or, A treatiseThe doubting beleever, or, A treatise

You know that if a piece of stone or wood will break with one or two blows, we spare the rest; and if the mass will yield ¹in one days firing, we then let it out: So, &c. But if yet the knottiness be great, and resistance long, then knotty wood must have iterated blows, and un-yielding metal must have the greater fire.

You know that if a piece of stone or wood will break with one or two blows, we spare the rest; and if the masse will yeeld ¹in one dayes firing, we then let it out: So, &c. But if yet the knottinesse be great, and resistance long, then knotty wood must have iterated blows, and un-yeelding metall must have the greater fire.

1. 1Simile.

From all this, the doubtful heart may perhaps be settled about his estate in grace: Ask him, Dost thou love God? I do: Serve him with all thy might in all thy ways? I do: Rest upon Jesus Christ? I do: Combat and war against sin? I do; and yet I fear all is not right: Why? Because I never had such terrors as others. Now then inform thy weak judgment, If God hath shown unto thee thy sinfulness, If he ⟨p. 227⟩hath abated thee, and emptied thee of thy self, If sin and thou are now at defiance, If thou hast yielded unto the receiving of Christ upon his own terms and conditions, though thy legal preparations were not answerable to others, either for intension of strength and measure, or for extension of length and time, yet thy condition is good and safe: For that humiliation which is accompanied with these issues, is assuredly blessed and comfortable. If the physic carries away the humour, though ¹