The truly blessed man, or, The way to be happy here, and forever being…

1. Let us try our solves by this Rule. If there be such a way as we have been told, it concerns us to ask our selves, what way am I in? if once we know where we are, we may firmly conclude whither we are going; if we are going to life, we are in the way of life; if we are in the way of destruction, we are surely going thither; and this will be an help, either to encourage, or to stop us in the way we are in. This also is • good Rule to examine our particular actions by If at any time a Child of God is perverted to take wrong steps, he had need to be called back• which would be done the sooner by thus enqu• ring: and the Word of God is our Rule for this in which both of these are described.

2. And we may judge, at least negatively concerning many others by this Rule. We cannot know all men: there is a Charity that we owe to others; the close Hypocrite may seem to be right, and a Godly man may take too many false steps that are apparently wrong; but our Charity may do hurt to others, if we regulate it not with discretion: and we here may conclude, that there are too many, whose whole visible Conversation testifies against them, that they are in a way that is not good: Psal. 36. 1, 4. And we may safely say, that he who holds in that way to the end, is undone; and we should tell him of it, and warn others to beware of taking such courses.

2. And we may judge, at least negatively concern•ng many others by this Rule. We cannot know all men: there is a Charity that we owe to others; the close Hypocrite may seem to be right, and a Godly man may take too many false steps that are apparently wrong; but our Charity may do hurt to others, if we regulate it not with discretion: and we here may conclude, that there are too many, whose whole visible Conversation testifies against them, that they are in a way that is not good: