The third Impediment that keeps1 poor souls from Assurance, is the want of a thorough search, and examination of their own souls, and of what God hath done, and is a doing in them. Some there be that can read better in2 other mens Books, then in their own, and some there be that are more critical and curious in observing and studying other mens tempers, hearts, words, works, and ways, then their own. This is a sad evil, and causes many souls to sit down in darkness, even days without number. He that will not seriously and frequently observe the internal motions, and actings of God, in, and upon his noble part, ⟨p. 183⟩his immortal soul, may talk of assurance, and complain of the want of assurance, but it will be long before he shall obtain assurance. O you staggering, wavering souls, you tossed, and disquieted souls, know for a certain, that you will never come to experience the sweetness of assurance, till your eyes be turned inward, till you live more at home then abroad, till you dig and search for the Mines, that be in your own hearts, till you come to discern between a work of Nature, and a work of Grace, till you come to put a difference between the precious and the vile, between Gods work, and Satan's work. When this is done, you will find the clouds to scatter, and the Sun of Righteousness to shine upon you, and the Day-star of assurance to rise in you. Doubting, trembling souls, do not deceive your selves, it is not a careless, slight, slender searching into your own hearts, that will enable you to see the deep, the secret, the curious, the mysterious work of God upon you. If you do not seek as for silver, and search for3 Christ and grace as for hid treasures, you ⟨p. 184⟩will not find them. Your richest4 metals lie lowest, your choicest gems are in the bowels of the Earth, and they that will have them, must search diligently, and dig deep, or else they must go without them. Doubting souls, you must search, and search again, and dig, and dig again; you must work, and sweat, and sweat, and work, if ever you will find those Spiritual Treasures, those Pearls of price that are hid, (under the ashes of corruption) that lie low in the very bowels of your souls.
The third Impediment that keeps1 poor souls from Assurance, is the want of a thorow search, and examination of their own souls, and of what God hath done, and is a doing in them. Some there be that can read better in2 other mens Books, then in their own, and some there be that are more critical and curious in observing and studying other mens tempers, hearts, words, works, and ways, then their own. This is a sad evil, and causes many souls to sit down in darkness, even days without number. He that will not seriously and frequently observe the internal motions, and actings of God, in, and upon his noble part, ⟨p. 183⟩his immortal soul, may talk of assurance, and complain of the want of assurance, but it will be long before he shall obtain assurance. O you staggering, wavering souls, you tossed, and disquieted souls, know for a certain, that you will never come to experience the sweetness of assurance, till your eyes be turned inward, till you live more at home then abroad, till you dig and search for the Mines, that be in your own hearts, till you come to discern between a work of Nature, and a work of Grace, till you come to put a difference between the precious and the vile, between Gods work, and Satans work. When this is done, you will finde the clouds to scatter, and the Sun of Righteousness to shine upon you, and the Daystar of assurance to rise in you. Doubting, trembling souls, do not deceive your selves, it is not a careless, slight, slender searching into your own hearts, that will enable you to see the deep, the secret, the curious, the mysterious work of God upon you. If you do not seek as for silver, and search for3 Christ and grace as for hid treasures, you ⟨p. 184⟩will not finde them. Your richest4 mettals lie lowest, your choicest gems are in the bowels of the Earth, and they that will have them, must search diligently, and dig deep, or else they must go without them. Doubting souls, you must search, and search again, and dig, and dig again; you must work, and sweat, and sweat, and work, if ever you will finde those Spiritual Treasures, those Pearls of price that are hid, (under the ashes of corruption) that lie low in the very bowels of your souls.
- 13. Impediment.
- 2Conradus Motto was a notable rule (Omnium mores, tues imprimis observato,) observe all mens carriages, but especially thy own.
- 3Prov. 2. 3, 4, 5.
- 4So saith Pliny, Seneca, and others.
