The truly blessed man

USE I. We may hence learn one principal reason why many lie so long under the burden of a distressed Conscience. It is a thing observable, that there are many who, though they have made a good profession, are much exercised in their minds, and greatly perplexed in spirit, by reason of their sins, and find no relief against it: they can get no satisfactory evidence that they are forgiven, but are apt to think that all their sins lie out against them to their Condemnation; and there must be some ⟨p. 233⟩reason why it is so with them, which it concerns them carefully to enquire after. Here observe;

USE I. We may hence learn one principal reason why many ly so long under the burden of a distressed Conscience. It is a thing observable, that there are many who, though they have made a good profession, are much exercised in their minds, and greatly perplexed in spirit, by reason of their sins, and find no relief against it: they can get no satisfactory evidence that they are forgiven, but are apt to think that all their sins ly out against them to their Condemnation; and there must be some ⟨p. 233⟩reason why it is so with them, which it concerns them carefully to enquire after. Here observe;

1. That God may have forgiven their sin, and not for the present witness it in their Consciences. As a man may be in a pardoned state and yet question whether he be so or no, by reason of darkness in his mind, and the Spirits withholding his testimony; so it may be in respect of the actual forgiveness of this or that sin that he hath fallen into: he may have repented, confessed, sought forgiveness, and God hath pardoned him, and yet doth not instantly proclaim it in his Conscience; and he acteth much of his Holy Sovereignty herein, for reasons known to himself, so that we have a great deal of reason charitably to think this of some that are under the hurries of such perplexities: And let not such be overborne with the misgivings of their hearts, but say to themselves as he,