The poor doubting Christian drawn to Christ. Wherein the main hindrances, which keep men…

Oh, saith the poor Sinner, I must needs yield to that. Then I affirm to thy Soul, that this is a Work of true Grace. Here (therefore) let Conscience be fully satisfied. But how satisfied? Thus: Cancel all Self-Accusations, and this will quit all Scores, and clear the Heart, scattering all Clouds that mist it. This will cast out all Cavils, and all new Bills against us: For if our Consciences condemn us not, then we have Boldness towards God. We must then stop the Mouth of Conscience; that is, be convinced, and agree, that it is a Sin to say, God hath not wrought this Work of Grace in the Heart, when it is so clear he hath. For tho' Sense and Feeling be (as it sometimes will be) gone, yet Conscience remembers the Day and Year when the Sinner had a clear Evidence of God's Love, and therefore saith, Lord thou knowest it, and thou didst say out of thy Word at such a Time, that the Heart of this poor Soul was upright and sincere before thee.

And here it should be with a poor Sinner, as with a wise Man, when he would make his Lands sure unto him and his Posterity by ⟨p. 64⟩Evidences and Writings sealed: He is not content here only to have his Evidences in his own keeping, but will have them enrolled in Chancery, such a Year, and such a Day: That if he should lose his Deeds, he might be sure where to find them. So it should be with the distressed Soul; it should not only be willing to have all Objections to the contrary of it answered; but it should further get them recorded in the Court of Conscience, as in Chancery; that when Sense and Feeling are lost, yet it may readily go to that high Court of Conscience, and there find the Day and Year when God's Love was made sure unto it. This for the second Rule.

And here it should be with a poor Sinner, as with a wise Man, when he would make his Lands sure unto him and his Posterity by ⟨p. 64⟩Evidences and Writings sealed: He is not content here only to have his Evidences in his own keeping, but will have them inrolled in Chancery, such a Year, and such a Day: That if he should lose his Deeds, he might be sure where to find them. So it should be with the distressed Soul; it should not only be willing to have all Objections to the contrary of it answered; but it should further get them recorded in the Court of Conscience, as in Chancery; that when Sense and Feeling are lost, yet it may readily go to that high Court of Conscience, and there find the Day and Year when God's Love was made sure unto it. This for the second Rule.