The saints everlasting rest

If when he understandeth all this, you find his soul enthralled in false hopes, persuading himself that he is a true believer, and pardoned, and reconciled, and shall be saved by Christ, and all this upon false grounds, (which is a common case) then urge him hard to examine his state, show him the necessity of trying; the danger of being deceived; the commonness and easiness of mistaking through the deceitfulness of the heart; the extreme madness of putting it to a blind venture; or of resting in negligent or wilful uncertainty: help him in trying himself: produce some undeniable evidences from scripture; ask him whether these be in him or not? Whether ever he round such workings or dispositions in his heart? Urge him to a rational answer: do not leave him till you have convinced him of his misery; and then seasonably and wisely show him the remedy.

If when he understandeth all this, you find his soul enthralled in false hopes, persuading himself that he is a true believer, and pardoned, and reconciled, and shall be saved by Christ, and all this upon false grounds, (which is a common case) then urge him hard to examine his state, shew him the necessity of trying; the danger of being deceived; the commonness and easiness of mistaking through the deceitfulness of the heart; the extreme madness of putting it to a blind venture; or of resting in negligent or wilful uncertainty: help him in trying himself: produce some undeniable evidences from scripture; ask him whether these be in him or not? Whether ever he round such workings or dispositions in his heart? Urge him to a rational answer: do not leave him till you have convinced him of his misery; and then seasonably and wisely shew him the remedy.

If he produce some gifts, or duties, or work, know to what end he doth produce them: if to join with Christ in composing him a righteousness, show him how vain and destructive they are: if it be by way of evidence to prove his title to Christ; show him wherein the life of christianity doth consist, and how far he must go further, if he will be Christ's disciple. In the mean-time, that he be not discouraged with hearing of so high a measure, show him the way by which he must attain it: be sure to draw him to the use of all means: set him on hearing and reading the word, calling upon GOD, accompanying the godly: persuade him to leave his actual sin, and to get out of all ways of temptation; especially to forsake ungodly company; and to wait patiently on GOD in the use of means; and show him the strong hopes that in so doing he may have a blessing; this being the way that GOD will be found in.