without the works of the Law. 3. I must put diffe∣rence
between my having fruits of faith in me, and my
observing and finding these fruits in me: for, a true con∣vert
may have both faith and fruits; and for the time,
being under tryal and temptation, may be so darkened,
that he can see nothing in himself but sin, and apparent
wrath pursuing him for sin, as may be seen in Ionah in
the belly of the fish, Ionah 2. 4. and, David, Ps. 51 9, 10.
4. I must put difference between my perswasion, that
I have been and am a true convert and a sincere believer,
and my perswasion, that I have right, reason and good
warrand to believe in Christ in my lowest condition:
howsoever then I find my self emptied of all signes of
saving grace in me for the time, yet my perswasion, that
I should in this sad condition flye to Christ and believe
in him, doth serve to make me consent heartily unto the
offer of the covenant of grace in Christ, doth serve to
make way for my justification, and looseth all doubts
and objections of Sathan tempting me to mis-believe,
and to run away from Christ and the offered mercy in
him. 5. And last of all, I must put difference between
making use of good fruits brought forth by me, for con∣firmation
of my faith, and my putting confidence in,
or laying weight on, these good fruits: for, many true
converts do here fail, and do not mark the mistakes;
for when they find love to God and his Saints, with fear
and holy reverence, and such other like signes of grace
in their hearts, and outward fruits thereof in their life,
then they do believe in Christ and rejoice in him: but
when at another time, they find hardnesse of heart, pro∣fanity
and perversenesse of a wicked nature in them∣selves,
they are like to quite their interest in the covenant
of Grace, and to stand aloof from Christ like strangers,
when they should most be humbled and creep in to
him for remission of sin, a••d hiding of their nakednesse
by his imputed righteousnesse. And what is this in
effect else, then in the first place to lean on their works
and holy disposition, as if there were merit in them, and