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in good company have felt joy, and sweet comfort therein; but afterward, oftentimes much dulness has suddenly seized upon them; which makes them fear they have no root in themselves, and that their joys and comforts were not sound.

This dulness after fresh comforts may, and often does befall those, in whom is truth of grace, but commonly through their own fault. And to speak freely to you; it may be you were not thankful to God for your joys and comforts when you had them; but did ascribe too much to yourselves, or unto the outward means by which you had them. Or it may be, you did too soon let go your hold of these spiritual comforts, betaking yourself to worldly business, or to other thoughts, before you had sufficiently digested these, and before you had committed them under safe custody, insomuch that the devil finding your comforts lie loose, and unguarded, steals them from you; or else haply the Lord knows that you are not able to bear the continuance of your joys and comforts, but your hearts will be over-light and overjoyed, and exalted above measure, 2 Cor. xii. 7; therefore in his just chastisements, or in his loving wisdom, God may suffer deadness in this sort to seize you.

(7.) Doubts of sanctification on account of being outdone by others.

There are also some, who, when they perceive that some new converts to religion, who have not had half of the time or means to be good as they have had, yet outstrip them in knowledge, faith, mortification, and willingness to die; doubt of the truth of their own graces.

It is more than you can certainly know, whether they have more saving grace than you; for when with a charitable eye you look upon the outside of another's behaviour, and shall look with a severe and searching eye into the corruptions of your own heart, you may easily, through modesty and charity, think others better than yourselves, and it is good for you so to do; an error in that case, if you do commit it, is tolerable. Many also can utter what they have, it