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judging yourselves. For instance, the holy Scriptures give you to understand, I speak still to such only as with all their souls would please God, yet can feel no comfort, that your state, in point of salvation, is good. And God's experienced children, yea, his faithful ministers, who dare not lie for God, much less to ease you, assure you according to the Scriptures, that your state is not as you say it is; but you think otherwise, and, having no sensible comfort, in your own judgment it is otherwise than either the Scripture or the ministers speak. Now when you will prefer your own opinion and sense, such as it is, before the judgment of God's word of truth, and before the judgment of God's ministers, judging according to his word, are you not highly conceited of your own opinion? And are you not strongly proud? Though, it may be, you thought otherwise.

Wherefore, if you understand things aright, you must have a mean conceit of your own understanding, of your own opinion, and of your own sense. For as you must deny your goodness, and be poor in respect of conceit of any goodness in you, if you would ever expect to have any goodness from Christ; so you must deny your own opinion, knowledge, sense, and wisdom, if you would know spiritual things aright, and become wise through Christ.

And that it may appear that you are not too well conceited of your own opinion concerning your spiritual condition, make use in this case of experienced Christians, but especially of judicious and godly ministers. Let no fear either of troubling them, nor yet of shaming yourself, hinder you. But do it according to these directions.

SECT. 3. DIRECTIONS FOR TROUBLED CONSCIENCES, THEIR APPLICATION TO MINISTERS, OR OTHERS.

First, Acquaint such an one with your case betimes; keep it not to yourself too long. For then like a bone long out of joint, and a festered wound, it will