essed
Christians.

Among believers in Christ there is much difference in self judging,
extreme contrarieties, both between diverse persons and in one and the
same, at diverse times. You know that some are kept in the open view of
their own sins and infirmities, and while they aim at holiness they are
wholly disabled to that worthy endeavour by their discouragements arising
from the apprehension of their own weakness and infinite short coming. Now
to elevate and strengthen such spirits, that word was seasonally cast in,
"and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin," for it properly
belongs to the comfort of such fainting souls, and it is all one as if he
had said, up and be doing, and the blood of Christ shall cleanse your evil
doings. He goeth not about to persuade them to have better thoughts of
themselves, or lower apprehensions of their sins but only to have higher
and more suitable thoughts of Christ, and the virtue of his blood, and
this is the only cure,--not to abate from that low esteem of ourselves, but
to add to the esteem and grow in the lively apprehension of Christ. I
would not counsel you to think yourselves better, but to think better of
him, that all your confidence may arise from him.

Now there are others, (and it may be that same person at another time,--for
the wind of temptation veers about, and is sometimes in one corner,
sometimes in an other,--our adversary useth many stratagems, and will seem
to flee before us, in yielding us the victory over our unbelief, that he
may in his flight return and throw some other dart upon us unawares,) when
they have attained any fervency of desires, and height of design after
holiness and walking with God, and this is seconded with any lively
endeavours, and this confirmed and strengthened with those presences of
God, and accesses into the soul, that fill it with some sweetness,--then, I
say, they are ready to apprehend too highly of themselves, as if they had
attained, and to look below upon others with some disdain. Then there is
not that present discovery of themselves, that may intermingle humble
mourning with it, but a kind of unequal measuring their attainments by
their desires, which in all true Christians are exceedingly mounted above
themselves. Now, indeed, this is in effect, and really to say, "we have no
sin." Herein is a delusion, a self deceiving fancy, that begets too much
self pleasing. Let us know where our stance is,(245) infinitely belo