1. A FEARFUL man is not easily convinced of the truth, and tho’ it be laid before him with the clearest evidence, yet he starts many doubts and scruples about it, lest, if he should confess it too roundly, he should be hated, persecuted, or reputed a heretic. 2. He is never so busy in starting objections, as in cases that most tend to the glory of God. *3. When he is convinced of the truth, he will not confess it before men; or if he do, ’tis only among the lovers of truth. But before the enemies thereof, he conceals or denies it, or talks so dubiously about it, as to leave them uncertain whether he believes it or no; at least he takes care so to order his words, as to be able always to give them a handsome turn, and so be able to come off without trouble. If he lives in a place where truth is professed, he owns it open mouth’d; but if he comes to another place, he finds many difficulties in the point, so that he resolves to halt between both, and leave it undetermined. 4. When he finds he cannot avoid owning the truth, yet he takes care so to limit and pinch it, that it may appear tolerable even to the enemies of truth. 5. A fearful man will at ♦last break out into an avowed confession of truth; but it is when he finds himself well backed with human authority; that is, when a person of unspotted reputation, and great learning, hath asserted the same before him. Accordingly he is more careful to arm himself with a fine train of human testimonies, than with the word of God itself; and thinks he has a right so to do, because he sees that the chearful confessors of truth have sometimes stopped ♠the mouths of their shameless adversaries with such arguments. ♦ “least” replaced with “last” per Errata ♠ duplicate word “the” removed 6. When some good work is to be done, he doth not undertake it with a simple reliance on the living God: but when he finds good patrons on his side, he at last sets about it. Yet when he sees the storm arise, and the waves beat, he gives way and so loses all he had gained. 7. He always finds something to blame in the behaviour of faithful labourers. Sometimes he fears they go too far. Sometimes, finding nothing to tax in the thing itself, he blames the manner of doing it. When he finds nothing else to cavil at, he cries, the work is not well timed: thus he always sees some fault; tho’, indeed, there is none but his own want of faith. 8. He is very apt to believe any false reports against the faithful children of God; and, because his own heart fails, he is very forward in warning them to take heed to themselves; thus by his prudence, damping and stifling the chearfulness of their faith. 9. He does not love that a minister should make too plain and particular an application of his sermons, or shew too great earnestness in his function, or profession of Christianity.