THE BEARING And BURDEN OF the SPIRIT.  
Wherein the sickness and soundness of the soul is opened, and eight Cases of conscience cleared and resolved for the settling and comforting of perplexed consciences.  
By JOHN SEDGWICK, Bachelor in Divinity and Preacher of GOD'S Word in London.  
LONDON, Printed by G. M for R. Harford, and are to be sold by H. Blunden at the Castle in Cornhill, 1639.   

TO THE WORSHIPEULL Captain SAMVEL CARLETON, and his virtuous Wife Mrs. MARTHA CARLETON, Grace and Peace from Jesus Christ.  
Beloved Friends,  
IT is well known unto you, at whose request these Sermons (now presented jointly to you both) came to be preached, and for whose sake they are thus printed; if any good come to any by either, next unto God, the thankes is due unto you; I cannot deny to do that service which cometh within the compass of my calling and power, which may either profit yourselves, or satisfy any of your Noble friends; my only sorrow is, that I have so long delayed my promise, and your expectations; you now see, long look for cometh at length, and my earnest desire is that it may answer the expectation of the Noble Lady, and my thankful mind, whose requitals to you and yours for many undeserved favours, lay in no other way then the furthering of your spiritual good, and comfort. God (you see) gaineth glory to himself by weak means, and many times derided Sermons by brainsick, and full men, do prove relishing and healing to wounded consciences: I wish from my heart unto you both, and all yours the peace and purity of conscience, the integrity and sincerity of holy walking; together with the addition of all graces and comforts belonging unto Christians, and that a spur may be found in these Sermons, to prick you on to a holy care of conscience, which will prove your best friend, or worst enemy; believe me (friends) the man is as his conscience is; if that be good in constitution, and in execution, all things will answer to it in life and death: you enjoying its goodness, shall not fail of its strength and boldness; make much of it, and cherish it therefore as your best jewel, and in so doing, I shall account my pains plentifully recompensed, and be further encouraged to be yours in what I am able when you shall be pleased to command me; in mean time I take leave, and rest  
Yours in the Lord jesus, JOHN SEDGWICK. Soper-lane London, August 21. 1638.   

To the Reader.  
I Wish thee conscience and care in reading and following what is contained in the ensuing Sermons; which are now more large in the Press than they were in the Pulpit, and may receive a farther addition of certain cases if leisure shall permit, in mean time let this that is done profit thee, and help him with thy prayers who is thine in the best bond and ready to do thee good,  
JO: SEDGWICK.   

THE BEARING of the burden by the SPIRIT.  PROV. 18. 14. The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity, but a wounded spirit who can bear? 
SAlomon in his Proverbs is the great Master of the Sentences, all his Parables are master Sentences, whose matter exceed their words, and whose words excel not themselves; each sentence is pithy, and complete, and so absolute, that most an end (especially from the beginning of the tenth Chapter) it shineth in its own native brightness, and therefore (at this time) it spares us the searching after any coherence.  
This present Proverb presents us with two observables;  

1. The power of a sound spirit against all external calamity, uttered in these words, The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity.  
2. The impotency of a man's spirit against inward perplexities, a wounded spirit who can bear?   
Concerning the first part, I shall inquire into these things:  
First, what is meant by the infirmity of man?  
Secondly, what is that spirit of a man which doth and will bear this infirmity of a man?  
To the knowledge of the firstenquiry, know that the infirmity of man is double.  
Note. 1. One sinful. What are all those slips, frailties, imperfections, unwilling rise, and actions befalling the godly in their progress of Sanctification? are they not infirmities? and it cannot be denied but that in reference to such kind of infirmities, the spirit of a Christian is, and will be sustaining; So long as a man alloweth not himself in evil, or evil in himself; but can and doth thoroughly judge himself unto the bewailing, and loathing, and leaving of all known evil; in this case conscience will be his comfort, and his stay, upholding him in the assurance of a good estate with God against all those troubling arguments, and distressing fears where withal he is daily followed.  
2. Another is sorrowful: humane calamity is humane infirmity; take all those miseries and crosses which divine providence doth inflict either immediately, or mediately upon men, suppose them to lie in the goods, names, bodies, children, or friends of men. And this is the infirmity of man spoken of in this Text; it's no new thing for the Holy Ghost to call crosses and afflictions befalling men, by the name of infirmity or weakness, and that because of that natural imbecility which is found in man to free himself from them, or to stand under them; a state of calamity is a weakening estate; and none are more weak than men under the cross and rod, these things do make men feeble and infirm; as sickness is the weakness of the body, so crosses, reproaches, and afflictions are the weakness of man.  
Concerning our second enquiry, you must note that there is a double Spirit sustaining humane infirmity.  
1. One above man, and yet 
A twofold Spirit.  given unto man, and that is the Spirit of God, who is a Spirit of power, and doth help to bear up the burden of all our calamities; likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities, saith Paul, Rom. 8. 26. when a Christian doth find a weakness in himself, both to do and to suffer; the Spirit of God is assistant unto him, and doth make the burden easy and supportable; and what we are never able to bear of ourselves, by his strength we can and shall bear it, as the Apostle sheweth, saying, I can do all things through him that strengtheneth me, Phil. 4. 13.  
2. Another in man, which maketh man to be man; which in some places is 
The spirit of man diversely taken.  taken largely for the whole soul of man; but in this place more narrowly and strictly for the conscience of man, its usual for the Hebrews to express conscience under the name of the spirit or the heart of man; and in the New Testament, it is called in one place our spirit, Rom. 8. 16. and in another place the spirit of man; for what man knoweth the things of a man, saving the spirit of a man which is in him, 1 Cor. 2. 11. and surely if we do 
Conscience called a spirit and why.  look unto the original, and being, and manner of working of conscience in man, which is every way spiritual, it is most aptly named spirit, and this is the spirit which is so able to sustain a man under his infirmities.  
Now this spirit of man cometh 
Man's spirit considered two ways:  under a double consideration.  
1. Of Original Creation, 
1. In its Creation  as it was man's before the fall, in full vigour and rectitude, and so it was specially useful and serviceable unto Adam, that had he been put unto it, the Omnipotency thereof would have borne the greatest of burdens; a spark whereof is to be found, and may be seen in many mere natural men; whose spirits retain such strength in them, that they have endured many crosses, and manfully received the charge of many and great calamities, thinking the chiefest point of virtue consisted in bearing crosses and devouring injuries; they have I say gone fare in this work of enduring outward calamities, although failing in the right manner and the right end of the same.  
2. Of spiritual qualification, 
●. In its regeneration.  the spirit of a man, as it is renewed by grace, is strong to do much, and to suffer much, it is of such incredible might, that it doth and will support in the midst of all trouble. Grace is a creature enlivening the spirit, enlightening the spirit, and so assisting the spirit of a man, that it over-masters the fear and the feeling of afflictions, upholding a man in being, in liberty, in confidence, and in cheerfulness under all, and any even the greatest infirmities that may or can befall him; flesh and blood will tremble at that trouble which grace will trample upon; nature will shrink at that pain as intolerable, which a sound and sanctified spirit makes nothing of in comparison.  
Note. Yet mistake me not, I do not say that calamity shall not be felt by a sound spirit, there is a burden in every cross, and a kind of weakness in every spirit, No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous, Heb. 12. 11. But the thing I aim at is this,  
Doct. That when conscience within man is truly good, it is mighty to bear up a man from sinking and fainting under the present cross: Suppose the cross to come in its full weight, and to be heavily laid on a man by the hand of God, yet there shall be such a supportance from a good conscience unto man, that the burden shall scarce be burden some, it shall never become overburthen some, a man by it shall be kept from being slavishly dejected, or overwhelmedly fearful, the spirit shall not fail before the cross; No calamity shall overdaunt or overcome such an one: the Text saith, it will sustain the infirmity: the holy Spirit doth not speak of it as a thing possible or probable only, but real and actual, as having a certainty in it; and the truth of this you may observe two ways.  

1. In the sentence of Scripture.  
2. In the soundness of argument.   
For the Scripture, in one place it saith; Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors, Rom. 8. 37. Behold a strange truth of speech; They were killed all the day long for the sake of Christ, and accounted as sheep for the slaughter, there was humane infirmity in extremity, and yet they were conquerors, more than conquerors, and that not in a few of these, but in all these things; here is the exceeding sustaining of the spirit. In another place its written, We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed, we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed, 2 Cor. 4. 8, 9 infirmity was great upon these men, and yet not over matching, none of all these miseries could bring their spirits under misery; but as the main Ocean swallows up the overflowings of all other rivers, and as the well rigged ship bears its own burden stoutly in the midst of a most tempestuous sea; so their sanctified spirits did receive all, and sustain all these calamities, being in nothing terrified, much less by any thing overcome: David, job, Paul, and the holy Martyrs are ready to witness unto this truth, but we will spare them for this time.  
Reason. Showing unto you in the next place, that it cannot be but that a spirit in soundness doth and will support under humane calamity; for  
1. A spirit in goodness is a spirit of strength, and power; it is of incredible, invincible might; when I am weak then am I strong, saith Paul, 2 Cor. 12. 10. the strength of a gracious spirit is the strength of God made perfect in weakness verse 9 it is no weakness that is able to overmaster it; power is too hard for weakness, as light is overmatching to darkness; all humane calamity to a sound spirit is but infirmity, it therefore bears it; were it strength and might, than the case might be doubtful, as in all cases where power and power meet, but here is power against weakness, and therefore no marvel if it bear up and overcome.  
2. A spirit in goodness, is a spirit in comfort and cheerfulness, it is fortified with the sense of God's favour, and made comfortable with divine consolations; yea and it is such a 
2 Cor. 1●. 10.  lightsome temper that it takes pleasure in infirmities; rejoiceth 
Rom. 5. 3.  in tribulation, yea and accounts it all joy when it falls into diverse 
James 1. 2  temptations; Now the joy of the Lord is the strength of the soul, Neh. 8. 10. and who so are filled with it, can live in death, sing in prison, and with much courage, and constancy bear up; and endure any calamity.  
3. Such a spirit is a patiented spirit; and patience is a bearing up grace; it willingly stoops down to the cross, and as readily takes up the cross, it doth bear quietly, and with admirable submission, all the strokes of God's hand; and thinketh no misery greater than is deserved, or more than can be borne; and hereupon it is the strength of a man in the evil day; a man without patience is no more able to bear any the least cross, than a man can bear a burden without a pair of shoulders; but when patience possesseth the soul and spirit of a man, all burdens are overcommingly and cheerfully borne.  
4. A sound spirit is a contented spirit; and contentment giveth unto a man, three things for his upholdment under the present calamity.  
1. Settledness and staiment 
Three things in contentment upholding the spirit  of mind, it is the soul's quietation under all trouble, making it still and silent, freeing it from all those murmurings, repine, and disturbances wherewithal naturally it is hurried up and down like a ship in a storm.  
2. Delightfullnesse and complacency of soul, it doth not only compose the mind unto any condition by an holy pliableness, but it yields unto man an approovement of his condition, that a man shall see such a goodness in it unto himself, that he shall be well pleased without, no way quarrelling at it, or disliking of it; contentment maketh the present condition to be God's condition; and knoweth that God's condition is the best condition, Psal. 16. 6.  
3. Satisfyingnesse of mind. In all contentment there is sufficiency; there is a blessedness even in misery, and there shall be no want in all wants, the reachings and cravings of the soul shall be fully answered. Now hereupon, because by holy contentment the soul is enabled to take up the impression of the present condition, as humid qualities do receive the figure of their continent, and because the mind and soul falls in with an afflicted condition as the dispensation and allotment of a Sovereign and wise God: hence it is I say, that the spirit is so sustaining under trials and troubles.  
5. A sound spirit is a believing spirit, filled and qualified with faith, which must needs be a ground of strong supportance under all humane calamities, all things are possible to him that believeth, and a spirit of faith is courageous and conquering; do but consider a fourfold work of faith enabling the sound spirit to bear 
Faith doth 4. things to the enabling of the spirit under the cross.  its calamity.  
1. It apprehends divine assistances, and sets up overmatching helps under all calamities, it is the dejection of the spirit to be left to itself in times of trouble, and for a man to find to his sense a troubled condition to be his master, as we may see in Elishaes' servant, who when he saw the great host of the King of Assyria, sent to take his master; crieth out, Alas master how shall we do? his troubles were above all his arguments, and the man seemeth to be at his wit's end; But behold the faith of Elisha, and you shall see it to be above all his trouble; for he quiets his own heart, and the heart of his man, with the believing apprehension of a greater power with him then against him: Saying, fear not, for they that be with us, are more than they that be with them, 2 King. 6. 15, 16. it is the work of faith to find out, and to bring home a Christians helps unto him in times of trial; it makes God at such times both present in favour, and assistant in council, and power, in confidence of this David will lie him down, and sleep & wake, and not be afraid 
Psal. 3. 5, 6.  of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against him round about, yea he can walk thorough the valley of the shadow of death and fear none evil, Psal. 23. 4.  
2. It sets up God for a man's own in love, and care in the midst of all afflictions; God separated and divided from a Christian in any misery is the weakness of the Spirit and makes the heart to sink and faint within; Oh how down & dead, how cracked, and undone was David when God to his sense was gone from him? at such times he was a man without a spirit, and now the evil was great, and sore, and intolerable: But when by the eye of faith God was discovered to be his God, and he could well perceive that it was not all his afflictions which could separate him from the love of God unto him in Christ; Now he cheers up himself and saith to his soul, Why art thou so dejected O my soul? trust still in God, who is the health of my countenance and my God, Psal. 43. 5.  
3. It keepeth of from the soul and spirit whatsoever might weaken or deject it in and under calamities; in the day of a Christians calamity, it is with him as it is in the gathering of a bile or botch in the body, all the ill humours will make their recourse unto the botch, increasing disquietment unto the patiented; just so, when we have miseries seizing upon us, suspicion of God's love towards us, Note. fears of what men can do against us, and tumultuousness of passions will haunt and follow us, in so much that we find we have ourselves to be greater troubles to ourselves then all outward troubles that do befall us; we stick ourselves in greater deeps then troubles do cast us into; Now faith relieveth the soul against these or the like things; partly 
Four ways how faith releeveth the soul  in carrying a man from all the creatures unto God, showing unto him that men are but men, whose breath is in their nostrils, and whose power is confined, and malice overruled by the power of an Almighty God, who being with us and for us, we need in nothing to fear who can harm us? partly in keeping a man from looking too much downward and overwhelming ourselves in and by the aggravation of our trouble: Simile. if men look too much upon the water in tempestuous times, their heads will soon swim, and their stomach qualm, and whilst sense and reason is poring into an afflicted condition, and a man is willing and witty in aggravating his miseries unto the highest, making the most and the worst of them, the spirit will soon be sick, and sink, and faint within; now faith sets a man above all his miserable conditions, showing to a man that he lieth not at the mercy of any his most miserable conditions; that as it is not a good condition which can make him, so it is not any bad condition that can mar him, partly by setting a Christian upon the way of mitigation, learning the Christian the art and skill of breaking the wave in the midst of his most violent toss. Now it starts up the hand of God in all this, and the wisdom and goodness of God in ordering all unto good, which was David's stay in the great calamity, and made him to say, let him alone, and let him curse, the Lord hath bidden him, and it may be that the Lord will look on mine affliction, and that the Lord will requite good for his cursing this day, 2 Sam. 16. 11, 12. partly by countermanding the violent rise and habitual vexations of the soul; faith is an enemy unto distempered passions, it checks it, and crieth it down and will not admit that a man should be angry and froward, and fretful under the hand of God; Dost thou well to be angry? 
Jonah 4. 4  saith faith, shall we receive good and not evil from the Lord? job 2. 10.  
4. It puts the pawns and earnests of God into the hands of a Christian in evil times; a man in any condition without the promise is as weak as miserable; but the promises of God going along with a man they will prove his greatest strength and comfort in any condition; we must know, that the Covenant was made for the comforting of Christians in all conditions, and there are special promises made to Christians in times of their distress, which only faith can find, and supply the Christian withal: by means where of the head is held above water, and the man made stronger than all his trials and crosses; when faith reads that God will know the souls of his in adversity, Nah. 1. 7. That God will be with his in the fire and water, Esa. 43. 2. That all miserable evils shall end in spiritual good to them that love God, Rom. 8. 28. And that, that God who hath showed his great and sore evils will quicken them again, Psal. 71. 20. 21.  
Now the spirit gathers spirits unto itself, and is made lively, and strong; yea it gets upon the rock and triumphs over all trouble.  
Having thus opened the point unto you, the Application must needs be this.  
Use 1 First, to discover unto us that evilness of spirit which is in the sons of men; I may justly complain, that most men do want soundness and sincerity of spirit to bear them up in evil times, considering 
Two evidences of weakness of spirit, 1 Fear.  two things.  
1. Some men do overfeare troubles before they come, the very empty thought and conceit of troubles is terrible and perplexing unto them; when it was told the house of David saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim, his heart was moved, and the heart of his people as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind, Esay 7. 2. When Belshazzar saw the coming forth of the fingers of a man's hand, and writing over against the Candlestick upon the plaster of the wall, his countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him; so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another, Dan. 5. 5, 6, 7. and even so is it with too too many among us, the very news and conceit of troubles or calamities which possibly may befall them, doth put them into such shaking fits, that they know not what to do with themselves; and now tell me where is the soundness and strength of your spirit? call you that a stout spirit that is daunted with the report and thought of calamity?  Ob. 
Good men have feared troubles?  Sol. 
Know, that there is a 
A twofold fearing of troubles, 1. Of faith  twofold fearing of troubles before they come.  
The one is, a careful and believing fear, opposed to carnal security, which was found in holy job, who said, the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me, job 3. 25. Surely the good man in his prosperity did not cast of all thought of adversity, but did wisely consider, that a change might come upon his estate and family; it might be that his sun might be darkened, and his day turned into night, and he looked upon his children, and wife, and friends, and stock, and honour, as things dying and fading, there being no constancy in outward mercies unto any.  
The other is, a carking and 
2. Of distrust.  distressing fear opposite unto faith and comfort; a fearing either without a cause, or beyond all bounds, through the utter mistake of a miserable condition unto the sons of men; wherein fears do cut, and divide the heart, even emptying a man of all present joy, and future hope; this now is an argument that the spirit of infirmity doth possess a man, and that he wants that spirit which will sustain a man's infirmity.  
2. Some men are overburdened 
2. Faintness.  by the crosses which do befall them, the least cross that is doth sink them, and they cannot bear or endure any calamity, indeed before that troubles come, they will brag & boast as if they would & could carry all the world before them, and no adversity could overmaster them or their spirits; but when they are put to it, and the day of trial cometh, alas they are men of very poor and impotent spirits, Achitophel like, who being under disacceptation most desperately hangs himself, as being no way able to bear it; O how do men roar, and complain, and lie down in the dust, suffering crosses to bind them hand and foot, and to spoil them of all their comforts? it is strange to observe the weakness of spirit in some men, who though they have many comforts for one cross, yet that one cross doth so damp and daunt them, that all joy and comfort is gone, and they are mightily overwhelmed; thus do most men want supporting spirits: and surely their strength is weak who faint in the day of trouble, Pro. 24. 10. and such men may do well to suspect the soundness of their spirits; certain it is, that there is a want of soundness of spirit where the supportance of spirit doth wholly fail: cease to wonder that thou art so sinking and fainting, and leave crying out against the greatness of thy present trouble, knowing that there wants such a spirit within as should be, which is the cause of this thy failing.  
Quest. But may not a dear child of God faint, and his spirit fail him in the day of his calamities?  
Sol. Unto this I answer three things,  
1. That it may so fall out, that a Christian indeed may be to seek of the help and strength of his spirit in and under crosses befalling him; Suppose him  

1. To have forfeited the sense of divine favour.  
2. To have formerly neglected or abused divine assistances.  
3. To be suddenly surprised by the strangeness and the strength of the calamity coming upon him.  
4. To be followed both with the continuation of some grieving affliction, or the multiplication and coming in of one cross upon the neck of another:   
And surely in these and the like times, the spirit within him which always retaineth strength and might, may not be so serviceable and supporting unto him as at other times it hath been, and in time to come it may be again.  
2. That though there may be much fainting overtaking the spirits of sanctified men for a time, yet it is not total faintness; there is and may be a very weak upholdment; the spirit is many times well near spent in the spiritual conflict, and labouring under some grievous wounds, and now it upholds in much weakness; a horse that is almost tired, carrieth his burden, but not in that pace and with that mettle as when he was fresh; there are degrees of strength; sometimes we are helped with a little help, Dan. 
The strength of the spirit is gradual.  11. 34. and it is a day of small things with us, and it is not much that the spirit within doth for us; at other times the spirit being freed is more full of assistance and carrieth us through all troubles; one man's spirit may sustain him under his infirmity more than another; yea and the spirit of the same man may at one time and in one cross more bear him out then in another. Witness David, who in the case of Nabal was very weak and passionate; he had scarce the spirit of a man in him. But now in the case of Shimei where the cross was fare greater, his spirit did with much strength bear him out.  
3. That there is a double sinking of the spirit under afflictions, or miserable evils.  

1. One arising from the weakness of nature in the want of all grace, and thus the godly faint not.  
2. Another arising from the weakness of grace by the opposition of temptation and corruption.   
And thus the godly may faint in part, but they shall come to a recovery of themselves again; it is with the godly in their sinkings under afflictions, as with a man that is skilful to swim; at the first when he is cast into the water he is over head and ears, and the whole body is covered, but by and by he riseth up again and swims upon the water, commanding the water under him; whereas it is with a mere natural and carnal man in his sinkings under afflictions, as it is with a stone cast into the deep, there is a great noise made, but he sinketh lower and lower and never riseth up again;  
Use 2 To examine the strength and sufficiency of our spirits to our enabling under the crosses we suffer; tell me not so much of the greatness and grievousness of your crosses, which you are quick enough to do, but answer me, what is the spirit within you? and how doth it serve and help you? can it, and doth it sustain you? rightly bearing the burden for you? I yield, 1 That some men's spirits can & do slight crosses, and seemingly they make nothing of them; but with the Leviathan they laugh at the shaking of the spear; but this is an argument of an evil and naughty spirit not to be sensible of God's hand and rod. 2 That men carnal and formal to outward seeming are marvellous hardy in temper, and stout in spirit, and have without flinching or fainting passed through many afflictions, and endured extreme torments, when alas they have brawned themselves, or a spirit of slumbering and benumbedness is cast upon them; and for some self aims they have only restrained passion, in the mean time they do remain destitute of all positive joy, peace, and confidence, and want the assurance of the goodness of their spirits in bearing the cross befalling them.  
Quest. How may a man know that by a sound and good spirit he beareth the cross and calamity which God layeth upon him? 
Three signs of a sound spirit upholding man under the cross.   
Answ. By these Signs.  
1. When the cause of suffering is good; a good spirit cannot bear up in an ill cause; when a man suffers as a murderer, 
●. A good cause.  or as a thief, or as an evil doer, or as a busy body in other men's matters, as it is written, 1 Pet. 4. 15. Now conscience cannot uphold; but when a man suffers as a Christian, and is reproached for the name of Christ, conscience can and doth uphold, as you may read in the 14. and 16. verses of the same Chapter; we see the stoutness of the Apostles enduring the lash and the prison, was grounded on this, that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name, Acts 5. 41.  
2. When the carriage under 
2. A good carriage.  the cross is becoming a good spirit, which carrieth a man under 
Six ways of the spirits carrying a man under the cross.  the cross,  
1. With silence, stopping inward frettings, and outward murmurings against the Lord; making a man to say, yet my soul be silent unto the Lord, it layeth the mouth in the dust, and dares not open the mouth against the Lord to charge him foolishly, 1 Sam. 3. 28, 29. Psal. 39 9 62. 5.  
2. With submission and subjection; the soul is low and very humble, poor, and exceeding empty; the man is cast down under God's hand and will; saying, it is the Lord, let him do as it seemeth good unto him, 1 Sam. 3. 18. 2. Sam. 15. 25.  
3. With thankfulness; the man can kiss the rod, and bless the rod, and say with job, the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord, job 1. 21, 22.  
4. With religion; making God as lovely and good, and worthy to be praised & prayed unto under calamity as at any other time of prosperity: a man under the power of a sound spirit doth lose much of his sin, nothing of his godliness; I dare say he is more quick and hearty in his devotion then at other times; the soul doth now settle itself upon spiritual employment, and is taken up with God, Is any man afflicted, let him pray, james 5. 13.  
5. With humiliation; now a man shall find the guilts of his sin, and doth consider the deserts of his sins, he can and doth weep more for the sinfulness of sin, then for all the evils he doth sustain and endure; he well knoweth that man suffereth for his sin; and that sin deserveth more evil, than God inflicts upon his children; and that the evil of sin being the greatest of evils, can never be sufficiently bewailed.  
6. With hope, waiting upon God's time and pleasure for deliverance out of trouble, expecting that great good shall happily befall him, in and by all the troubles which he endureth; he considers that as the Bee hath his sting, so he hath his honey; and crosses have their comforts in the latter end, as well as bitterness in the beginning. Note. I say such men do put themselves into the covenant and promise, and will keep themselves there; they do see the Covenant going along with them in their trials and troubles, and do believe that a little assured good is above a great deal of sensible evil; and this is the moderation of their spirit in and under the rod.  
3. When their coming out 
3. A good issue.  of trouble is glorious and gracious; a sound spirit doth bear afflictions with power unto profit; and carrieth all painful evils with sovereign good unto itself; so that when a Christian is at the end of his trouble and toss, he shall set down with great cost and recompense; having the great fruit of his patience; even blessed is he that endureth, and the Spirit of God and glory shall rest upon him, he shall say with David, before I was afflicted I went astray, but now have I kept thy word, Psal. 119. 67. And it is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes, verse 71. Nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby, Heb. 12. 11. if we can find any good by afflictions, that our proud hearts are humbled, that our corruptions are weakened and wasted; that our graces are quickened and enlarged, and that we are in any degree made more holy and heavenly; this is an argument unto us, that we have borne all our afflictions by the strength of a sound spirit.  
Use 3 Labour that there may be found within you a good and a sound spirit to bear you up under your troubles; we know not to what times of trial God hath reserved us; we may meet with the cross, and calamity may be our portion, we know not how soon, and then strength to bear will do well; but know, that there is nothing will better help in sufferings, and keep up the soul in patience and comfort, than the spirit which is spiritual, there is no spirit to the sound spirit, and the spirit can never be sound until that it be made spiritual; conscience was made good at the first; and conscience is fit for goodness now, and goodness will be the good of it, and the good of man by it; learn to know two things.  
First, that the goodness of 
The goodness of spirit stands in 7. things. 1. Holiness  conscience stands, 1. In its sanctity by spiritual renovation; when as it is free from the filth of corruption, and qualified with divine graces.  
2. In its quietness and peace, 
2. Quietness.  it must be pacified as well as purified; it must not only be privatively quiet, but also positively quiet, there must not only be no torment, but a blessed security and assurance within it.  
3. In its sincerity, it must be 
3. Uprightness  upright, freed from the rottenness of guile and hypocrisy, this is that truth in the inward parts which God so much delighteth in, Psal. 51. 6.  
4. In its ability, when it is 
4 Strength  strong in execution, and able to exercise its own operations, and freely disposed to spiritual employments; what good can conscience do us whilst it is weak and unable to bear itself?  
5. In its tenderness, it must 
5. Tenderness.  be feeling, melting, yielding, and bleeding.  
6. In its clearness, the 
6. Clearness.  good of conscience is the light in conscience, it must be filled with saving light, and be informed by the rule, not only natural, but spiritual; it must in some measure in a spiritual manner see and know itself, its God, its duty, its way, its work, its object.  
7. In its freedom, it must 
7. Liberty  have liberty, although it hath a a binding power, which it derives from the Word of God, yet itself must be freed from entanglements by sin and error, and must be brought into bondage by no creature.  
Secondly, the way to attain this goodness of spirit is, 
Two ways of attaining goodness of spirit.   
1. To be sensibly convinced of the badness and naughtiness of our spirits naturally; we have within us no spark of saving goodness, but our hearts are full of guile and guilt, and they are evil above all things, jer. 17. 9 we foolishly fancy their natural goodness, and that keepeth us of from found endeavour after their spiritual goodness; who among us would labour after that which he conceiveth he wants not; our work is to get sound acquaintance with the illness and bafenesse of our own spirits, and to bewail the same before the Lord.  
2. To set upon the use of those means whereby badness may be remooved, and 
Means of making conscience good to be are are four. 1. The Spirit.  true goodness may be brought into your consciences, which I conceive are these four.  
1. The Spirit in Sanctification, who alone can and doth heal the infirmity of man's spirit, by the subduing of corruption within him, and vouchsafing courage and strength unto the inner man by the creation of all saving graces within.  
2. The Lord Jesus in application, 
2. Christ.  there is that virtue in the bleedings and die of Christ, that it is able to kill and crucify sin, and to sprinkle from an evil conscience; and to purge the conscience from dead works to serve the living God, Heb. 9 14. & 10. 22. there is enough in the Lord Jesus to make us wholly holy, and truly good in God's sight; he being made unto us of God, Wisdom, and Sanctification; and one every way fitted for the communication of holiness to his members.  
3. The Word in administration, 
3. The Word.  the Law and the Gospel meeting in the spiritual virtue thereof with the spirit of man; is a notable means to make it good and sound; the Word of God by its comfortable promises, and clear directions doth and will mightily enable the spirit in his office of upholding and strengthening man in the days of adversity: the Word of God is suitable nourishment unto the spirit; it is strong, and the admirable strength of the spirit; it is sweet, and the great refresher of the spirit; it doth every way so glad and cheer man's spirit, that it giveth him most sure grounds of standing under the greatest burdens; Note. believe me, if that conscience be not informed by the Word, it is blind▪ and where it is not fed by the promises, it is infirm, and can never bear up our infirmities; Unless thy Law had been my delight, I should then have perished in mine affliction, Psal. 119. 92.  
4. Faith in operation; a 
4. Faith.  conscience full of infidelity is full of badness, and fears, and sinkings; but the more believing a man's heart is, the more sound, and the more stout it is; I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, Psal. 27. 13. I assure you, that faith is a grace that deals with the God of all comfort, and the Word of all comfort; and when distresses are like a strong tide beating much upon Note. us, it is as a rock beating off all waves, and keeps the spirit in strength and courage in times of trouble.  
Use 4 Lastly, learn a duty of care and respect towards your spirits, that they may perform their office in upholding and strengthening you in the days of your adversity; if that our 
Six things to be done about the spirit. 1. Abuse it not.  spirits fail us we are undone; and to this purpose I shall advise you unto these things:  
1. Abuse not conscience; the abuse of our best friends is base, and we cannot with safety 
Twelve ways of abusing conscience  to ourselves abuse our spirits. Now men abuse their conscience 12. ways.  
1. By resisting the motions of conscience; there is in conscience a certain natural power, either by a watch word to give warning when men are bend to sin, or to give the check after the commission of sin; it is a word within us, and behind us, it doth dictate to us and direct us: Now when a man shall cross conscience in this work, and notwithstanding all that it saith and doth, go on in an evil way; this is the abuse of conscience by an act of resistance.  
2. By disregarding the motions of conscience; conscience is speaking, and that very loud; it many times groweth importunate with us, and stands in our way at every turn. Now when men turn away their ear, and pass over conscience, finding out other matters of very purpose that they may not answer or follow conscience, it is a great abuse of conscience, Acts 24. 26.  
3. By wounding and wasting conscience, our spirits are tender things, and should be gently used: it is as our eye, and every the smallest dust offends it; it is as a glass, and every knock cracks it; it is a brittleship, and we may soon make shipwreck of it, 1 Tim. 1. 19 a sinful course will wound and waste conscience: but take me sins committed against the light of nature, of Scripture, and of grace, and those do exceedingly gore conscience.  
4. By disquieting and vexing conscience; to bring trouble and torment into the soul, is no small abuse of the soul; it is the greatest injury that can be done unto it, and this men do  

1. In forcing sin upon it. 
Conscience vexed and how?   
2. In linking sin with it.  
3. In hindering the operations of it.   
5. By tempting conscience; some men prove devils unto their own consciences: partly 
Two wries of tempting conscience.  in laying baits before it, setting conscience in the presence of vileness, and using it to sinful companies, or sinful occasions; certain I am, that it is a hard matter to keep all fair with conscience, when and where there is nothing but vileness: and partly in trying conclusions upon it; men play the Empirics with their consciences, putting them upon the practice of things, the lawfulness whereof they know not, or are not yet resolved of.  
6. By deading and searing conscience; conscience is and would be living and sensible, now when men brawn it by the daily and customary practices of horrible and gross sins, and by disusance, they do abuse it, and so disable it for all spiritual service.  
7. By smothering the scruples of i●; conscience is many times full of real and personal cases, and sometimes it is not able to resolve itself, now if a man through pride or bashfulness shall keep all close, and not seek the satisfaction and resolution thereof, this maketh the inward rankling and festering and languishing thereof.  
8. By blinding and darkening conscience; knowledge is the eye and light of conscience, for it seethe no more than it knoweth, now ignorance is the thing that blinds conscience, and without knowledge it is not good; it is a madness in men to take away or to put out the light which should guide and direct their own consciences in things to be believed and done.  
9 By abasing conscience; conscience was made for goodness, to uphold and maintain that, and for high and holy employment, to do that; now when it shall be used for a colour and cloak for sin and wickedness (and men shall either make their sins to carry the name of conscience, as unwarranted opinions and practices now adays do; or make conscience the cause of sin, as too many do, who cannot come to Church and receive the holy Sacraments, under a pretence that conscience will not let them, a great belying and abusing 
Conscience abased and how?  of conscience, or to make conscience a false witness; fastening untruths on it, as do such men that will take it upon their consciences, that it is not so nor so as they are accused, when indeed it is so; conscience is put to swear against conscience, and to speak against conscience, and to accuse and condemn, and to execute conscience; this is the putting of conscience unto the basest offices that can be) and this way men do notably abuse conscience.  
10. By silencing conscience; conscience within us can and would speak unto us, when as others cannot, or dare not to speak unto us. Now when men command it unto silence, and stop the mouth thereof, and cannot endure that it should be a voice either of direction or correction unto them, but bribe or choke conscience, it is a great abuse unto it.  
11. By neglecting it; conscience is worthy our best respect and attendance, and we cannot do too much to cherish and refresh it. Now when men shall run from it, as many a Whore doth from her child, leaving it upon the Parish, and let who will look after it; when men shall never inquire after its health, but suffer it to take grievous falls and hurts; when men shall pass over its wounds not minding its cure; when men shall suffer it to want the best means of information, consolation, and corroboration, and let it cry itself to death, they show most horrible cruelty unto conscience, and do as grossly abuse it, as a Nurse doth her sucking babe, to whom she denieth her care, and breasts.  
12. By overloading and entangling conscience; conscience can and will bear much; but yet as the overlading of a ship is her sinking, so the over-lading of conscience by sins, and sorrows, and fears, and impertinent scruples, is the abusing and wronging of conscience.  
2. Lay out for the true good and strengthening of the spirit within you; we must endeavour to maintain it in a state of goodness; cherishing and keeping up its goodness that it die not; it will quit cost for us so to do, the good and strength of conscience is our good and strength at all times; let this then be your work,  
1. Remove daily the evilness of sin from within it, and before it, nothing is the undoing of conscience but sin, and we must endeavour after the daily bathing of it in the blood of the Lord Jesus: the increasing of its renovation by the Spirit, we must be much in the practice of repentance, and washing away those sins which lie upon conscience, by the tears of godly sorrow.  
2. Feed and nourish it with its appointed food; the strength of our natural spirits stands in their nourishment, & it is as true of our spiritual spirits, conscience must not be overfasted nor overphysicked, but we must give it the Word in promise; Christ in merit, and the sense of pardoning mercy, and we flesh and refresh it.  
3. Make use of the strength of conscience for your supportance: conscience was made for use, the excellency of it stands in its use, and if we do put conscience unto it, it will be our confidence in times of common fears and dangers, it will steel our hearts and bear up our minds as stoutly and as safely, as the waters did the Ark of Noah; nay, it will prove an Ark or Garrisonunto us for our safety; learn therefore upon the access of all calamity to retire into conscience, and commune with thine own spirit, and call upon conscience to do its office and work; keep not conscience idle within you; the less you employ it, the unfitter will it be for your strength and service; call upon it to act its own proper operations, and you shall find the comfort of it unto you in your afflictions.  
4. Secure the sound spirit within you; it is our upholdment and security, and therefore by an holy care and watchfulness keep it above all keep, Prov. 4. 23. Some men have made shipwreck of conscience and lost it, 1 Tim. 1. 19 and our condition in this life is full of danger, conscience within us, is in the midst of many and malicious adversaries, and in as much danger by evil men and devils as ever, and it stands us much upon to be watchful; and to be always fearful and jealous, lest both we and it become a prey unto Satan, to this end, 1. Shut carnal security out of doors; 2. Avoid all occasions of sinning, play not upon the hole of the Asp, and come not near the den of the Cockatrice; 3. Wisely withstand temptations unto all sin, and wickedness; 4. Keep close to the rule in a holy and religious practice.  
5. Give contentment unto conscience; in nothing willingly offend or displease it; this is the wages that is due unto it for sustaining our infirmity: we are not to displease such a friend that beareth all our costs and charges, and taketh upon him the burden of all our cares; and doth not conscience much more for us? Learn then, 1. To give God 
The contenting of conscience stands in 2. things.  content: in the pleasing of God you greatly content conscience; the servant hath no reason to be offended all the while his master is quieted. 2. To promote conscience in its power, unto its place: conscience must be more worth unto us then the world; wealth must not buy it, worship cannot equal it, and we must not prefer the pleasing of men or ourselves unto it, it is the discontent of conscience to be undervalved or to be put off at low rates: and surely, if the government of conscience be despised, it cannot be pleased; conscience is conscience, and will and must be known and acknowledged to be conscience; you must hear and obey conscience; go and do what conscience enjoineth, we must work, and stop, and fear, and hope, and give, and lend, and restore when conscience bids us, conscience must not be crossed and vexed by us wittingly or willingly, it deserves better of us.  
6. Prevent the wound and torment of it, take care that you make it not terrible and troublesome unto yourselves; if it be your burden how shall it then be able to sustain your infirmity? we read forward in the Text, a wounded spirit who can bear?   

THE BURDEN of the spirit under its wounds.  But a wounded spirit who can bear? 
Here we have the impotency of man's spirit against inward perplexities laid down by way of an interrogation, which is a most vehement Negation, who can bear? (i. e.) no man can bear it: in which words the Holy Ghost doth teach us these two things:  

1. That the spirit of man may be wounded.  
2. That the wounded spirit is insupportable.   
We will begin with the possible estate of the spirit or conscience of man, which is this,  
Doct. 2 That it may come under great and fearful wounds: I am 
Man's spirit may be greatly wounded.  poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me, saith David, Psal. 109. ●2. and again he tells us, that his spirit was overwhelmed within him, Psal. 142. 3. we find wicked men, and good men wounded in their spirits unto great vexation. I shall briefly open unto you three things:  

1. What a wounded spirit is?  
2. The difference of the wound in the good and bad.  
3. The grounds and causes of this wound.   
For the first, know that a wounded spirit, is a spirit, which 
A wounded spirit what.  for the time doth sensibly suffer miserable, and in a sort, hellish evils in a distressful, uncomfortable, fearful, restless and desperate manner.  
There goeth to the making of the wounded spirit these things:  
1. Miserable, and in a degree, hellish evils; I say that innumerable evils do compass the soul; it is not one misery, but an army which doth at this time follow a man; thou renewest thy plagues against me, and thou increasest thy wrath upon me, changes and armies of sorrows are against me, saith job 10. 17. the soul is cast into a peck of troubles, and into the abundance of calamity; yea, and it is such kind of misery which nothing can better represent and shadow then the very pains of the damned; the soul for the time feeleth that gnawing worm, and lieth (as it were) boiling and frying in hell fire; there is no torment like unto it, it goeth beyond all, having a fullness and exquisiteness of misery in it.  
2. The feeling of those miserable evils; a man hath now his conscience opened, and is made to know and apprehend the extremities of miseries which now lieth upon him even with fullness of weight; the spirit of man is living, and very tender, and misery and distress is felt. In a seared conscience there is nothing but senselessness, for that is past feeling, Ephes. 4. 19 but in a wounded conscience there is some life and tenderness; the practical notions are not quite extinguished; the natural light is still burning, and indeed miseries would not be miseries unto us, did they not touch us to the quick.  
3. The manner of the apprehending of those miserable evils, which is every way most grievous; for  
First of all it is with much distrosse of foul; the soul is thereby filled with unspeakable 
Psal. 77.  anguish and pain, it is as it were put upon the rack, and putto torture and torment in extremity; my soul is soretroubled saith David, Psal. 6. 3. there is such a strange oppression upon the spirit that the heaviness of it is unto death, Mat. 26. 37.  
Secondly, it is without all comfort unto the spirit: it is all darkness without the mixture of light; the spirit of a man is so drunk up, that it now wasteth itself in daily heaviness; O that my grief were well weighed, saith job 6. 2. My soul refused comfort, saith David, Psal ●7. 2. a man under the wound of conscience is so under the power of discomfort, and so swallowed up of heaviness, that the soul can enjoy no spiritual or natural comfort for the time, every thing doth terrify it, nothing doth comfort it.  
Thirdly, it is a spirit filled with horror and fear; and that not only in the apprehension of present misery, but by the expectation of more and future evils; the wounded spirit is a spirit of horrible bondage, and keeps a man in bondage to servile terrors, trembling thoughts, the dreadful sound is always heard, and such men do create, meditate, and multiply fears, the spirit of trembling doth so overtake them, that they are a terror unto themselves; they daily apprehend nothing but guilt, and wrath, and death, and hell, and damnation, job▪ 15. 21. Deut. 28. 65. Dan. 5. jer. 20. 4.  
Fourthly, it is full of unquietness, and daily toss and tumblings; it is exceeding restless and raging; O the disquiet of a wounded conscience, the sea in time of tempest is not more raging and rolling; madness is not more working and unquiet; the plague and other impetuous diseases are not more vexing and restless to a man then a wounded spirit is; Thou keepest mine eyes waking, saith David, Psal. 77. 4. When I held my tongue my bones consumed, thine hand is heavy upon me day and night, Psal., 2. 3, 4. My sore ran and ceased not in the night, Psal. 77. 2. Why art thou so disquieted within me O my soul, Psal. 43. 5.  
Lastly, the spirit is cast into the devouring gulf of desperation; such under the feeling of their spiritual miseries, do conceive a desperateness of condition; such do now begin to dam up all the springs of mercy, and dry up the blood of Christ, and close up the door of grace against themselves; and that I may not be mistaken in this point, note with me two things,  
Note. 1. That in strictness of divinity we are to make a difference between a wounded and a desperate conscience; the one runs beyond the other in many things.  
2. That in every wounded conscience 
Desperation in every wounded conscience completely or incompleatly.  there is a degree of desperation; sometimes and in some men it runneth in more completeness, when men take their sins in such an high manner, and with such an overreaching power, as that neither mercy can, or will ease them; they set an eternal night within their souls without hopes of a morning, framing to themselves an utter impossibility of pardoning mercy as Cain, Gen. 4. 13. and judas, Mat. 27. 5. and this is a distress Note. of distresses, and a greater evil than the disease itself. Sometimes again some men under the wound of the soul are more incompleately desperate, they only think and fear that God will cast them away and shut up his mercies and loving kindness from them; hear they lie languishing and bleeding, and are only helped with this, that though they cannot apply, yet they dare not deny unto themselves God's mercy, and Christ in merit: and this was the case of David under his wound, Psal. 77. 7, 8, 9, 10.  
4. The time of man's feeling this misery and calamity; I know well that the wound of the spirit is gradual; in some it is more than in other, and it hath not alike continuance in 
The degrees and the continuance of this wound in men different.  all; in some it is but for a little space, they quickly recover of their disease, and attain refreshment and comfort, as we may see in Peter, he went out and wept bitterly, there was his wound in spirit; but he could speak comfortably and confidently to Christ after his Resurrection, this shown that he was not long in the agony; Paul lay three days in the affliction and distress of spirit, and then lest he should be swallowed up of too much sorrow, Anani as was sent unto him to refresh and comfort him; But as God gives speedy ease to some, so he is pleased to let others lie a longer time under the perplexities of a wounded spirit. David cries out, shall I never be remembered, Psal. 19 1. My soul is sore troubled, but Lord how long wilt thou delay? Psal. 6. 3. Now let the time be shorter or longer, All the days of the afflicted are evil, Prov. 15. 15. and all the while a man doth feel this evil, so long the wound doth remain.  
2. We must know, that though the wound of conscience is incident unto good and bad, yet it is with a great and wide difference; the wounds of spirit in wicked men are,  
1. Legal; they spring up in the soul from the terrible operation 
The difference that is between the wound of the wicked & the wound of the godly in 5. things.  of the law within their souls; the Law of God hath an extreme curse written in it, and this it writes in the conscience of every wicked man, I say by its spiritual vigour it gets within the conscience of a wicked man, and so the wound is made: there is no work of the Gospel as well as of the Law, but all is done and made by the Law alone, in all unregenerate men.  
2. Paenall and judicial, such men lie under the justice and wrath of God, and for fear of hell and punishment are most of all cast down, so that were there no punishment to be endured, it were not the displeasure or offence of God by sin that should amaze them; My punishment is greater than I am able to bear, saith Cain, Gen. 4. 13. whereas the wound in the godly is paternal and penitential, a fatherly chastisement of God for trial, wherein the child of God is wounded most at heart by the deep apprehension of his sins, and the displeasure of his Father against sin, or  
3. Violent; the wound in them worketh with more and greater violence, having more of the fire of hell in it; such men are wholly under the terrors of the wound, having no assistance from God, no hope of ease, no glimpse of light, and no allayment by the saving power of the Gospel, which the godly do find first or last, more or less in degree.  
4. Mortal, the wound in the issue prooveth desperate and incurable, and though for a time their spirits may be benumbed by the application of false means, that so there may seem to be a cessation of the raging thereof, yet the wound remaineth still; they carry it with them to the grave, to the judgement seat of God, yea and to hell itself; whereas God doth in due time, and by good means make a complete cure of all the wounds in the spirits of his; there being no disease in their soul, but as it is possible of cure, so it is actually cured.  
5. Hurtful; the wounds of wicked men do them no good but hurt, they are hereby driven from God, and fall away more and more; whereas the 
The benefit of spiritual wounds in the godly serve in 6. things. 1. Sense of sin. Three ways of feeling sin  wound in the godly is an occasion of much good unto them, by the wounding of their spirits they are wrought unto these six things.  
1. Sensibleness of the bitter and sad effects of sin; God hath ways enough to make his feel their sins; as his Word, which strikes hard on the ear, threatening sin and wickedness, then if men hate reproof, and harden their hearts, God hath his rod; he showeth man his judgement, and in that man's sin and his anger, by which if man will not learn righteousness, and feel the bitterness of his sin, then troubles arise in conscience, that shall be awakened, and dis-eased, that shall come upon man with fears and horrors for the sins that he hath committed; so that hereby he shall be made to possess the sins of his 
Job 23.26 Psal. 51.3.  youth, and to know his own wickedness, as job and David did.  
2. Humility and emptiness 
2. Humility of soul  of soul; the wounds of the spirit doth weaken the proud and perverse conceits of man's own strength and righteousness; God by these doth make men vile in their own eyes and opinions; it is strange to see what rising humours are found in the godly before the wound befalleth them, their blood is exceedingly overheated; but now by an humbled spirit God doth work them to an humble spirit, carrying them as to sin denial, so to self denial.  
3. Enquiry after sin; these 
3. Search after sin  wounds of the spirit do make us reflect on the evil of sin, and to search more seriously and narrowly into what we have done, when the spirit is wounded it is most in agitation, and in a manner taken up wholly with reflexive acts; it is ofttimes with a troubled conscience as it is with troubled waters, the troubling of which fetcheth up that mud and filth which lay sunk and buried below; men do begin to see more clearly what they have done by what they suffer, let God trouble josephs' brethren, and this presents unto them their long past guilt in selling their brother, Gen. 42. 21. and when Israel was troubled with God's wrath and mortality, they could now read their sins in God's countenance, Psal. 90. 7, 8.  
4. Confession and acknowledgement 
4. Confession of sin.  of sin; deep wounds provoke unto vomiting, and although we are naturally as apt to conceal as to commit sin, yet spiritual wounds will not long be hid; David like a child had hurt himself, and he hides it; he had taken down poison and keeps silence; but at last the wound festered, and his heart was too heavy for his body, so as he roareth for the disquietment of his spirit, and he is made most freely and humbly to acknowledge his sin unto God, Psal. 32. 3, 4, 5.  
5. Detestation of sin; spiritual 
5. Hatred of sin.  wounds do work in the godly deep hatred against sin; O this lying under the sense of wrath, this racking under the strong and piercing accusations of conscience for sin, doth incense the soul with the deepest loathing of sin that may be, so that the broken sinner saith unto it, get thee hence, Esa. 30. 22.  
6. Reformation of life, endeavours 
6. Change of life.  of obedience for the future, with watchful fear against sin, is the fruit of the spiritual wound in God's children; such do say, now I find and feel what it is to venture on stolen waters, and what it is to taste the pleasures of sin for a season, O I am now in the flames, I have found a dart stricken through my liver, and what have I to do any more with idols, Hosea 14. 8. If God will once heal my soul, and pardon me my sin, I will not sin against him as I have done in time past, but I will take him for my God, and do unto him all the possible service for his honour that I can.  
For the grounds occasioning 
Causes of the wound in man's spirit, 9  the wound of the spirit in men, I find them very different; and they are more general, or special and particular; I shall name some of them. 
1. Sin committed   
1. The wound in man's spirit is caused by sin; if any thing dishearten, fear and distress the soul, it is sin; every sin committed and lying upon the conscience is a wound to conscience; Now when you sin so against the brethren ye wound their conscience, saith Paul, 1 Cor. 8. 12. whence I infer, if another man's sin will wound another man's conscience; then much more a man's own sin will wound his own conscience; this is true, 
* Malu●● culp● 〈◊〉 bit malueg poenae.  that all man's miserable and penal evils, whether inward or outward, do follow his sinful evils; had there been no sin there had been no wound, and thus man is the entire cause of his own wounding; if we be 
Hosea 1● 9  tasting of the forbidden fruit, sucking at the pleasures of sin, and do swallow down the secret poison thereof, no marvel if it cast our souls and and spirits into pain, and vexation, and unspeakable stretchings and strainings. Note, that as it is all sin in general, so it is 
What sins do most of all wound conscience  the greatness, aggravations, and repetitions of some sins in particular, which do greatly wound conscience within man, I mean, unnatural sins, such as are sins of blood, and sins of uncleanness: unreasonable sins committed contrary to the clear light of reason, as sins of Rebellion and Treason, found in Achitophel and judas: formal sins, which is the slubbering over God's services out of custom and for fashion, when a man knoweth he ought to do them with holiness of affection and highness of reverence; local sins, the sins of a man's calling and place, such as are idleness, unfaithfulness and unrighteousness in buying, selling, borrowing, lending, restoring and the like: sins against vows solemnly made against sin, yea and sins of repetition, men going over the same sins often; all these and other the like sins do not a little wound conscience in men.  
2. The wound is caused by 
●. Sin fel.  the sensible apprehension of the debt and guilt of sin; guilt apprehended in depth is the greatest wounding of conscience that may be, when a man comes to know his transgressions, and to possess the sins of his youth; finding the fastening of sin in the venom of it upon his soul, this is the great malady and disease of the soul, there is nothing so mortal and deadly as sin is, and there is nothing more terrible and troublesome then for a man to see himself a sinner without a Saviour, and to read his own sins unto himself in an unpardonable manner; it is one thing to read a sin in the Word, and another thing for the Word and conscience to make us to read it in ourselves in all the offence and danger and damnation of it, Psal. 51. 3. job 13. 25, 26.  
The wound is caused by the 
The Law over pressed or over applied.  overtaking of the threats and enforcements of the Law unto a man's self: the Law is terrible, and causeth the bondage of the spirit, putting a man to his deepest distresses, when as sin and conscience doth meet and mingle with it.  
There are two things about 
Two things about the Law.  the Law causing the wound of spirit in man.  
1. One is, The unskilful managing of it by the Ministers, they preaching it without reference to the Gospel, as it was delivered on Mount Sinai.  
2. Another is, The overfastning of the Law in its terror and execration upon a man's self; the Law hath an extreme curse written in itself; it renders up a man a sinner to the severity of God's justice, and irresistibility of his wrath, it powers in the fiery indignation of the Almighty, and acknowledgeth no Saviour at all. Now when a man shall write down after the Law, that he is a man every way under the execration and exaction of the Law, this is the sadness and sickness of his spirit, Rom. 7. 9 When the Law came sin revived and I died.  
4. The wound is made by the tasting of divine wrath; when God is not felt in his love, but that there is a folding 
Tasting of divine wrath.  up the former intimations from the soul, there is a mighty wound in the spirit, as we may see in David, Psal. 77. the first 10. verses; how much more horrible and wounding to the spirit is the apprehension of the angry and wrathful face of God setting itself against a man? jobs mind was exercised with this, and it was his wounding; The arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinks up my spirit, the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me, etc. job 6. ●4.  
5. The wound is made by the failing of testimony from 
Failing of conscience  conscience unto man upon repair made unto it; the good or evil day of a Christian is set by the voice of conscience unto him: Now when conscience is silent, and shall speak neither good nor bad unto a Christian, when as no testimony at all shall stand up, but after great and studious enquiry no verdict can be obtained; this is asad wound to the spirit, 
The misery of conscience in silence in three things.  and it doth exceedingly distract and divide a Christian. Note the effects of conscience in silence,  

1. It giveth man but a negative estate, and that cannot satisfy and settle the soul; it is not enough to my quiet that God looks not as mine enemy, but he must look like a friend on me.  
2. It giveth suspicion of a neutral estate, so as a man cannot tell whether God and conscience be for him or against him.  
3. It breeds a suspicion of a bad estate; withdrawments and suspensions are sometimes the forerunners of bitter intentions.   
6. The wound is in the spirit from the over great accusing 
Accusations of conscience  power of conscience; conscience in its accusations showing the guiltiness of sin, and expressing the anger of God towards a man for sin: in a cheerful and excusing conscience we may behold a gracious God Note. accepting and acquitting us; in a silent conscience we can suspect a doubtful God, we know not which way God is or will be unto us; and in an accusing conscience we do behold an angry God, and ourselves most miserable creatures: when a Christian shall be totally under the accusations of conscience; that his conscience shall speak nothing to him, but that his heart is base and vile, and that in such and such particular passages of his life he was not right and perfect, but hollow and hypocritical, when I say conscience shall thus charge sin upon men; this is the time of their wounding, as we may see in judas, Mat. 27. 5.  
7. Another thing which maketh the wound within us, is 
Self jealousies.  an evil jealousy, and an overhard opinion of ourselves and estates towards God. Some men fall out with themselves, and other men fall from themselves; shall I say that they censure themselves, and charge themselves falsely? concluding against a state of grace, and charging themselves with hypocrisy and insincerity without just cause; Sure I am, this is too too frequent among God's children, who upon such grounds as these, do mis-judge themselves, and thereby make too great a wound within their spirits: I say because they find within themselves the want of such measure of graces, and expressions of obedience which they once had, desire to have, and see others have; when they see within themselves a partial and temporary indisposedness unto spiritual required duties; when as gifts and graces for a time lie hid and dead in respect of vigour and sensible operations: when all endeavours seem to be fruitless, and a Christian finds to his seeming the ordinances to go and come without all life and power unto him; passing no influence of bettering into his soul. Now he sits him down in grief; and the soul gins not only to misgive or mistrust itself; but to question the truth of all, and it not only fears but concludes that surely the hands were washed in vain; and whatsoever hath been done in religion and in the service of God, it hath been done in hypocrisy, Psal. 73. 13. and can you conceive how deeply this doth wound the spirit of a man?  
8. A next thing greatly wounding to the spirit of man is the New rise of old sins: 
New rifing of old sins.  I mean when those sins which long since were committed, and long since bewailed, and long since renounced, and we long since did obtain within our hearts some comfortable assurance of their pardon, do meet us in their guilt not yet remooved, as a debt not yet discharged, and as an evil not yet thoroughly healed, this causeth miserable trouble within the soul, and upon this, these conceits fall in; Surely this sin of mine is not pardoned, why would God remember it? Surely there was but a skinning over the sore, my heart was never healed by Sanctification; how could it be that my sins should haunt me again, this is now the sickness and death of many a soul.  
9 Lastly, I conceive that this maketh the wound in the spirit 
Want of some good desired.  of man, the want of some desired good; it is not the absence of good generally considered which maketh the spirit to be wounded; for there are such whose unfeelingnesse is such, that they have no sense of sin, nor of any spiritual want lying upon them; but that which maketh the wound of the spirit to a man is this, when his wants are presented unto him, and their supplies are suspended and denied; the soul would have mercy, and mercy is denied him; he would have ease, and he seeks it, and yet he is kept in misery: when a man's prayers makes not their returns, but a man calls and none answers; comforts delayed or denied do break the heart, and greatly wound the heart.  
Doct. 3 I pass on to the next point,  
That a wounded spirit is a burden 
The wound suffered yet not borne.  insupportable by the sons of men; no man can bear it; men must suffer and endure the perplexities thereof, but bear 
A twofold bearing.  it (that is) to sustain a man's self under it, no man can, this wound cannot be borne with 
1. With ease.  ease, so as men enduring and feeling it, should make nothing of it; but it is with 
2. With difficulty.  great difficulty and disquietment; a burning fever carrying Simile. with it the inflammation of the spirits is not borne without much sense and horror; so a wounded spirit even by the stoutest of spirits cannot be borne then with strongest and strangest torments, men must yield themselves unto it, and lie down under it of necessity; nay it is a wound unsupportable to all men that are vexed with it; there is no withstanding 


The burden is too great  
1. To good men.  
2. To bad men,    this wound by any man, nor any standing under it by any man; unto bad men it hath been unsupportable; O how grievous was it unto Cain, who cries out, My punishment is more than I can bear, Gen. 4. 13. judas out of the trouble felt by it, hangs himself to be rid out of it, Mat. 27. 4. many through the weight and torment of it, have been forced to throw themselves down from high mountains, to stab, and poison, and drown themselves; nay unto good men, whose grace and strength was great and much, this wound hath been wounding, witness David, Psal. 32. 3, 4. Hezekiah, Ezek. 38. 13, 14. and holy job in his whole History, and Christ himself suffering this wound (without sin) in his humane spirit, cried out under its burden, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? and it cannot 
Reason's proving the burden, of a wounded conscience are seven.  be otherwise, if we consider these reasons.  
First, a wounded spirit is a burden unto itself, why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden unto myself, saith job 7. 20. Now all wounds and burdens that are extrinsecall a man's spirit can bear, but that which lieth within itself it cannot; you know if the ship be whole the waves do only beat against Simile. the side, they only threaten, they sink her not; but if she have a crack and leak within herself, she cannot endure the stir of the winds, nor toss of the waves, but doth easily make herself her own grave; thus it is with conscience, it cannot be both patiented and burden, and under all wounds itself being wounded, it is that which makes the burden insupportable.  
Secondly, there is no outward thing which can relieve a wounded spirit, it is not all the gold of the Indies, nor all the favour of Princes, nor all the friends on earth that can assuage or cure this wound; a troubled mind impaireth health, drieth up the blood, wasteth the marrow, pines away the flesh, consumes the bones, and makes all pleasures painful to a man; nothing doth comfort it, but terrify it; the light doth not comfort him, would God saith he it were night; the darkness doth terrify him, his sleep forsakes him, and his dreams do not please him, he lieth on his bed boiling in disquietness and wisheth for day: conscience can relieve against all wounds but its own; Suppose the wound to lie in a man's honour, friends, and estate, conscience can heal all that, but itself being wounded in the least degree, it is beyond the cure and comfort of all outward things; we have a saying, that no borrowing part can help the lending part; what help Simile. can the hand return unto the heart? if I wound my hand the heart can yield help; if the nerves which draw more inwardly be wounded, yet the heart can help, it hath blood and spirits and heat enough; but if the heart itself be wounded what shall help?  
Thirdly, the spirit under its wounds retaineth the sensibleness of unpardoned guilt, which of all things is most raging, and makes the soul most comfortless; when a man shall apprehend his sins to be unpardonable, or unpardoned, it keeps him in a perpetual rolling and boiling, it is a condition that can no way be endured, for sin lieth still at the door haunting and vexing a man.  
Fourthly, a spirit that is wounded hath to deal with the mighty and irresistible power of God; Now the strength of any burden is according to the strength of him with whom we have to deal; under the wound of conscience God is following his own cause with his own arguments, and he is now avenging the wrong that is done to his mercy and patience, and is it possible for the creature to sustain itself? can we imagine any enabling against God's pressure and power? a man while he is to deal with men may bear up himself, and he may have much strength of wit or impudency of face to outface all inquiries, but when men are to deal with an allseeing, and an all knowing, and an allsinne revenging God, the might of whose glory is able to confound men and Angels, if he once shall start up our guilts, and break into our souls; if he send a trembling heart, and sorrowful mind, if himself be witness against us, and by his power imprison and shut us up, we cannot avoid it, or bear it; time will not ease us, company will not ease us, peace will not ease us, when he wounds none can heal but himself.  
Fifthly, the wound of the spirit is accompanied with the accusations of conscience; conscience cannot be bribed or put of, there is no flying from it; the strength of conscience is awakened, and her cruelty roareth, conscience under wounding doth arraign, evidence, condemn, and bind over unto eternal wrath for sin; and it is of an indefatigable, unresistible and unavoidable power in working, a man by flight, or death, or friends, may escape the Magistrate's hand, but by neither can he possibly ever escape from a displeased conscience, a tormented conscience cannot fly from God, nor can a man fly from it.  
Sixthly, the wound of spirit is of an eternal nature, all other wounds end in death, and are therefore the more tolerable because they be temporal; but this wound endeth not in death, if it be not graciously cured, it is the beginning of hell upon earth unto the wicked, and it continues him in hell upon earth, and after death, it is that worm which still is gnawing and never dying; death is not the end of this misery, and this maketh it the more intolerable to be borne, what heart can possibly sustain itself under infinite and endless miseries?  
Seventhly and lastly, when and whilst men are under the wounds of conscience, Satan is strongly and subtly working; such is Satan's cowardice that he takes us at the weakest, and such is his malice that he will yet weaken us wee being weakened already; Satan falling in with the bruisings and sores of men's souls, and bringing in the fretting gall of hell, and pouring forth the sharpest vinegar of most violent objections, the soul tortured and the wound enlarged, and conscience overcharged; Satan now tells the sinner of the impossibility of mercy, and uncapableness of the blood of Christ, he now followeth him with strange endictments, representations, and conclusions, yea and arguments of insincerity and hypocrisy, and this adds to the weight and maketh the burden intolerable; there is no such trouble as to be daily troubled with the devil.  
Having thus opened the wound unto you, and its burden, I shall fall upon the Application of both, in this manner:  
First, be wise to know the woundednesse of your spirits, and to consider what is your condition thereby. I press you to this the rather upon these grounds,  
Use 1 1. Because a multitude of men are under searedness and senselessness of conscience, 2 Tim. 4. 2. they are dead and 
A seared spirit is worse than a wounded spirit  sleepy, their spirits never move or work within them, and let me tell you, that a wounded spirit is infinitely beyond a dead spirit; a troubled conscience is a mercy in respect of a seared conscience; conscience in trouble may happily prove conscience in goodness and peace, and a cure may follow it: when iron is put into the fire it may be made pliable and receive another impression, Simile. and so we do not know what may be the good issue of a wounded spirit unto man; but you cannot hope this of conscience continuing under searedness.  
2. Because men ordinarily take lest notice of their spiritual wounds in their cause and cure; they are lumpish and heavy, full of sad thoughts & evil imaginations, & many times they roar and complain, but this is their 
Men do mistake the spirits wound.  ignorance, they know not what ails them; they are so mistaken in the cause & business in hand, that they judge themselves to be under some bodily distempers by melancholy passions, and other violent humours, a great madness and ignorance in men; and being fallen upon this point, let me tell you that melancholy prevailing in men doth come very near to the trouble of conscience, but it is not the wound of conscience here spoken of; Satan makes it his bait, and man makes it his burden, but we may not make it this wound; concerning which I shall yield you two things,  
1. That melancholy given 
The operation of melancholy in man.  way unto doth corrupt the imagination, and those actions of the mind or the ●ext instruments by which the mind worketh, that therewith the heart, affections, and conscience are greatly distempered with fear and grief, and do conceive a many uneschewable miseries against itself, against which fancies and imaginations, no arguments of reason can prevail, and this darkening vapour and blackish fume thus affecting the soul, doth add torment unto it, making it for the time uncapable of the sense of comfort, I say this humour of melancholy hath very subtle spirits that fly up into the brain, and the instrument of discretion and there they lodge their contagious qualities, which corrupt the spirits, and annoy both heart and brain; whence arise strange imaginations and fancies in the head. Head and heart having intercourse, and body and soul being united, the soul is nor thereby a little troubled.  
2. That what ever vain men judge; melancholy is not a spiritual malady, or the wonder spirit here spoken of; the difference 
Melancholy is not the wounded spirit, proved by 5. reasons.  between both is great; as  
1. In the ground and cause, the troubles of melancholy ariseth either from natural causes in the body, or from supposed and feigned causes, the imagination conceiving things to be so and so, when indeed nothing is really so; the trouble of conscience ariseth from the sight and sense of sin in the soul, the apprehension of divine wrath due to man for sin and such like spiritual and real causes.  
2. In the seat of it; troubles from melancholy seat themselves in the head and natural spirits, the man having lost the right use of his wits, and being mistaken in his imagination, in conceits becoming monstrous; true trouble is in the conscience and whole soul of man.  
3. In the cure of it; physic may cure the one, it being a bodily disease or distemper; but it is not all artificial and natural means that can cure the wounds of the spirit.  
4. In the effects of it; melancholy maketh a man simple and absurd in his thoughts touching himself; such men will speak to you and yet conceive themselves to be without head or heart and life; they will tell you that they see Devils and feel Devils within them; and you shall hear many odd things from them, when as trouble of conscience looseth not itself, but speaks according to the truth and feeling of itself.  
5. In the enlargement of it; melancholy seldom or never worketh grief for God's dishonour; it is not touched with sorrow for sin, and when it is cured, it gives not a man any ground and measure of spiritual joy; it enforceth not a man to Christ for ease and rest; it quickens no man to prayer and duty; all which the wounds of the spirit in some men do most kindly and savingly.  
Thirdly and lastly, let us know ourselves rightly in our troubles of mind, and we shall the better know ourselves in our comforts; nothing doth so prepare the heart for comforts, and make us to relish our comforts as the sense of soul trouble and heaviness: I dare affirm that if we did know and find our spiritual wants and wounds more, we would and should withal be more upon the ways and feelings of comfort than we are.  
Use 2 Secondly, let us have compassion on such who are wounded in spirit; you see that such is the weight of their wounds, as neither eye hath seen, ear hath heard, or tongue of man is able fully to express, none can in any way of expression speak of it, but such as have more or less felt it; and shall we pass by any that are labouring under this burden, not yielding them our pity? 'tis a foolish madness in many to think this sickness and this wound to be but passion, conceit, and mopishness put into their heads by reading good books, or hearing some strict Preachers, or melancholy; & because it often changeth the body, they think it ariseth from the body, and what need all this ado about it? it is cursed cruelty in any to look upon any labouring under this wound, crying out against them, censuring of them for hypocrites, and in thought sentencing them to hell, blaspheming their God and their religion; O 
Considerations for the pitying of wounded in soul.  you ignorant men learn better and be now instructed.  
1. That there is no disease for symptoms and torments like unto this; all other maladies are natural, but this is supernatural; they come from the constitution of the body, this of the soul; in them the humours first, in this the conscience first, and humours last are distempered; they may all be cured by natural remedies, the body may be brought to a fittemperature; but it is not all the medicines under heaven that are merely natural can cure or comfort here.  
2. That it is an argument of an unsanctified and stony heart within man to disregard, tax, or censure men under the miseries of inward perplexities, you being merciless and wanting tenderness and experience cannot pity them aright.  
3. Blessed are such as judge wisely of such poor souls, and do labour to relieve their souls in their wound: this is a work of mercy indeed, and a business becoming the most excellent of Christians; 
Motives to pity and to relieve wounded Christians.  Christ himself received his anointing, and was sent of God to bind up the broken hearted, Esay 61. 1, 2, 3. Ministers have the tongue of the learned given them to speak a word of comfort to such whose souls are weary, Esa▪ 50. 4. and shall not we that are Christians comfort the feeble minded, and support the weak, 1 Thes. 5. 14. bearing one another's burden; O let us pity such, and pray earnestly to God for such, considering our own case, Gal. 6. 1. would we not be prayed for were we in their conditions?  
Use 3 Thirdly, how thankful should all Christians be for their freedom from this great burden of a wounded spirit; tell me, are you set at liberty, and is all peace and rest within? are the bands of the distress broken? wouldst thou be under the same estate again, to feel those hells and sorrows which once were endured by thee? No surely, than stir up thy heart to bless thy God who hath taken off this heavy burden from thy soul; bless him daily and duly; a man can never be thankful enough for the ease and free doom of his spirit; some men walk with senseless spirits, and they bless God that they were never troubled in mind all the days of their life; some men walk with wounds in their spirits, and would give all the world did they enjoy it for freedom and ease, and shall any man enjoy the liberty and peace of his conscience from God and yet walk without joy and praise; it well becometh men healed of their wounds, out of that ease and liberty they have obtained to be very joyful and thankful.  
Use 4 Fourthly, to learn us in holy fear and care lest that we should bring this heavy and insupportable wound upon ourselves: naturally we shun all paenall evils, and dread the plunging of ourselves into distresses; know that we have said enough; it is a burden that none can bear, think not out of your ignorance and pride to outface conscience, or that ever you shall be able to stand under the burden of its wounds: it will amaze you, and bring you down; and therefore strive to avoid the pangs and pains of it; and to this purpose  
First, know that conscience within, is a most tender part which will be soon troubled and wounded.  
Secondly, know that conscience troubled is a most vexing part; if a man trouble his eye, Simile. his eye will trouble him; and so it is here, all the vexations will be unto ourselves.  
Thirdly, know that conscience under wounds is pining and will languish itself unto death, Prov. 12. 25.  
Fourthly, consider how apt men are to wound conscience, and they do it many ways: well then, follow this counsel. 
Six rules for the keeping of the wounds of spirit.   
1. Make no adventures upon sin; for a man to make light of the least sin, and impudently or improvidently to hazard his soul upon the occasions of sin, is the ready way to wound the spirit: there are too too many who out of a secret confidence of their selfe maintenance do object their souls upon sinful companies; they do as many men that go out of their houses well and sound, but home they are brought all gored and wounded; in like manner, sinful occasions have the advantage of us and will soon wound us, let us not proudly presume of our own strength, 'tis not the largeness of our judgements, or fullness of our graces, or the peremptoriness of our resolutions that can keep us (presuming) from foils and wounds by sin; such as make nothing of sin shall soon be wounded and darted by sin.  
2. Seek not outward pleasures too much; excess of pleasures breed excessive tremble and sadness of spirit; such men do pierce themselves through and through with many sorrows who do affect a way of worldly delight, and will take their fill of pleasures; who so will have the Bee must have his sting also, and if we will laugh and be merry beyond measure, we shall lie down and howl for vexation of spirit; do not so vainly bathe yourselves in carnal delights and worldly recreations; the worldling's pastime is the deadness and wound of a Christians conscience.  
3. Beware of formality and remissness in holy services: the Ordinances not rightly used do wound exceedingly; how vexing is the word to a formal and carnal Christian? did any man fall of, grow cold, and begin to dead his heart to the means and duties, but his heart at the last was greatly wounded for it; the neglect of Christ by the Church, when his voice did seem unseasonable and inopportune unto her, was punished by her spiritual wounding, Cant. 5. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.  
4. Nourish no hypocrisy or guile within you, do not colour sin with fair pretences, and plaster over a foul heart with an outside profession, serve not graven images when you pretend a service unto God, if you do so, know that it will fester to a sore, and make such a wound, which will prove the great disquietment of your souls; Satan would have fastened this hypocrisy on job, to have aggravated his misery; and he well knoweth that hypocrisy is wounding.  
5. Go not on in sinful ways against general or particular convictions; there are who have such abundance of love to sin in them, that they will be wicked against the light of knowledge and the dictate of conscience, it is not the knowledge they have of evil, nor the risngs up and reproofs of conscience within them for evils which can hold them of from evil; but on they go, and wickedly they will do, now as this proves an aggravation of sin, so it maketh the wound very deep; if knowledge and conscience hold us not of from sin, it will hold on sin, piercing the marrow, and vitals of the spirit; David went against as great light as any man did, and did not his sins prove wounding sins, breaking his bones and heart? and so will thine too.  
6. Keep yourselves in the ways of duty, walking in every action according to the rule, and peace shall be upon your spirits, Gal. 6. 16. I say the more holy and unblameable a man is, the more strict a man is with himself in keeping himself under the law of religion, the more assured peace and soundness shall he find within his conscience; The ways of wisdom are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace, yea and the keeping of sound wisdom and discretion shall be life unto our souls, Prov. 3. 17, 21, 22. I assure you that duties conscionably, sincerely, and constantly performed, do keep up the soul in life and joy.  
Use 5 Fiftly, continue not yourselves under the wounds of conscience; there is a strange cruelty which Gods children do offer unto themselves, in keeping the wound upon the soul always fresh and bleeding; whereby they lie longer 
Men do continue themselves under their spiritual wounds six ways  under it then they need to do; I shall touch upon the ways and grounds of continuing the wound of conscience on a man's self.  
1. Want of seasonable counsel and comfort; when men do hide their wounded estate, and will not repair to appointed comforts and comforters, this doth not only enlarge the wound, but settle it; as we see in bodily wounds, if they want a timely looking too, it is the longer before that they heal; the case is so here, delays breed dangers: and we are speedily to make in to our remedies, do not slight the least wound as many do, who at the first make nothing of it; but set upon the cure as soon as you espy the wound; the medicine is prepared before hand, and physicians to apply it are at hand, only take you heed of a sinful bashfulness, and dumb devil, and cursed negligence, cry not out when it is too late.  
2. Recourse unto contrary medicines; there are many false and deluding medicines unto conscience; and there are many medicines which are virtual, but yet not suitable, all medicines heal not all diseases; we see in experience in bodily wounds which are but small and little to look to, if that a contrary medicine be applied to it, it doth enrage it, and increase it, and continue it many times unto the death of the patiented; and thus if men in and under their spiritual wounds will run to the use of such drugs and plasters which may only for a time dam up the sense, but not make upthe wound, they may long and long continue under the wound, and cry out of their wounds; you may no more think to heal the spirit by sin, then by adding piles of wood Simile. to extinguish flaming fire; believe me, it was not saul's music which could tune his jarring spirit, nor Belshazzars' cups which could blot out the sense of the secret hand-writing; it is not your mad mi●th, or jovial companions, or worldly employments that can take of your sadness of spirit; they may put of from some horror for the present, but they double horrors in their return; even as cold water doth the heat in a burning fever.  
3. illness of diet; diet is much in continuing of bodily wounds; there are meats and drinks which men must abstain from, if that they intent to be cured: and 'tis as true in the spiritual Surgery; if that we enlarge our desires after for bidden fruit, and delight to feed upon sinful husks, and will be doing that we should not, we may thank ourselves for the smart of our wounds; is it the way to be rid of a wound to vex it? and to feed contrary to it?  
4. Selfe-nicenesse; men are many times so tender and indulgent toward themselves, that they will be healed only by soft words, and the covering of a fair cloth, they will not submit themselves unto the painful search of the Law; but they are in this cruel to themselves, and out of self favouring do make their misery larger and longer.  
5. The life of sense; which is open to all winds, and the keeping open of all wounds within the soul, my meaning is this; that when Christians do place the disposition of God towards them, and judge of themselves according to the condition of their own feelings and sensible apprehensions; this is that which doth greatly keep up the wound of the spirit; for now the soul being under its ebbings, and finding the channel in a manner dry, so as he cannot see what he was wont to behold; gins thus to reason, surely God is not my God in grace and mercy, for I cannot find him in his love to me as I was wont to do; which condition is full of suspense and fear and doubting, and must needs continue the wound.  
6. Harkening unto Satan; if a man do believe the devil's testimony and information touching his estate and condition, and take up all his speech upon trust for truth, he shall keep himself in bleeding wounds, the more Satan doth tamper with our condition, and take upon him to judge of our sins, and services, and temper and standing, the more sad and doubtful will our condition be. I say if we shall put the issue of our condition upon the determination of Satan, and all his interpretations and decisions shall be gospel with us, Lord how shall we be tossed too and fro? and where there is no rest, how can there be the healing of the wound?  
Use 6 Quit yourselves as speedily as you can from the wounded spirit; I speak to all such who labour under this wounded spirit; 1. Do not you unwisely cast off all hope of cure, and despairingly conclude against all your comforts; know 1. That the best of God's Saints have been under the grievousness of this wound, and that in as fearful and terrible a manner as any of you can possibly be, and they have received their cures: 2. That the greatest of our spiritual wounds (suppose them to be more settled and permanent wounds) are capable of cure, and may be cured, God which hath healed this wound in many of his dear children, and is the wise and able Physician 
Three means to get out of our wounded estate  for his people, can and will heal all the wounds of our spirits, and it matters not how great and grievous the wound be, if God be Surgeon, jer. 17. 14. Hosea 6. 1. he can heal one as well as another, and all wounds as soon as any, and therefore say not my spirit is greatly wounded; but rise up to the cure, and learn in the next place  
2. To be willing of cure; I know that there can be no pleasure in staying under wounds unto any wise man; yet as many are ignorant of the true remedies, so many are very unwilling to use those remedies provided and prescribed for their cure; we find in some people such refusals of offered comforts; such sleightings of able counsels; yea and such shunnings of soule-searching, that it makes us to fear them, and of many of them we may say, we would have cured Babel, but she would not be cured, jer. 51. 9 and rest not here but  
Thirdly, learn to follow the ways and means prescribed for your healing; there is balm in Gilead, and a pool at Bethesda, 
There are five things to be done if we do intent the curing of our wounded spirits 1 Open the wound  and Physicians enough among us, only we must take the course, and address ourselves  
1. Unto the opening and searching of the wound; it is not enough that we have a view of our wound in general, seeing that we are sick and ail ill, but we must find out the particular malady in the special reason of it; and therefore you must suffer the Ministers of God to go to the quick, and to lance and lay open all; there is a holy incision to be made into the wound of the spirit by God's Law, this doth find out and open the particular hidden and malevolent humour of the soul, and it is your duty to let the Law into your hearts, that so it may have its perfect work, bless God for a searching Ministry, and deliver up yourselves to that word which maketh most inquisition into your wound; the word that doth most wound you for the present, it will by God's blessing be a means of the after curing of you.  
2. Unto the washing and 
2. Wash the wound  cleansing of the wound; there is a great deal of filth that falls into man's spirit, in the wounding thereof, which of necessity must be washed away, or no cure will follow; who so is not willing to be rid of sin (that as extreme filthiness doth lodge within him) he shall never receive the right cure of his spiritual wound; it is sin which is the core of the ulcer; O remove it in the guilt of it, and remove it in the filth of it; get the washing of Justification, and of Sanctification into thy soul, and doubt not but thou shalt be cured. 
3. Apply the plaster.   
3. Unto the laying on of the all-healing plaster upon the wound; it is the plaster in application that is healing; Christ's blood was shed to heal broken spirits, Esay 61. 1, 2, 3. & 53. 6. He is that Sun of righteousness that hath healing under his wings, Mal. 4. 2. that blood alone can assuage all our ragings, and heal all our wound; Now then, make a seasonable application of that blood to your wounded souls, sprinkle with his blood your wounded spirits; God alone is pacified, if the blood of Christ be sprinkled, and conscience doth heal when God is reconciled; O that we would set ourselves by faith into the dying and bleedings of Christ; a man must earnestly labour to believe that Christ doth and will satisfy for those sins which breed the terror within; and this will prove the curing and the comforting of his heart, as we may see, Act. 16. 31.  
4. Unto the daily openings 
4. Dress it daily.  and dress of the wound; it is a necessary thing for the soul to be venting itself into full and frequent confessions of sin; there is a need of letting out the filthy matter that the wound in healing gathereth; this we hold; keep in sin, and Note. you keep on your trouble; but let out the filthy matter and ease will follow; it is an easing thing to be much in acknowledgement of sin to God, and to accuse a man's self of sin before God; we see David found it specially curing unto him, Psal. 32. 3, 5. and besides this, there must be the renewing of our repentance and godly sorrow for sins committed; sinful wounds are deep wounds, and great sins call for great sorrows; David was wholly in tears, and Peter weeps bitterly; and we must be constant in repenting, if we expect a complete and comfortable cure; and lastly we must lay open all our sores before the Lord in prayer; David's sore ran and ceased not, and yet in the day of his trouble he sought the Lord, and he prayed when his spirit was full of anguish, Psal. 77. 2, 3. and thus must we do, we must come unto God with all our sins and sores craving healing from him; who will heal us in his own time, and by his own means, Hosea 6. 1. & 14. 4.  
5. Unto the upholdments of 
5. Provision.  our spirits, under all the dress of its wounds; we are very apt to faint in the thought of distresses; but when we are felt and dressed, and dealt withal in a most healing way, we are ready to qualm and sink, so that it doth very much concern us to have our cordials and restoratives near us, such as are the sweet and precious promises of the Note. Covenant of grace, we must set ourselves under grace, and believe that God hath a good opinion of us, and that his love is towards us; we must set up the saving virtue of Christ's blood against the damning power of sin; we must eye God's acceptance of weak endeavours, and passing by of many failings, we must conclude that a state of love may be under the sense of much wrath, and that though the pain for the present be much and great, yet it is sanctified, and God will put an end unto it for good unto such as are his in Covenant. This if we could wisely do, we should keep down the rise of uncomfortable thoughts; and cease so much talking of our pain, and making complaint thereof, and happily attain to the curing of the wounds of our spirits; the greatest of mercies, and the ground of singular rejoicing; because the wounds of the spirit are so intolerable and unsufferable as I have opened unto you.   

Eight Cases of conscience opened for the relievement of wounded spirits.  
IT now remaineth that I open unto you some of the things which are greatly wounding unto man's spirit; and yield unto you such relievements against them, as Cases of conscience do require, a work requiring both experimental knowledge, and the tongue of the Learned, unto which I acknowledge myself insufficient, yet having found the good proof of these following directions in the comforting of many souls already, I am the more encouraged to communicate them unto you in a more public way, and the blessing of the Almighty go along with them.  

CASE. I. Of the suspension of divine favour.  
THe first thing which I 
Case 1.  shall speak of as 
The absence of God's lov● in sense is a great trouble.  greatly wounding and troubling the spirits of God's children, is the absence of God in the sense, and feeling of his loving kindness; all absences of God (suppose them to be longer or shorter, inward, or outward;) troubles Christians exceedingly, if Cain could make it distraction unto him when he was cast out of God's visible presence, Gen. 4. 15, 16. If Mary weep because that they had taken away her Lord and she knew not where that they had laid him, john 20. 13. how much more wounding unto Christians is the suspension of divine favour? the soul cannot lie under the sense of God's displeasure and withdrawments of his love without much alteration and affliction. The life of a Christian is much after the life of some great Favourite in the Court, whose Simile. comforts or discomforts depends upon the countenance, or discountenance of his Prince; or as it is with the Marigold, which opens and shuts with the Sun; just thus all the while the love of God shines upon a Christian, so as he is able to apprehend it, he lives, and is very cheerful in spirit; the sense of divine love is a spring of joy, a well of consolation, and the admirable refreshment of the soul; 
a Psal▪ 30▪ 5.  thy favour is life, 
b Psal. 63▪ 3.  thy loving kindness is better than life, saith David, this was it that gave unto him exceeding joy of heart, Psal. 4. 6, 7. The Church sat under the shadow of Christ with great delight, and his fruit wa●●weet unto her taste, Cant. 2. 3. The enjoyment of this love is the day and joy of a Christian. But now if that there be a withdrawment or clouding or restraining of the love of God unto sense; let God (I say) but hide his face, and seem to forget and forsake his; let him but cover himself with a cloud, and absent himself for a time, covering his with his wrath and just displeasure, now 'tis all night and darkness, yea and death itself unto Christians; as you may see in these Scriptures of experience, Psal. 30. 7. 88 14. 44. 24. 77. 3, 7, 8, 9 13. 1. 31. 22. Lam. 3. 18. & 42, 43, 44. Esa. 45. 15. 49. 14. jonah 2. 4. Reason. And all this is by reason of that conjunction and relation that is between God and them, and the wonderful sweetness and joy wherewithal they were filled and refreshed in t●● days of their apprehension of divine love; things in conjunction are difficult in their separation; a loving wife cannot long endure the absence of her kind husband; but his departure Simile. from her in displeasure is intolerable and insufferable by her; a natural and ingenious child makes all his father's withdrawments bitter unto him, even an Absolom that had no goodness in him, was troubled with his father's withholding the wont signs of his favour in banishing him from his presence, and can we imagine but that when God turns his back, departs in displeasure, keeps himself darkened and unseen (that not so much as the least comfortable view of his countenance can be espied) changeth the set of 〈◊〉 countenance, and folds up all the former intimations of love and favour from the sense and apprehension of his children, this is the wounding, the unsettling and the casting 
The greatness of this trouble.  down of the spirit; I dare affirm, that all outward dignities and revenues which God doth cast upon Christians in variety and plenty, in this condition will nothing avail to comfort them, divine suspensions are divine desertions, and when God is displeased with a man, which of all the creatures can comfort him? the Moon looseth her light when Simile. the face of the Sun is intercepted; and God taking away his love, the light of comfort is taken away also, and Christians are left unto themselves in woe and misery: let me tell 
Causes of the trouble three.  you:  
1. That times of suspension are times of stirring tentations; God is no sooner absent, but Satan is present and combating with Christians; if God withdraw from job, the Devil will set on with eagerness.  
2. That times of suspensions are times of greatest suspicions, now fears and jealousies and doubtings do arise within men.  
3. That under all the withdrawments of God's favour, there is eminent disquietness and enlargedness of sorrows; the 
* Visceribus frementibus.  very bowels of the Church was troubled for the absence of Christ, Cant. 5. 4. and the absence of a God, the fountain of all good, goeth to the heart of a Christian, for now the light and comfort of heaven is wanting.  
This is the miserable condition of God's children under the suspension of divine favour; But you will ask me what relievement may be afforded 
Releevements to souls under the suspension of God's love▪  to Christians whose spirits are under this trouble?  
Unto such men I shall propose these four directions.  
First deeply to judge themselves for the losing or suspending causes of divine favour; the love of God unto his in himself is unchangeable; if there be any change of it unto us, we may thank ourselves for it; there is an occasion given from man to God, or God would never withdraw his love from man, setting him wholly under his wrath and anger; God by way of punishment of former unthankfulness, unchearefullnesse, unprofitableness, and undutifullnesse doth withdraw himself from his own dear children; their sins are the clouds which hide his face, folding up the blessed light of his countenance; these shut the door, draw the curtains, cause the eclipse, and make the wall of separation between God and his; men in sinning forsake God, and God for sin doth forsake men, leaving them to themselves forsaken of all comforts, and feeling miserable wrath; we see how David's great sins did suspend the comfortable presence of God for a time from his soul, Psal. 51. 11, 12. and the Church acknowledgeth; Thou hast hid thy face from us, and consumed us, because of our iniquities, Esa. 64. 7. and the Prophet tells us, Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have made him hide his face from you, Esa. 59 2. Though God takes not away his favour totally and finally, though he Note. doth not cast away his utterly, damning them eternally; yet the sins of his are set before him, even their secret sins in the light of his countenance, Psal. 90. 8. for which sins of theirs it doth become them seriously and sound to judge themselves, you must therefore learn to bewail the loss of divine favour more in the cause of it, than misery by it; when Isracl heard that God would not go in the midst of them, they mourned and no man did put 
Exod. 33. 3, 4.  on his ornaments; and surely an humble submission of ourselves to God, in the confession of our provoking and displeasing sins, and the taking home unto ourselves the just desert of condemnation, together with the crying down the wrath of God; and seeking the face of God by prayer doth well become all Christians who desire to enjoy the loving favour and the blessed countenance of God; what Father will show Simile. his cheerful countenance to an unhumbled son for former rebellions? and shall we think to see love and light in God's 
Christians are chief to be humbled for three things.  face, till God see dejection in our countenances, and grief in our hearts for our sins? O then let us be humbled, For  
1. Our former disesteemes of former feelings of divine love, for that we did no more prize, and for that we did so carelessly undervalue, and but in an ordinary manner entertain the pledges and testimonies of Gods special love unto us.  
2. Our former uncomfortableness of spirit in and under the feelings of Gods love vouchsafed to us Christians; we did walk with too much sadness of spirit under many testimonies of God's love unto us, (a thing very displeasing unto God) and for which God doth greatly humble those that are his; they who will not walk cheerfully under the shining of God's love upon them, shall have it withdrawn from them unto their deep sorrow.  
3. Our unstedfastness and remissness in holy walking, we have been too remiss in the Ordinances and duties, we have been cold and careless in prayer, and hearing, etc. and this God cannot abide, for this we must be humbled before the Lord, if ever we expect the light of his countenance.  
Secondly, prejudice not 
2.  yourselves unto a state of divine love, make it not a thing impossible to you to recover and regain God's face and favour; Christians in their losses are to grieve, and hope; it is not safe in the suspensions of divine favour to cast off all hope of enjoying the same; it was a weakness in David to think that God would be favourable no more; it is one of Satan's tricks to present God at such times in full wrath to the soul, and to persuade man that he must bid farewell unto God's love, the sense being once lost it should never come again into the soul. Now if men close with Satan and will not be brought within the compass of divine love, but are always rearing up arguments of divine wrath within themselves against themselves, how shall they come to settle their souls in love? Can the water's Simile. run clear if we will always be mudding them? if we plead against divine love, how shall we apply it? shut fast the windows, and the light cannot come into the room; despair of ever enjoying God's love, and you debar yourselves of all comfortable feeling of the same; help not the devil against ourselves & our comforts; but know that though God be not easily gained in his love once lost, yet the sense of God's love after the sense of much wrath is attaineable, it being both tendered in the promise, and that which many faithful Christians seeking have obtained; read what is written, for a small moment have I forsaken thee, 
Esay ●●. 7, 8.  but with great mercies will I gather thee: In a little wrath I hide my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.  
Thirdly, set upon the recovering means of God's favour unto yourselves, God's countenance which is now suspended may be renewed; the Sun is not always clouded, and God will Simile. not always be offended; though God be not changeable in himself and love, yet sense of his love is with much variation to the same Christians; sometimes they have 
Sense of love is gradual.  much light and evidence, and can and do apply it with great strength and comfort, enjoying as it were their heaven on earth; anon their apprehensions are clouded, and applications weakened, so that great love doth run with little sense, they are sons yet under sense of wrath, and yet they may rise up again, and their God arise in the light of his countenance upon them; assuredly Christians 
4 Thing to be done for the rega●●ning o● God● lov● in sense.  might walk with more sense of God's love if that they did practise these four things.  
1. The giving off the ways of sin; a man is no way more an enemy unto his own assurance of divine love, then in and by the continuing in the love and practise of any one known lust which is the great displeasure of God; God (I grant) doth love where sin is, but he doth neither love sin nor will he show himself loving to that man that is a lover of sin; if the heart gather iniquity to itself, how can the love of God dwell there? what is it that makes God's children in the days of distress most doubtful of God's love, and most to question the same towards them? is it not the sins that they have committed? and can we be in the ways of assurance when we live in the ways of wickedness? 
Danger by sinni●  all adventuring upon sins doth beget divine hatred, make faith to reel, and breeds nothing but doubts, and fears, and jealousies; all which keeps off the feeling of divine love; O resolve to give of all sin, no way engage your hearts unto it, and you shall find upon your turning from sin, the turning of God's face towards you; 2 Chron. 7. 14. Esay 55. 7.  
2. Be found in the ways of duty; enlarge the uprightness of your souls, the humility of your minds, and strive to all conscionableness, fervency and steadfastness of spirit in all required services, and you shall find divine favour bowing and bending towards you; a man is never more in the way of love, then when he goes right on in the course of godliness, when a man's life is wrought unto God's will and spent in God's work; there cannot want particular discoveries of Gods love more or less; if we live to God and with God▪ acting and moving on in a course of holiness, though for the present all seem to be clouded and darkened, love will break out; Note 
Three things about love and duty.  with me three things,  
1. That a Christian wanting assurance of divine love, dares not to decline duty and the services of a spiritual life; though he cannot as yet feel God in love, yet he will wait upon God in duty.  
2. That the sense and assurance of God's love in the heart, doth much enlarge the heart in the cheerful and powerful performance of holy duties; no man is more spiritful or painful, than he which day by day feeleth God's goodness; this is as the oiling to the wheels, and the light unto working.  
3. That while men go on in a course of holy obedience, and move on in duties out of love to God, God will not fail at length to give them some intimations of his love, Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways, Esay 64. 5.  
3. Preserve yourselves under the Ordinances, you are in the ways of love when you are in God's presence, hearing God's voice, and partaking of his Sacraments; these reveal the Father's face unto you, here you shall have tenders of divine love unto you; and by these God will convey the sense of his love unto you; I have declared unto them thy 
Joh. 17. 26.  name, and will declare it, that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them; where we plainly see that God by the means of salvation doth persuade and settle the heart in the assurance of his love; let it then be your wisdoms to attend, serting yourselves under the manifestation of love, and God in time will speak peace to your hearts, and let you to know the love that he hath towards you, wait I say upon God in his Ordinances, and surely the good hour will come that the heat and comfort of God's love shall be apprehended by you: I will hear what the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace unto his people and to his Saints, Psal. 85. 8.  
4. Clear the warrants and grounds of faith; this is most true, that faith lives in love, and in the promises of love, and there can be no sound persuasion of God's love in the soul without faith; as the Gospel showeth love, and God bestoweth love, so faith receiveth and applieth love; 
a 1 joh 4 16.  We have known and believed the love that God hath to us, now faith doth never work so clearly and apprehensively in divine love, as when its warrants and grounds (which are the promises of God) are very clear unto the soul; there are two 
Two things keeping men of the apprehension of divine love 1. Misplacing of warrants.  things which keep men off from the comfortable apprehension of divine favour.  
1. One is the misplacing of warrants, when men are mistaken in the matter of God's love, and will judge themselves to be under divine love upon general testimonies, & by foreign pawns, even such as hypocrites or castawaies may have, forgetting that saying of Solomon, No man knoweth love or hatred by all that is before them, Eccles. 9 2. Suppose a man to have concurrence of natural parts, common graces, moral moderation, formality of religion, and plenty of all outward things, now if he hereupon fancy a love of God unto him (as too many do) the man mistakes himself and cannot be settled in God's love to him.  
2. Another is the darkening 
2. Darkening of warrants.  and mudding of warrants, when faith is kept from the clear apprehension of promises, and cannot see all its privileges, when men will cast mists of misinterpretation and jealousy upon the promises, questioning their goodness or truth, either in themselves or to themselves; now love cannot be so felt and apprehended as it might be; let it be your work therefore to read over the promises of God to faith, and make them as plain and clear to faith as you can, consider well how many grants of favour are made over to faith, and enlarge faith in these promises, and then shall you find and feel much love in your souls.  
4. Wisely support your souls and uphold yourselves by these ensuing considerations: 
8. Things for the settling the soul in the absence of divine love.   
1. That it is no new or strange thing for God's dearest children in their sense to be forsaken of divine love, and to have apprehensions of divine wrath towards them; the light of God's love was withdrawn for a time from Christ the Son of God's only love, and from his Church, Psal. 44. Lam. 3.  
2. That God doth never withdraw the sense of his love from any of his children but for some special causes and profitable ends; such as are,  
1. The trial of their disposition and temper towards himself; it is an excellent spirit that can love God frowning, and depend upon God absenting and withdrawing himself; I will wait upon the Lord that hides his face from the house of jacob, and I will look for him, Esay 8. 17.  
2. The ransacking of their 
Causes of Gods suspending his love from his  souls, now they go to seek and find out all the idols of indignation that are remaining within them; a little of God's anger felt and apprehended doth much afflict the heart with sorrow for sin, and eat out the love of sin within, a man doth never apprehend and feel his sins with more grief and hatred then in the times of God's absences, as 1 Sam. 21. 1, 2.  
3. The putting us into the most excellent life of faith; our disposition is to live too much by sense, and we would always enjoy God by sight; but for as much as sight is reserved for another world, and there we shall have the full and constant fruition of God's love by vision, God will and doth in this life exercise us in the life of faith, making us in the non-feeling of love to believe love unto us.  
4. The searching out of their grounds and evidences, to see if that there be any thing of God left within them, by which they may gain any assurance that God do●h love them.  
5. The preparing of them for greater apprehension of his love and favour in time to come; God many times after a little absence doth show himselve more glorious and comfortable in his love to the soul then ever he did in times past; in the little forsakings of God the soul is more set after God, and more enlarged to receive from God the testimonies of his love then ever it was formerly.  
Now than if God will do his children good in and by the withdrawments of his countenance from them, why should they be so dejected as they are under them?  
3. That though the love of God be much unto his in every condition, yet such as are Gods shall never be able to know and feel all the love of God to them, or so much of God's love as their desires lead them unto: in this life we have our tastes, and we shall never have our fill until we come to heaven, Ephes. 3. 19  
4. That the condition of love is one thing, and the feeling of love another thing; always love is not felt, God's love may be towards us when his look is not, a tender Father doth many times fold up his love in angry words and harsh actions, and a loving God to a sinful Christian may exercise his love insensibly, so as a man may be in favour when he feels no favour, he may be that in faith which he is not in sense.  
5. That such who have not present sense of love, may yet have a present ground for God's love unto them; Now the 
The promise is the ground of love.  sure ground of God's love unto us is the promise of love; Thou Lord wilt bless the righteous, 
Psal. 5. 1●.  with favour wilt thou compass him, saith David; and truth it is that our happiness stands in this assurance, that divine love is in the promise; here is our stock, and if we had no more love than what we could hold in sense, all love would soon be gone; this therefore must be the wisdom of Christians not to judge of their interest unto God's love by the present actual feelings of it within their souls, but by the gracious promise of love made over unto them on God's part; reason thus; what though I cannot feel and find God's favour to be towards me? yet Note. why should I be dejected? hath not God given out a word of truth for love and favour unto me?  
6. That such Christians who have not the present sense of God's love, may have future sense of God's love; God's love is never totally nor finally withdrawn from his children; the suspensions of God's favour are temporary, and God doth many times reserve great assurance unto after times: David in confidence of this saith, The Lord will command his loving kindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life, Psal. 42. 8. Thus saith the Church, He will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness, Micah 7. 9 This is the reasoning of faith; God hath loving kindness and he can show it, and and will show it, I have found him a very loving God unto my soul in times past, and why should I doubt of future expectations; Simile. after a night of darkness cometh a day of light, and after a storm cometh a calm; the cloud may be remooved and I may enjoy my God as fully and as freely as ever heretofore.  
7. That sense of God's love is gradual; it is neither in all Christians in the same measure and degree, nor at all times the same in the same Christians; truth it is that as it is one and Simile. the same Sun that shineth over the whole world, so it is one and the same love of God for kind that is manifested to all Christians, yet some have a 
Love one for kind different in degree  a more large and greater measure, and a larger and greater sense of that love than others, according to the will and wisdom of God; I say it passeth to the sense with much variation, now the least assurance of divine love towards us should be a great upholdment of our spirits under the want of much sense and feeling of God's love within us.  Ob. 
Yea, could I find any pledges of God's love to me, than I could be comforted and settled, but I fear that God did never love me?  Sol. 
Beloved, you see how scruple begets scruple, as wave doth wave; and to give a short 
4. Signs of the former feelings of God's love  answer unto this case, there are these signs of a man's former enjoyment of God's love?  
1. Continued temptations about the love of God unto a man's self in particular; and that not only in the times of affliction and hour of death, but at such times when a Christian sets himself to try his own standing in grace, and to settle himself in the assurance of God's love unto him, I say the more interest any man hath into God's love, the more spite shall he have from Satan, and the more feeling any man hath of divine love, the more shall such a man be followed with strong suggestions, and horrible temptations drawn from divine wrath, shall we imagine that if Satan hearing the proclamation from heaven of God's love to Christ, Mat. 3. 17. would notwithstanding seize upon him, and tempe him to doubt of his Sonship and Father's care and love, that now any member of Christ in and under the assurance of God's love shall be free from his malicious molestations and hideous temptations? the devil hates where God loves; and 'tis strange to behold how Note. God's children do many times those things to be arguments of discouragements which are or need to be none at all; O say they Satan doth molest and tempt me daily, and tells me of divine wrath that is towards me? well, suppose he say so? wilt thou believe him? was he not alyer and a murderer 
job. 8. 44  from the beginning? is not his name the accuser of the Brethren before God day and night? Revel. 12. 10. are not all the testimonies of Satan directly or obliquely against the truth of God and comfort of Christians? tell me O Christian, what is it hurtful or prejudicial to Satan if God do hate a man? him whom God indeed doth hate is the proper subject of Satan, and no wise Prince will make war on his own subjects: conclude that wert thou not in God's favour, Satan would let thee alone and not trouble thee in the settling, o● under thy not feeling of his love unto thee.  
2. Miserableness of soul under the want of the apprehension of divine love; we now can grieve and grow sad because we fail of our once enjoyed feelings, all cloudings and eclipses in the assurance of divine love are terrible to Christians; the hiding of the Sun is uncomfortable, and the withdrawments of divine love is a cause of just trouble; men that never felt divine love, make nothing of its absence; but to have it called back from one that hath found and felt it, it maketh a sad and a dark day; it is impossible for thy soul of man to be humblingly and sorrowfully sensible of the want of God's love, but there hath been some former feelings of divine love within his soul, Psal. 30. 5.  
3. Rise of the desires after the sense and degrees of divine love; if a man hath tasted of God's love unto him he shall find stir and long in his soul after further and greater sense; now saith such a one, O that God would shine forth in much love unto my soul; O that I could see his face as the face of a reconciled God unto me; time was when I enjoyed his love and it was better than wine; O that I could now enjoy it once more, than should my life be full of comfort and content unto me; can true desires rise up after divine love, if it were never formerly apprehended and felt by the soul? assuredly it is, because there are some sparkles of God's love in the soul that men do eagerly and sincerely desire the same; Let him kiss me with the kisses of 
Cant. 1. 2.  his mouth, for thy love is better than wine: the Church had found the love of Christ to be better than wine, and hereupon she doth desire him to kiss her.  
4. Endeavours after the sense of God's love; they that have once tasted of God's love in the enjoyment of it, are ready to maintain and hold it up within Note. in them, yea and to keep it with the loss of all outward sensible comforts; accounting that one day spent (though with much conflict of corruption and temptation) in the true taste and sense of God's love in Christ is fare beyond all the contentments which the world can afford; and if at any time they are at a loss and do miss of their former feelings they give not off their hope and diligence, but do set themselves into the ways of assurance, & will leave no stone unrolled to get their former sense of love if it may be: whence doth this arise? is it not from some former touch of the soul by the love of God? when Elijahs mantle was once cast upon Elisha, he could not but follow him; and certain when Gods love hath been seen and felt, a man shall follow on to know more and more the ways of love.  
8. When men for the present can find no sense of God's love within them, they must support themselves upon the foundation, which is this: 
The foundation stands in 2. things.   
1. That all upright and believing persons have a loving God, who is the fullness and fountain of love unto them, how ever their feelings and apprehensions are of it; say, Yet God is good to Israel, and bears a 
Psal. 77. 1.  loving heart to the upright; beloved, know that changes in us do not conclude any change in God, he is a constant and unchangeable God in his love to his, whom he once loveth he 
Joh. 13. 2.  loveth unto the end.  
2. That Christians are saved because God loveth them, not because they do perceive and feel the love that God hath toward them, our feeling makes to comfort, but the being of love unto happiness.   

CASE. II. Of doubtings arising and continuing in the soul.  
THere are two sorts of 
Two sorts of men. 1. Men of no doubtings.  men that are of contrary opinions about the matters of doubtings; the one concludes an unwarranted happiness unto themselves, because they find within themselves a freedom from all doubts; they bless God that they never doubted in all their lives; but have gone on always in a settled and peaceable way, never scrupling or questioning their own present standing or future happiness; a very strange temper from religion; for though doubtings be not the essence of a Christian, yet he cannot be a sound and settled Christian that never doubted; it cannot be but that such who in the state of nature did not fear to sin, will when they are brought into the state of grace doubt of themselves by reason of sin; would you not wonder at that man who should Simile. pass over many unknown countries, and cross many parting paths and ways, and yet should tell you that in all his travels he should never be at a stand, or question which was the way that he should take? and it is to me as strange a Christian that can pass over so many cross and unknown paths unto nature, as are to be gone over and yet never to be weatherbeaten, or windshaken, or to be so simple as to doubt, for certain this is nothing but presumption and selfe-deceiving; and I would wish no man to bless himself in this estate.  
The other doubts of his 
2. Men of doubtings  estate because of doubtings; it is a main part of Satan's policy to stagger God's children, and to cause the rising up of suspicions within themselves, doubting whether that they are Christians, in the state of grace by reason of the many doubtings that are found within them: O say they, we find within ourselves the suspension of our minds in the determination thereof; our souls do hang between two objects, and unto 
The nature of doubtings  either of them they cannot fixedly incline; we find that there are at one time two distinct and opposite ways, and objects and ends proposed and presented unto our minds for choice, as to believe and not to believe, to be saved and not to be saved, to do this and not to do this, to have heaven and not to have heaven: and now it becomes questionable unto us, which of these two is eligible, or which of these two shall befall us; the mind reflects upon both, and looks upon both, yet one alone must be ours in the issue; our minds do debate exceedingly and beat themselves about them, whether this or that; this way or that way we shall go we know not; there are found within us at the same time the assenting & dissentings of our minds; persuasions and dissuasions take hold of us, we are like unto the waves of the sea, that thrust forth to the shore and yet drawing back again, or like unto men in ungrounded Simile. places, who no sooner pluck up one leg but the other sinks in deeper; many reasons on either side are apprehended and no fastening can be found; if we look  
1. Upon things to be believed 
Doubtings seen in two things.  and done, there are within us doubtings of the truth and goodness of the one, or of the lawfulness and unlawfulness of the performance of the other; we still halt between two opinions: if we look  
2. Upon our own particular course and condition; whether that we are Christians indeed, and be such whose persons are accepted of God, whose ways do please God; who have any part in the Covenant, or just title to the best things, and that when we die we shall go to Heaven; here likewise our hearts do mis-give us and we daily question our own estates; And could this be our condition if that we were in a good estate? This I confess is the trouble of God's dearest children, whose 
Doubtings in the godly cause 4. things.  minds within them are diversely carried, and cannot come to a rest, whose minds do hang in suspense and cannot determine; this condition causeth unto them, 1. Multiplication of disputes, such persons have contrariety of reasonings within themselves, reason can never be equally balanced, but remaineth as a pair of scales turning this way and that way, such can say as much why they should not do such and such duties as why they should do them; and they conceive as many and as strong reasons why that they should be damned as well as saved; 2. Interruption of the practical act of the understanding, that it cannot give sentence either way for a man or against a man: so that men under doubts remain under certain trouble and restlessness, but uncertain quiet and relief, and know no more what to resolve on then he who hath referred himself and his cause unto the umperage of him, who will not as yet declare himself.  
3. Uproar in affections; they will be very tumultuous; passions by doubtings are set on a hurley burley and rage exceedingly, now men fret and fear and faint, and even vex themselves unto death. 4. Alterations and changes, men under doubts are constant in inconstancy, and do never remain settled unto themselves; they cannot be long of one mind; but as the weathercock doth turn with Simile. every turning of the wind from point to point, so such men to day shall and will be of a good mind for God and Heaven; but to morrow shifting, and of a new and another mind, thus do they every day vary from themselves: and this being the condition of a doubtful Christian, I cannot wonder why his doubts should so perplex him? Consider with me one thing more; what it is that causeth doubtings in the soul? and if we prove the springs or causes to be evil and terrible, no marvel if that they are so troublesome unto Christians: I open it thus unto you, 
Five cau says of doubtings in Christians.   
Doubtings within Christians spring,  
1. From original corruption, that sinning sin, and mother of all sin in men, which hath in it the seed of all sin, and therefore doubtings, nature itself can nothing but doubt, flesh in the Elect is wavering and weak, even when grace would believe and settle, innumerable evils have compassed me about, mine iniquities have taken hold of me so that I am not able to look up, they are more than the hairs of my head, therefore my heart faileth me, saith David, Psal. 40. 12. in which place you may see plainly what it was that made David's heart to fail him, it was his sins, these were the clog unto his spirit, and these were they that did stagger and doubt him.  
2. From the darkness and ignorance that is within their minds, withholding not so much the light of nature as the light of the Scripture in general, and of the promise in particular, without which they are never able to judge aright of things and condition; what determination can there be whilst a man is in darkness? he that cannot see what he is, or where he is, may do things at a venture only, but in all things he 
Pro. 4. 18.  is uncertain and doubtful.  
3. From the hurryings and winnowings of Satan, who followeth God's children with many and various temptations, in times of tempest it is no new thing to see a ship fastly anchored Simile. tossed too and fro; and when Satan is maliciously haunting and vexing a Christian, no marvel if doubts and irresolvednesse do appear?  
4. From the greatness of dangers into which they are cast; if Peter be ready to sink in the sea he will doubt; O thou 
Mat. 14. 31.  of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt? saith Christ; we see how his fears did sink him below the waters, and ●urely as a Christians troubles (inward or outward) do arise, so do his doubtings arise also; the ship doth not more naturally arise Simile. with the flowing in of the waters, then doubts in the soul with the coming in of troubles.  
5. From God's forsaking and deserting of his; when God goeth away with his light, and leaveth his in darkness, so as they cannot see or apprehend him to be their God, now they begin to question themselves and their estates exceedingly. 
Ten relievements against doubtings in the mind.   
But you will say unto me, what shall a Christian do for his settling that is doubtful in mind? I shall yield unto you these helps following.  
First, know that the estate of no Christian is so absolutely perfect on earth, that at all times and in all things it should yield him an absolute certainty or freedom from all doubts, whilst there is a devil to tempt, and Christians are weak in judgement and experience, lying in the cradle of godliness, they may be tossed too and fro & fall to questioning of their estate; there is no tree so surely rooted Simile. but in blasting times it may be shaken; Peter doubts, and the Disciples doubt, and the Christians doubt, though they did not despair, Mat. 14. 31. 28. 17. 2 Cor. 4. 8. a man's estate may be good, and his title currant to God, and Christ, and Heaven, and yet he may be irresolved, and troubled with many doubtings and that for a long time together.  
Secondly, that doubtings within the souls of Christians do not argue a total want of faith, but an imperfection and small portion of faith; it is not the absence of faith, but the littleness of faith in them which is the ground of their doubtings; O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? where we see that Christ doth impute Peter's doubting to the 
Littleness of faith a ground of doubting and why?  littleness of his believing; I say that when faith is little in comparison, and little in operation, this is the ground of doubting, for here wants proportionable strength unto settling, & here men have too open an eye upon their wants and discouragements, but a very dim eye to see their helps and encouragements; in a word, here is a want of strength to repair to the means of establishment, and a marvelous unskillfullnesse to argue from the promises, and to maintain its own grounds; thus it is, as the less Simile. the fire is the more is the smoke; so the more imperfect the faith is, the more is and will be the doubtings of Christians, a little heat and great mists, and a little faith and great Simile. doubtings may go together in Christians.  
Thirdly, that faith and doubtings are not opposed as life and death, where the presence of the one determinately concludes the absence of the other; but look as cold and heat in remiss Simile. degrees may be in one and the same subject, though the nature of cold be not the nature of heat, so though faith be not doubting, nor doubting 
One and the same person may believe and doubt and how?  faith, yet both may and do meet in the same person; actual doubtings may be where is habitual faith, they are not answering parts one unto another, for they remain in contrariety and opposition, nor things that are simultaneous in their acts and operations; doubtings can no more consist at the same time with the acts of faith, than its possible that a man should lay his hand on the rock and not lay his hand on the rock at the same time, or that a man's eye should see and not see the colour at the same time; the soul cannot at the same time set out from the same faculty opposite acts: and it cannot be that while the soul doth believe it should doubt.  
Fourthly, that God's children for the presence of weaknesses 
A caution  & doubtings must not conclude a nullity of grace and faith within themselves, God forbidden that we should think our field had no corn because of many Simile. weeds in it, or the heap had no wheat because of much chaff, or the soul no grace because of doubtings.  
Fiftly, that the least degree of faith within the soul of a man, though accompanied with never so many doubtings, doth denominate Christian's believers with God, Peter doubting did not put him out of the rank of believers; Christ doth not say to him, O thou of doubting, thy faith is little; but he 
Mat. 14. 31.  gives him this title, O thou of little faith; God judgeth of his according to their better part, and if he find a little grace among many corruptions, he calls us according unto the grace.  
Sixthly, there must be care taken to distinguish doubtings in Christians from doubtings that are found in unregenerate men; most true it is, that the same disease of doubting is incident unto good and bad, it is corruption in both, it being a sin for any to doubt; yet it is as true, that doubting stands differingly in the godly from the wicked in these respects:  
1. In the godly there is doubting against a temper and frame directly opposite unto doubtings; doubtings in them do hold an opposition against faith and persuasion wrought in the soul; faith in nature and 
Doubting a nature and an infirmity.  act is opposite to doubting in nature and act; they have two springs or causes in the soul of man; it is impossible that the doubtings of the godly should spring from their spiritual frame and temper; grace doth not begin or cherish doubtings in any, it forbids to doubt and commands to believe; it grieves at doubting and thirsts after settling, so that they stand as infirmities in the godly, not as a nature; in unregenerate men doubtings are a nature and of their entire constitution; doubtings are begotten and bred up in them by a nature that is wholly sinful and doubtful.  
2. In the godly doubtings are subdued in their power, by reason of conversion and Sanctification, wherein this as well as all other sins receiveth it deaths wounds; the life and trouble of doubts only remain 
Doubtin in combat and in conquest.  in the godly, interrupting them in the great work of believing, for were not faith assaulted by the stir of doubtings within, it would do its part most gloriously, but now as a man that hath a maimed leg cannot move as he desires, no more can Christians believe as they would, by reason of doubtings which do cross them; but this is all that doubtings can do in the godly, they can molest, but never command; their powers are crushed, and faith riseth up victoriously over all at the last; now in wicked men doubtings reign and have sovereign authority.  
3. In the godly doubtings are partial; it is of the subject, not of the object, in action, not 
Doubtings 1. Partial. 2. Entire.  affection, of evidence, not adherance, of the circumstantials, not substantials; it is thus with Christians, that though in many passages they cannot be certainly persuaded that they are good and right, yet in many other things they are settled and resolved; whereas doubtings in wicked men are total and entire, 'tis all doubting and that in all things.  
4. In the godly doubtings turn unto their profit, God for very good ends doth suffer 
Ends of doubtings in the godly four.  doubtings in his, as 1. To free them from many sins of pride, presumption, negligence and the like: 2. To force them to their divine helps, that now they may the more inquire and seek resolution and settling from Heaven. 3. To make them more firm and certain Simile. at the last, a tree in shaking gets 
Nil tam certum quàm quod ex dubio certum.  fixedness, a scholar by enquiry gets satisfaction, and a Christian by his doubtings cometh to be more resolved; all our doubtings end in resolution: God will give unto his at the last full satisfaction of soul and conscience.  
5. In the Elect all doubtings are curable and recoverable, they are possible of cure, and shall actually be cured in God's time by God's means; the Lord doth mercifully heal his of all the toss and turnings of their minds, that at length they come to rest upon the mountain of his truth & goodness unto them in Christ; there is an excellent temper toward Note. healing wrought in God's children; they have a bend unto determination, and will not give up their case as desperate, what though they cannot quit themselves of all uncertainties, and attain unto positive fixing, yet they will with Noah's Dove hover over the Ark, which is Christ and the Promises, the only and able grounds of steadfastness and settling unto Christians.  
The doubtings of wicked men are possible of curing, if we consider what God by his power can do; but yet they remain uncured by the justice of God lying upon them, and do go on increasing doubtings unto their own damnation; so that in the one, doubtings are miserable, but in the other damnable.  
Seventhly, beware of maintaining and cherishing doubtings within your own souls: it is for Christians to labour after the cure of this disease of doubting, and to close up this spiritual distemper within their souls, considering 
Motives to cure doubtings are three  1. That doubting is an ill quality in the soul, that breeds unto much discomfort, depriving of all true staidness and contentment; 2. It is that which is very hindersome to a progress in Christianity, keeping Christians at a stay and standing, and 3. There is nothing which is more injurious to God in his Attributes, who must not be questioned in his promised Power, Truth, Love and Goodness; and yet we find this to be a common failing in doubting Christians, to cherish and nourish doubtings within themselves, yea, and many times to study and follow the way of doubting; a great and cruel evil most grateful unto 
Means against cherishing doubts.  Satan, and displeasing to God: my counsel therefore is unto you  
1. To make and maintain no argument within you against the full and gracious promises of God; delight not in that childish and unreasonable kind of disputation which may hurry the soul with fears and doubtings, helping doubts against faith; if men will thrust away the promises from themselves, and say, that though there be an absolute truth and goodness in them, yet their truth and goodness doth not belong unto them, how can the soul possibly settle and be quiet; can Simile. the anchor fix if it want ground, or the bird rest whilst its in the air? no more can a Christian resolve and settle if it plead against the promises.  
2. Believe no testimony of Satan concerning your conditions; I know Satan will take upon him to judge of Christians sins and services, and temper and state, and as he hath an art to colour over the true condition of sinful bondage, so he hath a delusion in hiding from the eyes of Christians the true powers of gracious sincerity and safe standing; now if we look upon things in the devil's glass, believing that all things are in us and with us as he doth tell us, how shall we be tossed too and fro, and what can abide us but daily doubtings? for Satan will always be deciding and determining against a Christians comfort and happiness, he being their utter enemy; it doth well become us to wave the erroneous judgement of Satan,  
1. By making our appeals 
The testimony of Satan put by two ways.  unto God the Just and Supreme Judge, to whom immediately and only the decisive power doth appertain, I say none but God can decide the trial of a man's eternal estate.  
2. By resting in the testimony of God's Word; we must learn the skill of beating of Satan by the Word, setting up the judgement of the Word against the judgement of Satan; and if we can find from the Word a good estate, let Satan go and whistle, we need in nothing be troubled by him.  
3. Be not apt to give way unto needless and causeless fears; this is a great fault in Christians, and very injurious unto settling; you shall seldom find but that an overfearing nature is a doubting nature, and if we will give way unto the creating and multiplying of our fears, we shall feed and nourish scruples and doubtings exceedingly; consider it in experience, if that a child be hurt, or any undesired news brought unto us of the sickness, or calamity of a near and dear friend, the heart is presently grieving and fearing, and when fears prevail and command within, than the mind is full of questionings, sure the wound is mortal, and my friend is dead, or in fare worse condition than is reported unto me, and alas what will be the issue? the party is extremely cruciated in his mind, and just so is it in the case in hand, if that men will still fear their estate, how can they but still continue under doubtings, and be as it were at their wit's end, not knowing what to do or what shall become of themselves.  
4. Do not disregard motions and motives unto settledness; there are many who come to God's Word and Ministers with their doubtings, and with many tears and bitter complaints they vent themselves of them, now when the Minister hath judicially showed unto them not only the causes but the cures of those their doubtings, and hath given unto them curing comfort and counsel, they set up their reasons against all that is said, and conceive the man to be mistaken in them; or else they forget the consolation, not applying themselves to the way prescribed; and surely long may such continue under a doubting condition who reject all directions given unto them.  
Eighthly, affect not a life of sense; this will expose us to infinite doubtings, it is open unto all winds and hath no constant bottom to settle upon; observe the uncertainty of this life of sense in Thomas; the man would not believe that Christ was risen, except he should see in his hands the print of the nails, and thrust his hand into his side, joh. 20. 21. Say now that Christ had for ever withdrawn his bodily presence from Thomas, where had been all those sweet comforts which he might have enjoyed in and by the resurrection of Christ? certainly he had lost them for ever, if sense must be his judge and give the sentence; Christ therefore doth show him his weakness and failing, in saying to him, Thomas, Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed, verse 29. you that will have all by sight and feeling, or else you will never be quiet, I tell you  
1. That sense is not a fit judge of a Christians spiritual condition; it cannot at all times see into our estates, much less report our estate unto us, the spiritual 
Psal. 73. 28.  condition may be without all feeling; eyes may fail, and flesh fail, and God frown, and faith only express such acts as are pure and hidden, grounding itself upon the naked promise, and how can sense report and give sentence.  
2. That sense is yea and nay, it maketh our condition to be good and bad, lost and found, and that many times in one day nay in one hour, and all because it looketh on the outside of things, judging according to outward appearance; I yield that it is uncomfortable for a man to walk without his feeling, but it is as uncertain to walk altogether by feeling.  
3. That the spiritual course of Christians doth many times go against all the sense of Christians; sense and the promise are many times at a contradiction; the promise goeth on when sense cannot perceive it, but behold the contrary; and how can sense meeting with contrarieties resolve?  
4. That sense goes man's way, but faith goes God's way; sense moves upon what appears, and takes God's deed, whereas faith relieth upon God's Word, and pitcheth upon things invisible; I will wait upon the Lord that hides his face from the house of jacob, and I will look for him, Esa. 8. 17. to this purpose read Esa. 50. 10. Hab. 3. 17, 18.  
Ninthly, maintain and set up faith; believing is the ground of settling, after ye believed you were sealed, saith Paul, Ephes. 1. 13. a man cannot have the fruit before he hath the tree, nor safety before he hath laid himself on the rock; nor assurance before he believeth; look as the soul Simile. breeds seeing in the eyes, and hearing in the ears, so true faith doth breed in the soul true settledness and assurance: if Christians could rise up to the granting way of faith, their doubts would more and more vanish; faith is  
1. The first ground of all a Christians assurances and experiences, if any man hath either in his soul he obtained them by faith.  
2. The prime instrument bringing home the comfort of all divine good unto the soul, the joy of Heaven, merit of Christ, and favour of God cannot actually comfort and quiet man's heart until that faith hath done its part.  
Faith at liberty and in authority doth compose a Christians doubtings, keeping him from sinking under them, two ways;  
1. By yielding a ground for settledness; all the while the soul can find and feel no bottom, it cannot but doubt and stagger; can the ship but roll up and down when the Mariner cannot find a place to Simile. fix his anchor? but when a man can find in and by believing the truth and goodness of a promise to rest upon, and can say as David, Remember the 
Psal. 119. 49.  word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope, now is he resolved and become quiet; I believed and therefore I spoke, and what reason is there that a man should doubt his safety when he is once fully set upon the rock?  
2. By overmatching all the causes and grounds of doubtings imagined by Christians; Christians doubt many times when as they have little reason to doubt; and sometimes they think their reasons for their doubtings are unanswerable; but faith prevailing will put the lie and folly upon all that can be said for doubting, it will shame and silence the foolish reasonings of the hearts of God's children; you may see this in David; when his thoughts ran wild upon the prosperities of wicked men, and the adversities of God's children, how did his doubts come in upon him, even to his sinking, he saith, Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency, for all the day long I have been plagued: but how doth he recover himself? Surely it was by the exercise and liberty of his faith, he went into the house of God, and there his faith found matter and ground to work upon, and he became better settled in his soul, Psal. 73. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. and truth it is, that every thing appears in all causes of fear, when faith is not the master and cannot have full power to be agent and factor for a Christian; Believe in the Lord your God and you shall be established, 2 Chron. 20. 20.  
Tenthly, subdue and keep down sin in the love and power thereof; If iniquity be in thine hand, put it fare away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles; for then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot, yea thou shalt be steadfast, and shalt not fear, Iob ●●. 14, 15. where we plainly see, that the more sin doth die in its love and power within the soul, the more will doubtings die too; kill sin, and faith lives, and doubts vanish; The Apostle would that men should draw near with a true heart in assurance 
Heb. 10. 22.  of faith, (i. e.) to cast away doubtings in their approaches to God, and not to come indifferently, may be I shall be accepted, may be I shall not, but as verily persuaded of God's acceptation; happily some Christian might say to him, how might a man do this? (he answereth) having the heart sprinkled from an evil conscience, q. d. faith cannot well persuade, nor the heart settle till you get quit of sin, if your consciences do charge and condemn you of evil, you will be doubtful, truth it is, that doubtings are cured by Mortification, the heart must be circumcised of its unbelieving and hardness and ungodliness ere ever we shall get quit of doubtings; if we resolve to be evil, we must resolve to be doubtful, were it not for sinfulness faith would be quicker and stronger, and we more settled and stayed in our minds, a heavy rheum falling into the eyes doth hinder a man from looking up; and sin entertained in the soul rears up contrary reasonings and denials to faith, making the encouragements of it to be so difficult, that a Christian spirit doth fail him, and he shall not be able to look up, Psal. 40.12.   

CASE. III. Of personal unworthiness.  
IT hath not a little troubled the minds of many of God's dear children to consider what unworthy creatures they are in themselves, and that they are so ill deserving at God's hands, having no more goodness in them to commend them to God's acceptation and love; we find them many times complaining, and that with much grief of heart that they have nothing in them but sin and wickedness, and how should God ever accept such as they are to love and life under the presence of their unworthiness? they stand in their own light, Satan hereby taking advantage against them; This I find to be a main masterpiece of Satan's cunning: that before a man is convinced of sin, he maketh him so full, and rich, and worthy, that he cares not for the merits of Christ, or the mercy of God, he will not beg, but buy a place in heaven; Laodicea was rich, and increased with goods, and had need of nothing, not knowing that she was wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked, Rev. 3. 17. The Corinthians did so shine in their own opinions, and were in such self credit, that they were rich and full reigning as kings; but when a man's eyes are opened to see the sinfulness of his sins, than he makes him very poor, and his unworthiness to be such and so great, that it is not for him to think of heaven, or mercy, or Christ; a great temptation, under which lieth lurking a white devil. To relieve the soul in this case, I shall propound these few considerations.  
1. That if unworthiness were a sufficient ground to keep men of from divine favour and eternal happiness, none of all the sons of men could ever be saved, for all have sinned, and by sin made themselves unworthy of mercy.  
2. That there is no subjective worthiness antecedently required unto justification and salvation; God well knew the unworthy condition of Israel when he made them his people, entering into the Covenant of life and peace with them, Ezek. 16. can you conceive that there was any inherent worthiness in them that did lie weltering in their own blood? beggars are not worthy of alms, traitors are not worthy of pardons, nor sinful men worthy of Christ or mercy, Luke 15. 21. and why should we dream of having a requisite worthiness of our own? if man had any thing in him, he were altogether unfit to come in unto the free offer of grace; we see the invitation is made to the monie-lesse and meritlesse Christian, Esa. 55. 1.  
3. That though worthiness be not in the stream, yet it is in the fountain; and though there be no subjective worthiness in men, yet there is an objective worthiness in Jesus Christ, which is tendered to sinners by grace, and accepted by faith; there is enough in Christ to make our persons lovely and acceptable to God, without whom, if we had all self-worthiness, we should remain in God's eyes most unworthy persons; This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, saith the Father, Mat. 3. 17.  
4. That notwithstanding man's own great unworthiness, 
Assurances for acceptance under unworthiness.  there is enough to assure him of divine acceptance; for  
First, Mercy in God is full and free, it hath enough in itself to incline itself to gracious pardons, and favourable acceptances; God doth blot out transgressions, not for man's sake, but for his own sake, Esa. 43. 25.  
Secondly, man's chiefest self-worthiness is to see his own unworthiness, and to be humbled for it; certainly, such 
Esa. 64. 6. Luk. 15. 21.  as have base & low esteems of themselves, and can dwell upon the guilt and merit of their own sinfulness, judging themselves to hell for it; such 
Phil. 3. 7.  as can (with Paul) disclaim from all worth in themselves, and do see in all their parts, and gifts, and performances an inability to engratiate them with God; such as can in the best of conditions, and after the best of performances, bewail their weak expressions of duty, acknowledging themselves to be most unprofitable 
Luk 17. 10.  servants, needing the mercy of a God and the merit of Christ; these I say are men of the greatest worthiness with God; according to the old truth, he pays best for Heaven that seethe he hath nothing at all to pay for Heaven.  
Thirdly, an unworthy sinner may plead out the Covenant of grace with God, and the freeness of the tenders of his mercy; I know no man that can or doth more admire and magnify divine mercy, than a sinner truly sensible of his own unworthiness; I know none more desirous of mercy then such; I know none will be more ready to accept of Heaven and favour out of freeness of grace then such; I know none to whom the offer of salvation purchased by Christ is made but such; and what now doth hinder them from coming in unto God, pleading with him after this or the like manner. Gracious Lord, I am here before thee for mercy, and for thy Christ, I see in myself nothing worthy thee or thy Christ; for I am wholly sinful; if thou now wilt receive me for thine own, and pardon me my sins out of thine own free grace, and for the merit of thine only Son alone, thou shalt show thyself a gracious God indeed; O Lord that which draweth me in unto thee for grace, is thine own free grace; thou gavest me the word and hope of comfort, and therefore I durst not stand out; Lord, lo here I am before thee, without all confidence in myself; O let it be unto me according to the freeness and richness of thy mercy, refuse me not though I am unworthy to be called thy son.  
5. That too much standing on selfe-unworthinesse, is many times an argument of secret pride, and opinion of merit; men would fain be some body with God, and do something for Heaven; Lord how willing is man to have a finger in his own salvation, and to be at the least a co-adju●or with Christ in the office of his Redemption; when as in truth it is mercy alone that must do all, and such are most in the way of comfort that refer their spiritual condition unto mercy, setting up and advancing the free favour of God as the only cause of their spiritual estate, 1 Cor. 15. 10. tell me sadly and seriously thou troubled soul, if thou hadst more goodness in thee, if thy graces were more perfect in thee, and thy services had been or could be better performed by thee, than thy hopes and assurances could and would rise within thee, than thou couldst have confidence and settlement within thee? yes, and what is this I pray thee, but the spice of pride and secret dependence on merit? what wilt thou look upon thyself, and within thyself, and draw out principles of salvation from thyself? how art thou only beholding to grace and to Christ for thy salvation when thou thus poorest and priest into thyself? if thou wilt be a cause of thine own good, thou must be a ground of thine own glory, and if thou wilt bring thy penny, thou wilt make thyself joint purchaser with Christ; tell me O Christian, hadst thou all thy desired qualifications, would they or can they equal the favour of God? and dared thou to stand upon this so as to build thy eternal welfare on it? be persuaded out of this vain and empty conceit of thine, and cease further to perplex thy soul under the thoughts of thine unworthiness, God indeed looks not out of himself in the acts of his mercy, but man must look wholly upon God, and no way upon himself if he intent to be saved and enjoy mercy.   

CASE. FOUR Of imperfection and littleness of faith and other graces.  
SUch as are men of grace in truth, would be men of grace in perfection, no present measures can content such; a sweet and blessed temper, and if it were rightly regulated, it would work to Christians much comfort, and free their minds of much trouble; but thus it cometh to pass, that Christians do much trouble their minds with the degrees 
Littleness of grace apprehended.  and measures, operations and actions of their graces received; they either comparing themselves with others interessed in the same graces with themselves, and observing that others do excel them by fare, so as no comparison can be made between them; or else they looking into themselves do find their graces beset with many corruptions, that they can discern much more sin in them then grace, that it is in a manner all naught within them; in a word, they finding the pulse of grace beating slowly within; their faith and patience unactive and in a manner idle within them; This I say gives them occasion to question their condition, now surely they are not right and sound, for that they are more imperfect in their graces than others, they go not forward and increase in their graces as others do; O the eye of their faith is dim, and doth but darkly apprehend the promises of God, they do many times discern the promises with mistake; fullness and settledness of apprehension is wanting in them; they cannot come off their carnal reasonings and self disputations, yielding firmness and entireness of assent unto the truth of God's promises as they ought to do, their minds are not yet so settled, that all is yea and Amen that is spoken by God in the promises unto them; they often say within themselves, hath God indeed said this and this? and may a man rely upon the word of his promise? they cannot cast anchor so as it shall fasten; they see the shore but cannot reach it, and they see Christ and the promises, but cannot apply them, there is an interruption and suspension of the acts of application; as for the persuasions of faith in them, they are small or none at all, they cannot say that God is their God, and Christ their Christ, and this they make to be their death and burden, under which estate we shall show you that Christians have not so much cause of creating 
Ten releevements to the soul under imperfection of grace.  perplexities to themselves as many times they do; consider with me,  
1. That a little grace is better than no grace; it is the want of grace that is damnable, and may cause a man to close up against himself all assurance and settlement; tell me O Christian, wouldst thou change thy poor condition in grace for the greatest graceless condition in the world? wilt thou part from that grace thou hast for any or all the seeming pleasures of sin? I dare say thou wouldst not, then be quieted in thy mind, and do not foolishly argue the nullity of a gracious condition from the imperfection of thy graces.  
2. That a little grace requireth a great deal of thankes, it coming from the God of all grace and being an argument of sound sanctification; shall I say that it is not the way of thankfulness to make little of any divine mercy; we are too little for the least measure by reason of our unworthiness; and we do not well to undervalue the least proportion and gift of grace.  
3. That which one man makes little unto himself, would be a great deal with many other Christians; we find in experience, that the rich man's complaint would be the poor man's content; many poor souls could well feast themselves with the fragments that come from their tables, when as they do foolishly and proudly complain of want; just so it is with many Christians, they tell us that grace is weak and small in them, when other Christians reasoning with them, and hearing them complain, do bless God for their estate in grace, and would be exceeding glad were they in their condition of grace.  
4. That men of no grace are never troubled and truly humbled about smallness and weakness of grace, the eyes of such are not yet opened to see their spiritual wants.  
5. That little grace is an argument of grace in the soul; a little man is a man, and a little faith is faith; grace in truth hath a being in weakness itself, and though it be in the lowest measures, there the soul hath an interest in God, in Christ, in the promises and in heaven, little faith can and doth lay hold of great things, and proves unto Christians a great assurance.  
6. Little grace is a creature of God which he will not despise or forsake; Doth God despise 
Zach 4. 10.  the day of small things? will any tender mother cast off her babe because it is weak? and shall we imagine that God will not accept according to that a man hath, be it never so little? Christians be persuaded that grace in truth though never so small is for acceptance.  
7. Little grace will do much, it many times doth that in and for Christians under weakness that all the world cannot do for them, it is their light in darkness, their life in death, and their upholdment from sinking; the widow's little oil and little meal went a great way, God blessing it; and thus it is with little grace, it will carry a man through the whole world and do mighty things for him; the great advantages of a little grace is unspeakable.  
8. That grace in weakness is made for strength, and grace in littleness is fitted for increase, our graces pass from imperfection to perfection, and from weakness unto strength; God's strength being made perfect 
2 Cor. 12. 9  in man's weakness; weakness doth both call in and set out the glory of divine assistance: consider, that he who hath most grace hath not all he should have, and he who hath least in grace hath not all that he would have, both measures are rising up unto greater perfections; little grace is in a state of growth, and in and by the use of means it is enlarged, as we may see in Nicodemus and all new borne Christians, whose growth is much in parts and powers of their graces: they have risen from small beginnings to most admirable perfections.  
9 That gifts of Sanctification and appertaining unto men's salvation are different and unequal, grace is alike in nature, but not alike in measure in all; the different standings of Christians in Christianity and grace, is set out unto us both in the comparisons and appellations of them in Scripture; they are compared to branches, stars, sheep, and the members of the body; we read of men, and babes, fathers, and children; all men be not of one stature, nor all trees of one growth, nor all Christians of equal grace; to some is given a greater, to others a lesser measure of grace; grace in one is much and strong, in another little and weak, sincere in both, but absolutely perfect in none; Note with me two things. 
Grace's are two ways considerable.   
1. That all degrees of Christians do agree together 
1 Quaad esse & habitum  in the substantial part of grace, every man hath the same spirit of holiness, knowledge, faith, repentance, love, etc. is alike in them all, flowing from one and the same common fountain.  
2. That the varying of 
2. Quoad operari & exercitium  Christians is much in the active part of grace, they may have their several agilities, so as one man may know more than another, one man may pray more fervently and frequently then another, and so is it in the rest of all required duties; methinks that it is with Christians in this case as it is with men in nature; every man Simile. hath a soul, and faculties from that soul, and actions issuing out of those faculties, yet every man is not equal in the expressive ways of nature.  
But you will query, whence 
A question about the causes of inequality of measures and operations of graces in Christians  doth this inequality of graces and holy operations arise?  
I answer, not from nullity and falseness of grace, as weak Christians do surmise; but  
1. From the wise dispensation of God, who giveth grace to every man according to his own good will and pleasure, and followeth his own measures with the same proportion of assistance.  
2. From the variety of particular occasions; every Christian hath not alike forcible occasion to exercise his graces given him.  
3. From the variety of particular ends; God intends some Christians for some singular end and services to which he fits them by the great improovement and use of their graces.  
4. From the variety of particular assistance; every man hath not at all times an equal gale or breath of the Spirit to enlighten, affect, excite, and draw them onward.  
5. From the variation of natural tempers; bodily constitution conduceth much to the actions of the soul.  
6. From the sinfulness and carelessness of some Christians above others, when as through the conceit of the eminency of their graces, they do swell with pride, when they cannot be thankful for graces and abilities formerly received, when their imaginations are mean of graces bestowed, they thinking that they will not serve turn to their salvation; in a word, when they are inconstant in duties and do not stir up the graces in them, wisely watching the motions of the Spirit, and improoving the seasons of grace; this is the thing which occasioneth the inequality spoken of.  
10. That no man misseth of Heaven for want of measures, but for want of the truth of grace, I grant a Christians consolation lieth much in the comparative degree, but his salvation is in the positive degree of grace, though one Christian cannot believe as strongly as another, yet believing he shall be saved as well as another; littleness and greatness of grace do agree in saving issue; a weak and a soar eye in the Israelites did behold the brazen Serpent to health as well as a sound and clear eye, the hand of a little child can lay hold of a precious Jewel given unto it; just so is it here, difference in proportion and in operation of graces may stand with truth of grace and assurance of Heaven, one man rides faster than another, yet both meet at length in the same Inn; one ship makes more speed than another, yet both put in at the same harbour; and one Christian hath more grace and doth more duty than another, yet both shall meet in one Christ and Heaven.   

CASE. V Of failings in duties.  
WHen Christians do look upon their services public or private which they do perform unto God, they find many failings, especially in the manner of their performance; Lord with what dullness and deadness and distraction of spirit do Christians pray, and hear, and meditate, and humble themselves etc. upon this do many Christians mis-judge themselves, concluding against their self-sincerity and soul's comfort; now nothing is well done by them, and why should they pray and read, and hear, and receive Sacraments any more; it is but sin that they do, and it will but increase their judgement, this is a bitter and most desperate remptation, and once given way unto, it doth lead a man fare into sin and trouble, for when once a man taketh exceptions against himself for doing duties, that he will put himself out of the way of duty, how easily doth he make himself a prey unto Satan?  
To the releevement of the soul under this burden, I shall 
Five settle against failings in duties.  yield you these meditations following.  
1. That the best of God's servants have been, are, and may be indisposed in holy duties; though the spirit of Peter be willing, yet the flesh was weak, 
Mat. 26. 41.  and there being contrary lustings of the flesh against the Spirit, a Christian cannot do the things he would; O how doth flesh clog and dull the best of God's Saints? there is within them a living spring without a lively operation; the spring I say is open, but the operation narrow, so as it is with them in the manner of their performing duties, as it is with a sick man, he would feign Simile. walk a turn about his chamber, but alas he cannot do it his body is so weak.  
2. That there is a wide difference between a heart that is dead unto duty, and a dull and indisposed heart in duty; a dead heart wants a living spring and is contrary unto all duty; as it falls off from duty, so it gives itself an allowance and dispensation in the same, and can and doth find no trouble within itself under all non-performances of duties; whereas a Christian under all his unevenesse in duties, hath an inward intention and inclination unto duties, such men in their dullest times and greatest indispositions see not more duties than they would do, and are grieved because they cannot do duties in a more lively and spiritual manner; such stand up from the dead and are ready for divine employment; there is a praying spirit in them; so as they can say with Paul, the good 
Rom. 7. 19  that I would I do not.  
There are two evidences when the bend of a man's heart is for duties in a living and right way.  
First, when a heavy kind of performing duties is displeasing and contrary unto the frame of the soul and spirit of a man; such men set upon duties sorrowfully, and perform duties with fear, and rise from duties humbled, greatly blaming themselves for the heaviness and distraction of spirit which they observe to be in themselves.  
Secondly, when the desires are rising out of the state of indisposition, such men easily fasten upon the ways of quickening and bettering themselves in duty, expecting that they may be shaken out of their fits of dullness: I dare say that such men will read the more, and pray the more, and hear the more, hoping to find some help in the use of the ordinances and performances of duties, they have heard and do find it to be true, that frequency in Simile. duty begets fervency, that as a man by often rubbing of his benumbed parts may get heat, so a Christian by forcing himself to the going over of duties, doth get strength against his dullness in duty.  
3. That when a Christian cannot do duties with that life he should and would do, yet he may do them with much sincerity and uprightness of heart, and in a fare different way from a formal and carnal Christian; I yield unto this, that an hypocrite who hath a name to live may talk much of duty and may mount high into the visible duties of holiness, applying himself to many religious actions; the Jews were not failing in their services and sacrifices, and solemn assemblies; but yet they came short of sincerity, and so all was lost labour unto them.  
You may ask me what is 
Seven differences between an hypocrite and a Christian in doing duties  the difference betwixt an hypocrite and a sincere Christian in doing duties?  
I answer, it is much every way; which may be seen in seven things.  
First, a Christian doth perform all duties by the power of spiritual life wrought within his soul, he prayeth, and believeth, and reads, and hears in the Spirit by virtue of the working of the Spirit; the principle of life in the soul is sufficient to itself to act required duties, it needs not altogether those natural and accidental helps which false Christians must have to set them on work; the bird flies in the air from a principle of life and motion in himself, whereas a clock being Simile. a dead thing moveth, because the weights are powerful to the wheels.  
Secondly, a Christian is more general or universal in the performance of duties than any hypocrite can be; he sets himself to duties of every kind, even those of the highest nature and excellency; duties required admit of a distinction, there are the greater and the lesser things of the Law; there are some duties which strike at the quick and call for strictness, such as are selfe-deniall sinnes-mortification, the sanctifying of God in a man's thoughts, desires, and speeches in all the conditions of life; some duties there are which are exceeding high and climbing, as believing in God and in Christ, and keeping the conversation in Heaven; to conclude, there are ordinary and extraordinary duties, public and private duties, costly and painful duties, and all these the spirit of soundness is for, Christians are ready to act all as well as one duty of holiness; look which way duty (whose latitude is much, and parts many) divides itself, thither they dispose themselves, that as water will run in all prepared channels, so a Christian followeth all required duties, whereas hypocrisy doth duties with partiality and delicacy, it severs and divides duties, it will be upon this, but not on that duty, and is neither whole nor lively in any duty; and no marvel, for as waters cannot rise higher than Simile. their springs, no more can an hypocrite rise higher than himself in duty.  
Thirdly, a Christian doth act spiritual duties spiritually, in the purpose and resolution of his heart he doth empty himself of flesh and corruption (which will be creeping into duty) as much as may be; such an one undertakes no duty, but with selfe-examination and soule-humiliation for sin committed and remaining within, such follow the Law of the spirit, exercising all vouchsafed graces in the performance of duties; Christians indeed do hear and pray with much knowledge, faith, fear, humility, etc. and by reason of the performance of the duty they become more spiritual; I say a Christian in duty is another man from what he is at other times, such heavenly raptures and soule-ravishments do befall him, that in a manner he feels no world, no place, no time; whereas a formal Christian is a base and mixed mettle, formality leads him into duties carnal, keeps him in duties carnal, and brings him off from duties not only carnal, but much more sinful and profane than he was before.  
Fourthly, a Christian doth perform duties encreasingly; his desires are such and so great unto duty, that he cannot give himself any satisfaction in doing duties; his spirit within him is like unto leaven which is of a rising nature, or to the grain of mustard seed which was of a spreading nature; the soul will be carried with vehement desire of bettering itself in duty, and performing more and more duty unto God, nay it riseth in duty against opposition, that as a living spring doth Simile. work out its way against damming and stops up, so a sound Christian will do duties wrestling with his own lyther and sluggish nature, yea and withstanding Satan in his temptations; oil can be no more kept under by water then a Christian can be kept of from duty and increasings in duties. I grant that at the first a Christian is and may be little and low in duty, but at length an enlargement will follow answerable to the life bestowed and duties to be performed; David's spring at sometimes did but drop gently, at other times it did run freely and fully, whereas the hypocrite keeps him in a circle or compass, he is confined and limited, and is much like unto artificial bodies uncapable of extension; restings and sufficits overtake such men, and if there be any swellings in duties, it is not from an incorporated principle of grace which is within as a feeding spring, but from some external reason and influence; there may be the rising of waters in a pond by Simile. the pouring down of rain from the clouds, and duties may be done by an hypocrite with much abundance whilst judgements or mercies are stir.  
Fifthly, a Christian exerciseth himself in spiritual duties cheerfully, such do spiritual actions pleasingly, as with willingness of heart, so with gladness of heart; it is meat and drink and recreation unto them to perform spiritual duties, Exod. 35. 29. Psal. 100 2. Psal. 110. vers. 3. Ephes. 6. 5, 6. whereas hypocrisy is of a Bearish nature, slow to the duty; it is moved, it moves not itself; to a formal heart 1. Spiritual duties are grievous and tedious, and though something be done, yet it is with secret weariness, reluctancy, and unwillingness, there are many objections raised up against duties, and many cases and questions which must be answered and resolved before such can set on to duty. 2. The closing up of spiritual duties is very pleasing and delightful, the Lord knoweth that as in his heart he wisheth there were no time nor duties belonging to God, so he is glad of a sudden release from all duties, the shorter the Sermon and the shorter the prayers the more pleasing, such is the incongruity of spiritual services with carnal hearts, and if that any joy and delight be in them at all, it is but false and vanishing.  
Sixthly, a Christian doth perform duties constantly; such men have everlasting spirits in serving God, and though there may be pawses and certain cessations by reason of some intervenient accidents, yet a total and final cessation in duty cannot overtake Christians; grace in truth never dieth unto duty, but holds out unto the very last in believing, obeying, and praying, whereas an hypocrite according to his false and vanishing principles is mutable and inconstant in duty; according to that speech, Will 
job 27. 10  the hypocrite delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God? sometimes he may do it, but at all times he neither can nor will pray.  
Seventhly, a Christian doth act all required duties discreetly and wisely; I mean with the observation of the rules and requisites and methods which wisdom itself doth declare unto men in and for the performance of duties; such will principally do those duties which are suitable and proper to themselves and falling in their relations and conditions, and that within their own orb, whereas hypocrisy wanders from its own nest, and doth prey abroad in other men's families, but not at home in their own families; such will manage duties moving on-ward in a just proportion; they spend not all the time in duties of faith, and duties of charity alone, but so do one act of godliness that they may do another also, one business doth not put by another with them, as it doth with hypocrites, who in doing of some duties hinder themselves in other; in a word, such are seasonable in doing duties; though no time be unseasonable for Christian duties, yet all duties must not be performed at all times; Christians must hear when God requires them to hear, and pray when God requireth them to pray, 
Psal. 1. 3.  they must bring forth all their fruit in the season of it; whereas the service of hypocrisy is fruit out of season, such as are formal will be coming to Church when others are going from Church, they will pray when they should hear, and read when they should pray, which maketh their service the sacrifice of fools, Eccles. 5. 1.  
4. That in the doing of Christian duties the bend of the heart is both observed and accepted of God; you cannot forget the counsel of David unto Solomon, Know thou the God of thy Father, and serve him with a perfect heart and a 
1 Chron. 28. 9  willing mind, for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts, if thou seek him he will be found of thee: out of which place we gather, that God doth behold the heart in duty; and him that prepareth his heart to seek him, though he be not cleansed according to the 
2 Chron. 30, 19, 20.  purification of the Sanctuary shall be accepted with him; view well the sincerity of your performances, and let it cheer you against your weaknesses.  
5. That Christians under weakness of performances, must have an eye unto Christ who appears for them in Heaven, presenting all services done unto the acceptation of his Father; learn to know, that what we cannot do perfectly, Christ did it for us, his active obedience being imputed to us, and though duties come from us in much weakness, yet Christ makes up our duties as well as our persons; a sincere heart must act duties, a gracious God must accept duties, a mighty Redeemer must present duties, the Angel had a golden Censor and much 
Rev. 8. 3.  incense that he should offer it with the prayers of the Saints upon the golden altar; we know that the acceptation of a Christians best services is in Christ alone, and it is no life in our duties that can make them meritorious with God, yea and it is no impotency in duties which can cause God to reject them, if we by faith betake ourselves to Christ; In Christ there is sufficiency of merit to cover all our self-blamed indispositions, and to gain the acceptance of all our sincere, though weak performances.   

CASE. VI Of fruitless endeavours.  
MAn looketh for wages when he hath done his work; and if duty and service prove successelesse that he find no return or recompense at all, this is not a little grieving and sadding unto the Spirit; we hear Christians thus complaining, I have along time waited upon God in service, I have been conversant with him in his Ordinances, many a Sermon have I heard, many a Sacrament have I received; I have humbled my soul before him in prayer, and tears, and fasting, and I alas can find no return of my prayers, I cannot get any thing at God's hands, my corruptions are yet within me, I am still where I was, and am no better, and can do no more then formerly, my abilities are as little, and my comforts as few as ever; surely all is not well with me, and all is not even betwixt God and my soul; how goeth his promise along with me, seeing I find no performance to me? here the soul is musing and doubtful.  
To ease the soul under this distress, I shall propose these things.  
1. That no man shall do the least service for God which shall be in vain unto himself; God is a good Master, as he sets us about the best work, so 
Mal. 1. 10. 1 Cor. 15. ult.  he will give us the best wages, no man shall serve God for nought; we see that God taketh it ill when the Jews charged him with neglect and irrecompence for their serving of him, Mal. 3. 13, 14, 15.  
2. That want of present wages must not dishearten Christians in the doing of their duties; up and be doing, and trust God for wages; service and progress in duties belongs to us, & their rewards and recompenses belong to God; we must do our part, and not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall 
Gal. 6▪ 9  reap if we faint not; the husbandman is to blow the land, and to sow the corn if he expect the harvest, and so Christians must first do their duties of hearing, and praying, and reading, if they will have God's wages.  
3. That unto our present doing, we must add waiting and expectation; Our eyes wait upon the Lord till he have mercy 
Psal. 123.  upon us, saith David; if beggars will not stay they lose their alms, and if Christians will not wait they may lose their grants; and why should we not wait? in all God's promises there is such a truth which shall be performed, and he hath made many precious promises unto waiting for the performance of his promises, None shall be ashamed that wait on me, Esa. 49. 23. David waited upon God and he inclined to him and heard his cry, Psal. 40. 1.  
4. That the Lords answers of good shall at length recompense and equal all the services and patience of man; how ever for the present defer his comforts, and put off thy complaints, and the time is long and tedious unto thee, yet know, that a Christian is sure to speed well with God at the last, and he shall have his recompenses in the best things at the best time, there is a time and day which God will not overpasse; The vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and shall not lie, though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry, Hab. 2. 3. Thou hast done God much service and made many prayers unto him, and yet nothing cometh of it, wait and thou shalt never repent thee of thy pains and patience, consider but these three things.  
1. That a man cannot wait too long for promised mercies, they being the most excellent and useful of all mercies for Christians.  
2. That God is wise and good in causing spaces between our endeavours and his recompenses; God herein is either chastening some for former neglect of accepting grace offered in the day of grace, or preparing the soul for the receiving and enjoying of his recompenses.  
3. That the longer any one stayeth without God's wages, the better and greater it shall be when it comes; God will give unto his their wages with an increase, he will give them double comfort, Esa. 40. 2. doubt not of this but that God will fulfil your desires to the full, and comforts first or last shall come in such a plentiful measure, that they shall make amends for all; Abraham waited long for Isaac, and he had him at the last, and though the world recompense the best work with the worst wages, yet God doth not so, but will crown all our endeavours to his own praise and the comfort of his.   

CASE. VII. Of Relapses into sins after resolutions and premises and pardons.  
THe impudencies of sin are such, that they make their returns upon the chaste hearts of God's Saints, and the weakness of Christians is such that they fall into sin often, multiplying sin very fare, and here they rest not, but many times notwithstanding purposes and promises and better resolutions they slack again in their watchfulness, and notwithstanding their recovery out of sins, they return again unto folly and act the same sins again; it may happen to them 
Relapsing into sin what it is.  as unto many men under their diseases; they may in some good measure recover strength and health, and there may be certain discontinuations of the violent workings of the disease, but yet there may be a falling back of them into the same disease even unto great danger; just so, they may not only lapse and receive a recovery out of the same by the hand of mercy, but after along space of discontinuance, even when they have seemed to have parted from their old sinful practices, they may be brought back again to the second acting of the same sins; which evil doth befall them upon 
Causes of relapses nine.  these or the like grounds.  
1. From boldness without a warrant, they adventuring upon their own strength, and forgetting the strength of sinful occasions; presumptuous patients feeling their legs again, will abroad into the air, and finding some appetite will feed on any kind of forbidden meat, and hereby they fall back again; and presumptuous sinners soon forget themselves and soon relapse into sin.  
2. From fear against the promise, they having their eyes too open unto troubles which they desire to shun, and out of fear of enduring misery, they have adventured so fare, that they have miserably brought themselves down again by sin; I know nothing which made Abraham more to redouble his lying then the redoubling 
Gen. 12. 13. & 20. 11.  of his fears, he had his eyes too much upon the preservation of his life, he was afraid that they would kill him for his Sarahs' sake, and therefore once and again he hazarded her chastity, and his own truth.  
3, From dislike without a cause; discontentedness among the Israelites made them in their souls to long the second time for the fleshpots of Egypt, though Egypt was formerly unto them a house of bondage, the desire of alteration, and men's unwillingness to be that which God would have them to be, hath been and is a great cause of their fearful relapses into sins.  
4. From standing without a watch; when Christian's mind not a falling whilst that they are standing; but remit their watch, and holy jealousy, omitting the means of steadfastness, they quit their own strength of standing, and quickly relapse; if a sick man grow careless of his diet, or a lame man throw away his crutches, and a Christian grow mindless of his falling, they are in a like condition of slipping back.  
5. From straits without faith; crosses not borne by faith have returned many to their old way, the want of water and bread, caused the Israelites more than once or twice to glide into the sins of murmuring and distrust.  
6. From company without choice; all society hath a force in it, it brings with it fire or water; it is an encouragement, or discouragement unto sin; the Israelites, being mingled among the Heathens, learned their works, and fell to idolatry the second time, Psal. 106. 35. flaming brands will not more set on fire quenched sticks, then sinful companies will revive dead purposes unto sinfulness; experience showeth that the joining with old companions, hath made men to resume their former excess of riot, contrary unto their former resolutions and promises.  
7. From the Spirit without assistance; if the Spirit take away his hand, or deny his actual assistance, the Christian presently relapseth; take away the fire from the water and it will Simile. return to its native coldness; let the Sun once set and the air will return to its wont darkness, and let the Spirit (which is our strength) once withdraw or suspend, and we sink, and fall, and sin, and sin again.  
8. From extremities forgotten; time was that Christians did find and feel the bitterness and horror of sin, the stinging effects thereof remaining fresh and sensible in the conscience, and then they did abhor and fear to sin, they did vow and promise not to sin; take we a drunkard that hath surfeited with wine or strong drink, and whilst he is under the scorchings of his sin-sicknesse, bring unto him wine and strong drink, O he cannot abide it; but when the sickness is over, and the experiments of sin's extremity buried, he will rise from the smaller bear to the strong, and from that to the strongest wine again, and as certain it is that when men do forget what their sins have cost them, they will gradually slide into their old course of sinning again.  
9 From brethren despised; there is a great evil among Christians; they are not only many times ungroundedly to too suspicious, over-credulous and censorious of their brethren; but over incompassionate and strangely insulting over their brethren in their failings, especially where they least affect, we shall hear such griefless and disgracing narrations of Christians miscarriages, even by Christians themselves, that it would make a man to question whether all wisdom and mercy be not banished out of their hearts; now when God seethe this proud and envious and spiteful spirit in any of his own children, he lets them also be tempted, and under temptations they are permitted to fall, that they may learn to be more merciful to the names of their brethren, and to make them know that the sin that overturnes one Christian may overturn any Christian, and that one Christian seeing another to fall, should compassionately help him up, and not scornfully cast him off; read Gal. 6. 1.  
These things with many other causing the relapsing of Christians into sin, do make the souls of Christians under its relapsings heavy and sad; they considering within themselves that the baseness of relapsing is likened to the dog turning 
2 Pet. 2. ●2.  to his vomit, and the sow that is washed wallowing in the mire, it doth greatly trouble and disquiet them; concerning the settling of Christians labouring 
Five settlements under relapses.  under this evil, I shall only propound five things of principal knowledge and use.  
First, that all Relapsings into sin are great evils, wheresoever they are found; relapsing argueth corruption, yea, and a sinful disposition in man; There is not only the evil of sin in this condition, but we shall find many bitter effects and issues befalling Christians under their relapses, for they do not only hereby object themselves to many temporal punishments, Psal. 78. 61, 62, 63. but unto these four spiritual evils.  
1. Soule-disquietment, the peace of conscience being broken by every relapse; I say relapses are of a disquieting nature to conscience in these five respects.  
1. Because they bring back 
Relapses disquieting to conscience in five respects.  all former guilts, and with that all the former burdens and fears and terrors.  
2. Because they yield unto conscience matter of undeniable accusation; the doubling of sin doth double the accusation and vexation of conscience.  
3. Because they are the aggravation of sin unto man.  
4. Because they make the foundations and resting places of the soul questionable, relapses put a man to clear and prove his former grants and assurances to Heaven, and his own sincerity to God, and in Religion.  
5. Because they do greatly advantage temptations unto despair, Christians are never more apt to despair then upon the consideration of their often falling into sin.  
2. Discouragement in all accesses unto God; the Christian cannot with that confidence and boldness draw near unto God in prayer having relapsed, as else he might have done; how can such believe that God will love them, and hear them, when as they have dealt so falsely with him, having promised him not to sin, and mocked and abused him in his mercy and pity and patience, he having formerly pardoned them their sins.  
3. Disablement unto renewed repentance; Now Christians do find it more difficult to return from sin, their souls being sunk deeper into sin, and more entangled by sin then formerly it was; take me a Christian that is but single in sin, and he findeth the difficulties of repenting to be great; but how doth Satan renew his power, and a Christian lose his strength, when that the same sins are repeated over and over; assuredly there is strange strengthenings of sin in relapsing into sins, one sin living in and by another.  
4. Fears of death, O how unwelcome is the news of death, and how unwilling are such to die who have often fallen into the same sins? Relapses do put a sting into death, making it very terrible unto the sons of men.  
2. That the Elect of God may fall back again into the same sins; there is I say a possible incidency of relapsing unto persons of all sorts: it is most certain, that wicked men who are ordained to destruction may relapse, Pharaoh though humbled for the present, did notwithstanding harden his heart again and again; yea and they who are good and holy and have sound repent them of their former sins may yet relapse: the example of Abraham, Lot, Peter, and Israel doth declare it, how often doth God lay this sin unto the charge of his people? jer. 3. 12. & 14. 2● Psal. 78. 57 and no marvel, for though their repentance be sound, yet their mortification is imperfect, in this life there is no sinful disposition wholly rooted up, and dried in sanctified persons, and corruption remaining will put forth its nature into more and more acts, yea and into the same acts of sinning; as long as sin retains its nature, it doth and will retain the inclinations and operations of that nature also; if the fire be not wholly put out, who will think it impossible that it should catch and burn again?  
3. That though the act of relapsing be incident both to good and bad, yet it is in a differing manner, which I shall open 
Relapses into sin by the godly different from relapses into sin by the wicked. Relapses 1 Natural  unto you in the distinctions of relapsings.  
First, there are relapses  

1. Natural.  
2. Accidental.   
Natural relapses are such as spring from a disposition and temper that is wholly sinful and for sin; if a man by a cord pluck up very high the Simile. weightof a jack or clock, yet it hath a natural propension to fall down again, you need not drive the sow to the mire, nor the dog unto his vomit, their own natural love and delight will return them; the truth is, that though external and intervenient occasions may pen up or restrain the violence of corruption for a time, yet such is the inward disposition of a natural man unto sin, that he soon returns to his old course again; skin up the sore and the ulcer will break out again, and if the heart be not changed, but chained by the power of restraining graces alone, man will return to his old vomit and vain course.  
Accidental Relapses are 
2. Accidental.  such which befall the godly by sudden and strong temptations; a land flood may carry back pieces of timber from the bank into the remote places of the ground; an unexpected gale may drive the Mariner back into the harbour again, and it is as possible that temptations may break in with that violence, that Christians may be over-borne, and carried away to those sins which their souls do most sincerely abhor, and they have solemnly covenanted against, yet here the effect and the intention are contrary, heart and sin being at difference and upon terms of defiance.  
Secondly, Relapses may be either into the acts of sin, or else into the exercise of sin; one sick person falls back into some fits only, another returneth under the power of his disease again; the godly man falls back into some particular sin, but there he stayeth not, for though he fall he riseth again; he is as a man fallen into the water, but he gets out quickly; the wicked falls back into the courses of sin again, lying down in their falling back, their end being worse than their beginning. 
Relapses 1. Voluntary.   
Thirdly, Relapses are  

1. Voluntary.  
2. Involuntary.   
Voluntary Relapses are such as have the propension & complacency of the heart in them; the sea doth as naturally ebb, as it doth flow, and wicked men make their returns unto sinful courses with much more delight than their departures; O how glad is a Jail bird of the opportunity of liberty to go to his old haunts? and much more joyful is every wicked man when he is at liberty to feed himself upon his sinful pleasures, he doth even bewail his misery that he was kept so long from them.  
Involuntary Relapses are 
2. Involuntary.  such as arise contrary to the intention and affection of persons, it is not the pure love of sin that draws back the godly into sinning again, which may appear in the consequent of their relapsing, they are not now, as a fish newly taken out and newly leapt again into the water, in their proper element, a sinful way and course cannot be agreeable to their souls, they find no rest in a sinning condition, but their souls are sick and sad, they weep and are troubled exceedingly, and can receive no comfort in themselves until they see themselves recovered again; as we may see in David and Peter.  
Fourthly, there are Relapses in  

1. Conquest.  
2. Combat. 
Relapses 1. In conquest.    
Relapses in conquest is when a man out of malice and obstinacy of heart, without all ground or cause is carried back again as a slave unto his sinful doings; some men never stick at the matter, their hearts find no manner of stop, and nothing within puts an impediment to their returns; the heart and the sin are now in league, and they like the way of sin exceedingly; the state of wicked men in returning to their sins, is much answering to the returns of a man unto his bed to take his rest and sleep, he loveth his bed and vexeth at every thing that keeps him from going into it; just so the heart of every wicked man likes the sin, but hates the impediment, nothing at all doth awe him from sinning again, but the shame and punishment of sin; and he accounts that word and friend his enemy which stops him in sinning.  
Relapses in combat is, when 
2. In combat.  a man is reduced to his old sin, but it is with much fear, secret reluctancy, and some opposition; I see another law in my members warring against the 
Rom. 7.23  law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin, saith Paul, a good man relapseth resisting; his reducing into sin is much after the manner of the bringing back of an escaped prisoner, when he espies such as would take him he runs from them, and hides from them, and he is not easily laid hold of or brought home again, many escapes he makes by the way, and would rather die in the place then return; and so surely doth a Christian strive with griefs and tears and prayers against all returns into sin.  
Fifthly, Relapses in respect 
Relapses▪ ●. Hurtful  of their effects are  

1. Pernicious.  
2. Profitable.   
The unsound heart by falling back into sin, grows more and more hardened and insensible, more careless and froward in sinning, more free and forward in sinning; acting his old sins with greater love and delight then ever.  
God doth good men good 
●. Helpful  by their relapsings; though there be no good in sin, yet it is good that sin be, and the wisdom of God can and doth turn it unto the good of his, I say this is the accidental effect of the godly man's falling into sin, greater humiliation and sorrow, greater watchfulness and fear, greater dependence on God; stronger covenants and resolutions; deeper loathe, and greater conquest over sins; In these five didistinctions you may observe the difference of relapses in good and bad men.  
4. That the sin of relapsing is pardonable; it is such a sin which God hath pardoned, and he can and will pardon; Christ doth tell us, that all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men excepting that against the Holy Ghost, Mat. 12. 31. under that phrase of all manner of sin relapsing is included; God doth not shut the gate of mercy against all relapsing sinners, and because this is made a ground of trouble unto many Christians, that they do conceive such a sin cannot be pardoned, I will briefly evidence the pardonableness of Relapses.  
First, that sin unto which the promise of curing is made, is pardonable to God's children; for God never cures sin, but where he first covers it; but the promise of healing is 
Two reason's proo●ing the ardona●lenesse of ●●lapses.  made unto backsliding; Return ye backesliding children, and I will heal your backslidings, saith God, jer. 3. 22. Hosea 14. 4.  
Secondly, that sin is pardonable to Christians, unto which is annexed a possibility of repentance; for God hath promised pardoning mercy to penitent sinners; but a Christian may repent of it, for repentance was required of backsliding Israel, Return, saith God, yea and it was practised also, Behold we come unto thee, for 
jer. 3. 22  thou art the Lord our God; consider seriously of Peter's condition, were not his bitter and brinish tears the repenting of his folly in so often denying his master?  
5. That as there are means to keep from relapsing, so there are means to deliver out of relapsing into sin; we may not weakly conceive, that because we have made our returns into sin contrary unto our promises and purposes, that we shall never get out of them again; this is the way to keep the soul in hell 
Delivery from relapses  upon earth; I grant you  

1. That revolting into sin is greatly displeasing to God.  
2. That it is a difficult thing 
1. Difficult  to get out of a sin into which a man hath often relapsed; a man cannot be healed and recovered without much pain and much ado the second or third time of the same disease.   
Yet I pray you despair not 
2. Possible.  your hearts; suppose the worst, that the sins which you have fallen into again are great, and grievous sins, and that they were not unwilling omissions, or sudden passions, but had knowledge and premeditation in them; that they were sins once repent of and solemnly vowed against, 1. All this and much more makes the recovery to be difficult not desperate. 2. The sins that Abraham, Lot, and Peter fell into, were great and heinous sins, and yet they recovered again. 3. There is no disease beyond God's cure, or sin above his pardon; cannot God pardon sin oft? surely God that hath once mercifully recovered his, falling back, will also do it the second and third, and fourth, and every time for his.  Ob. 
But many fall back into sin and do never recover themselves again, and this may be my case?  Sol. 
True, some diseases are dangerous and some are deadly, and there are relapses curable and incurable; such who falling back out of malice and obstinacy, resting themselves in a constant delight of those sins into which they have relapsed, making their sin their gain, can gain no assurance of healing; but such as fall back through incogitancy and infirmity, being exceeding troubled at heart for their sins and relapses into their sins, may expect and shall find a cure.  
Leave disputing and use these means following, and by the blessing of God you shall 
Four means to get out of relapses.  get out of your diseases of sin into which you are relapsed.  
First, work the relapses upon your souls; repeated sins are as broad and deep wounds, of which if a man mean to be sound cured, he must admit of a sound and thorough search; relapses into sin are like the returns of the distemper into the body, of which if a man expect to be rid, he must resolve to fetch up and find out the distempering cause; until a man sound feeleth, and truly knoweth the evilness of relapses, he will not seek out for any recovery; by the help of judgement, conscience, and the law, we may find out the full evil of relapses into sin.  
Secondly, physic the soul for this sin, we are to drink down the bitter potion of repentance, we must not think to come off of this sin with a few tears and a little sorrow; renewed stains in the soul are not easily gotten off; we must lie down in our shame, and our confusion must cover 
jer. 3. 25.  us; renewed sins must have our renewed sorrows, and renewed hatred, the more a man sins, the more reason hath he to hate sin: and the oftener he sins one sin, the more reason hath he to labour the mortifying of that; get above all things a strong and settled hatred and abomination of all sins for time to come, and an unfeigned sorrow for sins past.  
Thirdly, keep to the Ordinances, our spiritual recovery is by means, who though they can do little of themselves, yet being blessed and assisted they can do much; these set out relapses to the life; quicken the heart to sorrow; break open the riches of Gods unspeakable mercy and goodness in promises of pardon and healing; and do greatly enable the heart to believe all promised mercy.  
Fourthly, hast in unto God, suing out the promises which he hath made in the Covenant; let no fears or distrusts keep you off; but go in unto God or else you perish; your diseases are your own; but all recoveries do belong to God, 
Hos. 13. 9 Ier 3. 22.  who hath undertaken to cure all that return to him; and therefore come to God again 
A threefold way of coming to God for cure.   

1. With confession, freely and humbly acknowledging your fault with the Church, jer. 3. 13.  
2. With petition, entreating his pardon and his peace, say, receive us graciously, Hos. 14. 2, 4.  
3. With faith, persuading thy soul from the promise and performance of God that thou shalt be healed.   
There are several promises made to answer all the possible exigencies of Christians; and why doth God make promises of healing and forgiving the backslidings of his people? is it not to encourage the hearts of his children to lay hold on that promise, and to sue it out in the needful time? surely if we did more speedily and hearty beset the Lord, we should find a great healing of our revoltings and backslidings.   

CASE. VIII. Of strange and terrible thoughts following Christians.  
A Christian hath a double conversation, from whence troubles do arise unto him, one is outward, another is inward, that notes the whole carriage of the life; this the course of the whole soul; a Christian is not a little troubled with himself being wise to study himself and to find out the frame and temper of his heart, and made tender to feel even the least erroneous flashings of the apprehending faculty, such as his thoughts are, which doth prove unto him great souleburdens, as I shall now open unto you in this manner, showing 
Four things about the thoughts of men. Three sorts of thoughts. 1 Natural  to you four things.  
1. That thoughts are of three sorts,  

1. Natural.  
2. Spiritual.  
3. Sinful.   
Natural thoughts are those motions, stir, and acts which reside or are framed in the sensible, and intellectual part of man; and they do comprehend under them those reasonings, consultations, purposes, resolutions, intents, meditations, considerations, conceits and apprehensions, which the understanding by the help of fancy frames within itself; these following the nature of man in constitution and creation, and immediately resulting from the mind of man, are not unfitly called natural thoughts; man is borne and was made a thinking creature, such thoughts will be in us do what we can, it being natural to the mind to be thinking; and if we take such thoughts in a simple consideration they are no sins or faults, the mind of Adam in Creation yea and of Christ himself (who was in all things like unto us sin excepted) were full of such thoughts rightly composed; they had many transactions in their minds, yea and their minds held notable discourses with the things that they knew, and touching things to be done; they had their fore-thoughts preparing them to actions, and they had their after-thoughts recollecting things done by them.  
Spiritual thoughts are those 
2. Spiritual  motions and turnings of the mind, flowing from the work of grace in the soul, and determining themselves in spiritual and supernatural objects; there are two things which do constitute the spiritualness of man's thoughts.  
1. The original cause of them; namely their springing from a sanctified fountain that is closed within the soul, the mind must be renewed and sanctified, altered, and cleansed, ere it can and doth yield out holy inclinations, and motions, and have within it holy projects, counsels, imaginations and reasonings.  
2. The special object of them; the thoughts pitching themselves in a right way upon things that are divinely good, and making for God's glory, and man's salvation are said to be spiritual.  
These kind of thoughts are peculiar unto God's Saints after regeneration, for without the Spirit no man is able to think one good thought, 2 Cor. 3. 5. as for wicked men if we consider their thoughts formerly they are stark naught; yea and if we consider them objectively, they may be naturally and morally ((i. e.) as they move in the way of nature, and tend to the good of a civil state and country) good; but spiritually good they are not, they no way further their sanctification and obedience, but do occasion much hardness and sinfulness unto them.  
Sinful thoughts are the 
3. Sinful.  motions and stir of man's mind unto sin, when the mind by the object or the subject doth muse on sin and wickedness, representing and acting over the same in imagination and speculation, entertaining 
Mat. 5. 28. Rom. 13. 14. Pro. 6. 18.  and harbouring the same in provision; arting and skilling itself in the cunnings and methods thereof that it may become witty in wickedness; and is continually framing, 
Esa. 32 7.  plotting, and devising wickedness within itself.  
2. That sinful and evil 
Two sorts of evil thoughts.  thoughts are of two sorts.  
1. Ascending thoughts, which flow from the corrupt heart of man; Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, saith Christ, Mat. 15. 19 there is not a more entire cause of sinful thoughts then sinful corruption, evil thoughts must have an evil principle; waters do not more issue out from a full fountain, then sinful thoughts do spring from a sinful nature.  
2. Injected thoughts; whose working is inward, but cause outward, Satan doth venture upon the thoughts, and gets his entrance into the soul by them; one of the Fathers tells us, 
a Mala co gitatio Diaboli primogeni ta. Hieron.  that a wicked thought is the devil's eldest daughter; this one thing I am sure of, that as natural corruption is mother, so Satan is ordinarily father unto vile thoughts in men; Satan put into 
b 1 Chron 21. 1.  David the thought of numbering his people, and Satan filled the heart of Anani as that he lied to the Holy Ghost, Acts 5. 3.  
Happily curiosity may here inquire into the just difference between those sinful thoughts which ascend from man's nature, and such which are injected by Satan?  
Certain it is that there is a real difference; but for my part I cannot peremptorily conclude it; a Christian may know, that the devil hath been in his heart and laid his egg there, and shuffled in his motion there; but because there is such a mixture of seeds in the generation of sinful thoughts which are monstrous, and that both of them are like Simeon and Levi, brethren in evil, it is to me a point of great difficulty to determine their apprehensive difference; yet I reverence those Divines and their opinions who have given out the probable differences between Diabolical and Natural thoughts, in their unnaturalness, unreasonableness, suddenness and uncessantnesse, unto whose reasons I leave my Reader, and do proceed to teach you.  
3. That sinful thoughts divide and multiply themselves 
Diversities of thoughts in men.  severally. Sometimes into thoughts of blasphemy against God and Christ, and the Scriptures; men wretchedly imagining and thinking negatively 
Psal 94. 19  & unworthily of either, O how meanly conceited are many 
Psal. 53. 3.  men of Christ, making him the Carpenter's Son, a man of sorrows and no way to be regarded for salvation, and as 
2 Pet 3. 4. 1 Cor. 1. 21.  for the Scriptures, their authority and verity is questioned, and men deem it to be but the word of man, vain and foolish, and as for God he is directly or virtually shut out in his being and Attributes, men think him not to be at all, or not to be so just, present, powerful, gracious, and merciful as he hath revealed himself to be; witness these Scriptures, Psal. 14. 1. job 22. 13, 14. Ephes. 2. 12. Sometimes into thoughts of infidelity, against the power, and promise, and providence of God, and these arise principally in times of men's distresses; now 
Mat 6 25, & 7, 28, 31.  men take thought what they shall eat, and for to morrow how they and theirs shall do; the Prince thought in himself that the present scarcity was such, that should God open windows in Heaven, it could not cause such a plenty as the 
2 King. ●. 2.  Prophet spoke of. Sometimes into thoughts of pride, men 
Luk. 18 11. Luk. 15. 7.  have selfe-justifying thoughts, and selfe-advancing thoughts, distentorious, and curious 
Rom. 12. 3.  thoughts, many times they climb up unto the exploration of secrets beyond reason to the ruin of their parts and estates. Sometimes into thoughts of folly; men's thoughts are empty and incoherent; they carry the scum and foaming of the water in them, men many times do not know what to make of them, neither are they able to give a good account of them unto God or men; There are also unsettled thoughts which have no steadiness or fixedness in them; they come and go having a fluency in them, as bubbles rise up and sink again; so do the thoughts of many rise and fall; men do think and unthink again, even as Simile. men by the quick suggestion of their fantasy do lose one dream by another, so do men by the slipperiness of their thoughts lose one thought in another; nay of such a roving disposition are our thoughts, that they are much like to the wanton Spaniel, that will run after every bird even to the losing of his Master; truly there is no staying of thoughts, but they will be gone, and many times they take their flight beyond the call and command of Christians themselves. There are strange & horrible thoughts that many times do come into men's minds; as for a man to abhor God, renounce Christ, Heaven and all, for a man to murder himself, for a parent to murder his child, etc. There are distracting and withdrawing thoughts; such as creep into us when we are about the performance of duties, alienating us from the more spiritual performance of them; as Benjamin found josephs' cup in his sack, and he knew not how it came there, so God's children do find such dartings and drop in of strange thoughts when they are upon duties, that they wonder whence they should arise. Also there are unseasonable thoughts; thoughts that are good materially may become circumstantially evil; it is Satan's policy to prevent and interrupt a convenient and present good, by thrusting in some unseasonable good, a good that is not well placed and timed; for a man to have praying thoughts is good, but when he should have hearing thoughts to have these praying thoughts is unseasonable, etc. To conclude, there are despairing thoughts, men conceiving themselves to be reprobated and rejected of God, to whom the possibility of pardoning mercy and heavenly happiness doth no way appertain; I said in my haste I am cut off 
Psal. 31. ●2.  from before thine eyes, saith David; there was his perishing thoughts.  
4. That sinfulness of thoughts are a just cause of soule-trouble unto God's Saints, you shall hear them bitterly thus complaining, seldom do thoughts of God or goodness rise up within me, my soul is so dry and barren, that I seldom think of any good, but then when I am to do it; yea and oftentimes when I am doing good I think not of it, I have occasions enough before me for good thoughts, but my nature is dull and will not, or inexpert and cannot make use of them; and if my thoughts begin at any time to work upon good objects, if I take God, or Christ, or the Word, or my sin into my thoughts, I soon lose the sent, and am fare from insisting on them; the Bee may Simile. sometimes light upon a good flower, but instantly it passeth away and pitcheth itself upon some filthy weed; and I alas, it is long before my soul can be brought to pitch on a good object; and I find it a thing most difficult to make my mind to fix and to keep up thoughts of goodness in me; But as for evil thoughts they swarm within my mind and settle too fast, you cannot name that wicked thought of which I am not guilty, my thoughts have been blasphemous against Christ, and God, and the Word of God, my thoughts have been doubting and distrusting the power, goodness, and providence of God, my thoughts have been proud, foolish, and wand'ring; and now I do despair in my thoughts of mine estate. God beholds me in my thoughts, and it is sinful corruption that sends up these thoughts, and Satan cannot but enter by these thoughts, and I can do nothing as I should do it for these thoughts; my cross and calamity is greatned by these thoughts, alas what will become of me for these my thoughts?  
This is the thing which hath made a deep wound in the spirit; for the curing and comforting 
Seven settlements about thoughts.  whereof, I shall lay down certain propositions and prescriptions.  
1. That the dearest children of God besides their natural thoughts, may have many sinful and evil thoughts glancing and rising up within their 
job 1. 5.  minds; yea they may have the same vile thoughts which 
3 Causes of evil thoughts in God's children  a very wicked man hath; and wonder not at it; seing 1. Satan is as watchful and malicious against them as any other, and he doth more fiercely assault them then any other, and is more willing to vex them then any other. 2. Corruption cleaves to the souls of them as well as others, and it works in them as well as in any other; where the spring of corruption is not wholly dried up, it is and will be more or less bubbling out into most vile and noisome thoughts. 3. Infirmity is many times as much in them as it is in others; they are not always so watchful, and fearful as it doth become them; if the windows stand open no wonder if birds fly into the chamber, and if Christians let down their watch, and care, no wonder that vain thoughts do enter, lodging themselves by armies within them, sporting themselves in their minds, and presuming to justle in with them to the Church, and to the Closer, mightily distempering and distracting them in duty, nay making them to become like other men.  
2. That it is a mercy to come unto the sound acquaimance of the evilness of a man's own thoughts; Hypocrisy and sinful vanity conceive that thoughts are free, and therefore is it fearless and careless about them, making nothing of them; you shall hardly persuade a wicked man to think that his thoughts are evil and aught to be bewailed, or amended; whereas a man that is godly indeed, he is made sensible of the sinfulness of his thoughts by way of fear and trouble, these amaze his mind, afflict his spirit, and do so greatly burden him, that he crieth out of them; and by this discovery made unto him, he is set into the way of rising from them, and forsaking of them according to God's requirement; Let the wicked forsake 
Esa. 55. 7.  his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and truth it 
A twofold remoovall of evil thoughts, 1 By cessation  is, that though the godly do not find evil thoughts remooved by absolute cessation, so as they shall never stir more at all; yet they are remooved by subjection and manner of operation, 
2 Subject. on.  although they do start up, yet the Elect upon the apprehension of their evilness, subject not themselves unto them; they are not so effectually active or actuating as formerly, or as they are to wicked men; this is a truth; that evils apprehended are soon arraigned, condemned, bewailed, prevented, and overcome.  
3. That among many ill thoughts lurking and lodging within us, it must be our wisdom to take notice of the good thoughts that are within us also; it is most true, that Christians are mixed creatures, flesh and Spirit, nature and grace; and so there may be found within them many spiritual 
Signs of goodness of thoughts  and excellent thoughts, as well as evil and bad thoughts; I would have men to know  
1. That every thought of evil is not an evil thought, but the goodness of man's thoughts stand in thinking upon the evil and ungodliness of his nature and practice, and the dishonour of God by the same unto repentance itself.  
2. That when the heart can lay out for holy duties, and project a course of sanctification, and a way of salvation prudently declining the occasions stirring up to sinful thoughts; then there are good thoughts within; all providing thoughts for duty are very good thoughts; the wicked man is thinking how he may shift off all good and do all evil, and a godly man hath contrary thoughts unto all sin, and caring thoughts for all duty.  
3. That many times the number of evil thoughts may be more to a Christians sense then the number of his good thoughts; a Christian may see and discern in himself a great deal of corruption working against a little grace.  
4. That one good thought springing up within the soul amongst many bad thoughts, may be a ground of comfort against all evil thoughts whatsoever; it being an argument of grace in truth to send out good thoughts.  
4. That though the same evil thoughts may be both in the good and bad, yet it is with a great difference, For  
1. It is not all evil thoughts in good men; they have some 
Four differences between the thoughts of good and bad men.  good thoughts in them.  ob. 
So have wicked men too?  Sol. 
Have they good thoughts within them? whence come they? I am sure corrupt nature cannot send out one good thought, and unregenerate men are truly empty of spiritual thoughts; but make the best of them and their thoughts, I am sure they are in them against a temper to evil thoughts, and against their will and affections; light is not more displeasing to soar eyes, then good thoughts are distasteful unto wicked men; good thoughts are strangers with them, they go away as soon as they come, all their thoughts of goodness are transient and merely apprehensive, no way practical & permanent, let them be never so good materially, they are no way good subjectively and circumstantially.  
2. Under all bad thoughts within, a good man is weary and burdened, and willing of good and better thoughts for them, he cannot fall in with ill thoughts by way of approbation, but in his judgement he doth condemn the universality of evil thoughts, which are thrust upon his mind unavoidably; whereas wicked men are unwilling of good thoughts, making them their burden, and are hugging of sinful thoughts, making them their delight; affectuous thoughts do not more belong to the pleasure of the body, then sinful thoughts do to the delight of the wicked.  
3. Ill thoughts in the godly are in resistance, as they come not in with welcome, so they stay not there in quiet and entertainment; they do bewail them, and pray against them, labouring the remoovall of them by all means.  
4. Ill thoughts in the godly do spring from corruption impaired and disabled by the presence and power of sanctifying grace which can hold more peace with corruption; ill thoughts in wicked men do flow from corruption in strength and unsubdued, and therefore they make no opposition against them any farther than they oppose themselves to themselves, and their own ends; it is one thing to be troubled with the evil of thoughts, and another thing to be troubled with the clogging circumstances of thoughts, an evil man may resist an evil thought, for the declining of some sensible evil, or for the furthering of some other evil, all a wicked man's thoughts do bow and bend to sinful projects, whereas good men under the trouble and vexation of evil thoughts receive much good at the last; God hereby making them more fearful of sin, and watchful over their thoughts.  
5. That multitude of rising and injected thoughts not affected, but vexing and perplexing the soul, cannot take away the ground of a Christians comfort and confidence; there is no 
Mark. 3. 18 Acts 8. 22.  thought of heart be it never so vile but it may be repent of, and divine grace can pardon it; and they are not of force to alter a man's estate in grace or glory; confider what I say; that if Satan should study all the arts of hell to coin the Note. most abominably abominable thoughts of Atheism, blasphemy, murder, etc. and afterward dart them with all the violence of hell into the mind of men, (men in the mean time abhorring and rejecting them) they shall prove but men's crosses, they shall not be reputed as their sins, and so shall no way impair their happiness standing 'twixt them and Heaven; and as they cannot alter an estate in happiness, no more can they diminish a condition in holiness; Benjamin was never the more dishonest, because josephs' cup was in his sack, or joseph the more unclean because his mistress did attempt his chastity, no more do the evil of injected thoughts alter the gracious temper of a Christian; doth the beating Simile. of the waves against a rock alter the temper of the rock? no more doth the injecting of evil thoughts by Satan change a Christians holy condition.  
6. That where thoughts are sensibly evil and naught, it is more wisdom to seek their cure and strengthening against them then to stand too long complaining of them, and of trouble or danger by them; and here know, 1. That it is no easy or ordinary work to alter, order, and keep under a man's thoughts, they are very wild and unruly and wily. 2. That it is not natural means or agents which can cure the Christian of the evilness of his thoughts, that which turns nature must be another thing than nature, all natural causes work only in a natural way and to that only which is natural, a spiritual agent and a spiritual way is required to free men from ill thoughts; I 
Six helps against evil thoughts.  cannot fall into all particulars, let these that I shall name suffice for the general.  
1. Repent for the whole evil of your thoughts; let 
Acts 8. 22.  them break and bleed your souls, and then you are in the way to bedelivered from them; Wash thine heart O jerusalem 
jer. 4. 14  from wickedness that thou mayst be saved, how long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee? how do men come to remove, and dislodge vain thoughts? it is by repentance for sin and ungodliness, this is the forsaking of a man's thoughts spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah; 
Esa. 55. 7.  If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, saith Solomon, Prov. 30. 32.  
2. Give scope and rule unto God's Word which is every way healing and ordering unto the evilness of men's thoughts, the Word is a notable means to preserve, yea and to deliver from evil thoughts; it begets a new 
The use of the Word about the thoughts is .  spring, I mean a new mind, and that will send out new and suppress the old thoughts; the Word of God is  
1. A searcher and discerner of the thoughts and intents of man's heart, it traceth and hunts out the secret windings and mindings of the same, Heb. 4. 12.  
2. A condemner and reproover of sinful thoughts; it doth indite all evil thoughts, sharply checking men for contemplative wickedness, Mat. 5. 28.  
3. A remoover of sinful thoughts; it frees the soul from evil cogitations, Psal. 119. 11. the voice of the Word sounding in the soul unto evil thoughts, is like the wise clamour by which the ravenous birds are scared from their unjust prey.  
4. A subduer of evil thoughts; let the Word work never so powerfully, yet strange thoughts will remain still in the soul; but the Word is of that force that it casts down imaginations, and brings into captivity every thought, 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5.  
5. A preserver against evil thoughts; the Word of God can keep out evil thoughts, and maintain good thoughts in the mind; it will store and enrich the mind with divine principles and habits; so that the mind shall not be naked and empty; but full with the variety of heavenly notions; the Word is full, and the mind shall find here a promise, and there a precept, there a threatening, and here a reward, etc. the Word is mighty in operation, and it will draw out with sweetest power those heavenly principles, and with them those gracious habits in the mind unto some acts and operations; like as the Sun in Simile. heat is virtual to the flowers, so is the Word in power to the stirring up of habitual grace and implanted principles, the mind by it is set on working and musing on that which is good. In a word, the Word of God doth present the mind with fresh objects of meditation, whereby it moves the soul from one meditation to another, & from one good thought to a better.  
3. Wisely keep off from all such occasions and things which might stir up and continue in you evil thoughts; there are many things which will foment matter of evil to the mind, which hath not only active but receptive dispositions, it doth not only work from an inward but an outward cause; occasions have been very impressive upon the mind, we may see it in David and Peter, etc.  
There are seven things (stirring 
Seven things to be avoided as continuing sinful thoughts in men.  up evil thoughts in men) to be taken heed of.  
1. The not making conscience of evil thoughts; it was wont to be said that 
a Quicqui● pudet dicere, pu●et & cogitare. Higher in Ep. ad Dem.  whatsoever is unlawful to be done or spoken, is as unlawful to be thought; and I am sure this is as true, that such as make no conscience of thoughts, will make no conscience of what they do or speak; this fancied liberty of thoughts hath opened the floodgate and occasioned the letting in of multitude of vain thoughts into men.  
2. The subjecting of thoughts unto passions and affections; thoughts were ordained to moderate and take off passions, there being a natural influence from the thoughts to the affections, but if men give way unto passionate distempers, these will breed distraction and division of thoughts; if fire be stirred there fly up a multitude of sparkles, and if passions sway, they raise up a variety of disordered thoughts within us, the soul thereby is no sooner delivered of one thought, but it is in labour and pain with another.  
3. The neglecting and suppressing of the good motions of the Spirit; the holy Spirit is blowing, and breathing, and filling the heart with good meditations, which must not be 
1 Thes. 5. 19  quenched if that we will free ourselves from ill thoughts.  
4. Looking on Satan's wars; my meaning is, that when Satan shall inject his thoughts into us, we must not take them up, and gaze upon them, giving them a walking room within us; if they stay within us, they will either defile us, or else soon become ours.  
5. Evil company, which doth either find us or will make us bad; I say the evil discourses and examples of wicked persons will corrupt good manners and strangely alter the mind both to the evillnes of thoughts and delights.  
6. Idleness, this brings forth thoughts of Atheism, and all kind of impieties; he who takes off his hand from labour, doth teach his heart to think evil, for the mind will still be working, though the man be idle; 'tis good therefore to be upon the duties of our calling, be made wise by David, 2 Sam. 11. 1, 2, 3.  
7. Worldliness; there is a strong efficacy in an earthly treasure, to steal away the soul both from itself, and God, the world and gain begets a world of thoughts in the heads and hearts of men, who are more full of vain and wandering thoughts in hearing and praying, than such whose hearts are set upon the riches of this world? thick and foggy air doth darken the earth, and worldly engagements do stuff and stifle the mind, stirring up many plottings and contrivements.  
4. Labour for strength of affections unto God; the more we can keep up spiritual affections within us, setting them upon God, and duty, and Heaven, the more we shall keep out and keep down carnal and sinful thoughts; it is an excellent thing to fill the head and heart with God, and to be zealously affected in good things; these things have a strong power over man, and will make him to be thinking aright; see it in David, O how I love thy Law? it is my meditation all the day, Psal. 119. 97.  
5. Watch and observe the heart duly, taking an account of thoughts; let no thoughts come in unespied, but keep watch & ward within the soul, and that with much diligence and fear, and learn to examine all your thoughts most strictly by the rule; say often what and whence are these thoughts of mine? can and do these agree with the Word and Law of God? be not too favourable unto them in yourselves, and you 
Pro. 4.  shall the better suppress them and keep them out.  
6. Commit your ways unto God by faith; Commit thy way 
Pro. 16. 3.  unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established, I know no better way to keep out the confusion and vexation of sinful thoughts, then by setting up faith in exercise; this is a grace which will 1. Fence the mind with divine arguments against all carnal reasonings and selferesolutions. 2. Answer Satan in all his reasonings and suggestions. 3. Raise up the mind to quite contrary things to those which Satan puts within us; and 4. When Satan doth urge his horrible thoughts upon us, it will make us to fly to God with our complaints against Satan, and to spread our condition before the Lord, saying, Lord behold me, and my condition, I cannot be quiet for Satan, and mine own stirring corruptions they are still casting up evil thoughts within me contrary to thy Word, thy glory, and my will; Lord lead me not into these temptations, or deliver me from the evil of these thoughts, that they may not prevail over me.  
Lastly, know that there may be much comfort to a Christian in doing duty, notwithstanding he find many wand'ring and impertinent thoughts within him in duty, we may not give over duties public, and private, because of some distractions accompanying us, prayer is to be used as a means to cure our wanderings in prayer; if dirt Simile. be cast into a spring, men will not dam it up, and for sinful thoughts we are not to cast off spiritual performances; look upon three things which must stay the heart in duty. 
Three ●hings encouraging ●o duty ●nder wand'ring thought.   
1. Resolution against all sinful thoughts in duty, when a Christian doth find the bent of his heart to be against them before he begin the duty, he is to go on in duty.  
2. Sincerity and humility in the doing of duties; he that can with a sincere and humble heart go through duty, may take comfort in performing duty; duties must not be judged of by accidental and involuntary imperfections, but by the temper and disposition of the heart which God looks at.  
3. Acceptance of duties in Christ, all a Christians duties have their immediate ground of acceptance in Christ, and not in the strength and settledness of man's performance. To conclude all that at this time I mean to speak of in this Argument; know, that Satan in injecting of evil thoughts into the godly, dealeth with them as many wicked men do with the names of God's children; we find that the children of others begetting, are many times laid at honest men's doors, and unto honest men's charge, and who can stop the mouth of iniquity? yet in this case a clear conscience is the ablest comforter, and confuter; just so Satan begets and stirs up within us evil thoughts; and then he would father them on us, and trouble us by them; but our pure hearts rising up against them, and bewailing them, makes us clear of them before God, who is the judge of uprightness and the rewarder of innocence.   
Deo Gloria.   

The Table.  

A.  
ABusing of conscience in 1▪ 2. things, Page 55.  
Abasing of conscience what, page 61.  
Accusations of conscience, page 98.  
Application of the plaster, p. 144.  
Absence of God's love, page 152.  
Assurances for acceptance under unworthiness, 2, 8.   

B.  
Labour for a Bearing spirit, ● 46.  
Benefits by spiritual wounds, p. 6. p. 85.  
A twofold Bearing the wound, page 104.  
The Burden of the spirit to good and bad page 105  
The Bend of the heart in duty page 263.   

C.  
Comfort of the Spirit, page 15.  
Contentment, page 17.  
Clearness of conscience, page 49  
Care for conscience, page 55.  
Content of conscience, p. 67, 68  
Confession of sin, page 88  
Change of life, page 89.  
Compassion due to the wounded in spirit, page 121.  
Considerations to pity such, p. 123.  
Continuance under wounds, caused 6. ways, p. 133.  
Clearing of warrants what, p 173  
Causes of Gods suspending his love, page 177.   

D.  
Desperation two fold, page 79.  
Degrees of wounding, page 81.  
Differences in the wounding, p 82  
Detestation of sin, page 89.  
Dress the wound▪ page 145.  
Danger by sinning, page 168.  
Darkening of warrants, page 175.  
Doubtings in their nature causes differences and sorts, page 195.  
Difference between Christians and others in doing duties, page 266.   

E.  
Inquire after sin, page 87.  
Fruitless Endeavours, page 280.   

F.  
Faith doth four things to strengthen the spirit, page 19  
It doth four ways relieve the soul, page 23.  
Fearing of trouble twofold, p. 28, 29.  
Faintness, page 31.  
A case about Fainting of spirit, p. 33.  
Faith in operation page 54.  
Feeding of conscience what, p. 64  
Sin Felt three ways, page 85.  
The Failing of conscience what, page 97.  
To Fear the wounding of spirit, page 126.  
Former feelings of love, four signs of it, page 185.  
Foundations of divine love to the soul, page 192  
Faith and doubtings go together, page 207.  
Faith to be cherished and advanced, page ●27.  
Failings in duties, page 260.   

G.  
A Good cause for suffering, p 41.  
A Good carriage under suffering in seven things, page 45.  
The Goodness of spirit seen in seven things, page 48.  
Graces two ways considerable, page 254.   

H.  
Humiliation an effect of the wound, page 43.  
Hope, page 44.  
Humility, page 86.  
Harkening to Satan, page 138.  
Humbling necessary for three things, page 162.   

I  
Infirmity double, p. 3.  
Self jealousy, p. 99  
illness of diet, p. 136.   

K.  
Six rules for Keeping off wounds from the spirit, p. 128  
The Knowledge of the wound of the spirit necessary, p. 114.   

L.  
Liberty of spirit, p. 49.  
The Law and two things about it, p. 94 95.  
The Life of sense, p. 137, 225.  
Three things about Love and duty, p. 170.  
Love one for kind different in degree, p. 184.  
Littleness of faith causeth doubts, p. 206.  
Little grace apprehended, p. 245.   

M.  
Means of making conscience good, p. 51.  
The Misery of conscience in silence, in three things, p. 97.  
Mistaking about the wound of conscience, p. 115.  
Melancholy is not this wound, p. 117, 118.  
Motives to pity wounded spirits, p. 124.  
Means to get off the wounds of spirit, three, p. 140.  
Misplacing of warrants, p. 174.  
Motives and means against doubtings, p. 216.   

N.  
New rise of old sins, p. 102.  
Spiritual Niceness, 137.   

O.  
Overlading of conscience what and how, p. 63.  
Operation of melancholy, p. 116.  
Opening of the wound needful, p. 142.   

P.  
Patience of the spirit, p. 16.  
Prevention, p. 69.  
Rules for Preserving the spirit from wounds, p. 6, 128.  
Provision, p. 147.  
Promises the ground assuring love p. 185.   

Q.  
Quietness of conscience, p. 48.  
A Question about the inequality of graces, p. 256.   

R.  
Religion expressed under the cross p. 43.  
The Remoovall of sin, p. 64.  
Seven Reasons proving the burden of conscience insupportable, p. 106.  
Releevements under the suspension of God's love, p. 159.  
For the Regaining of God's love in sense, four things, p. 167.  
Ten Releevements against doubtings, p. 204.  
Ten Releevements under imperfection of graces, p. 248.  
Five Releevements against failings in duties, p. 261.  
Relapses af●er resolutions, p. 286.  
Causes of Relapses nine, p. 288.  
The misery of Relapses, p. 296.  
The kinds of Relapses, p. 301.   

S.  
A twofold Spirit, p. 6.  
Conscience called a Spirit, p. 8.  
Man's Spirit considered two ways, Ibid.  
Strength of Spirit gradual, p. 36.  
Sinking of Spirit double, p. 37.  
Slighting of crosses evil, p. 39  
Sins that are most wounding, p. 92  
A Seared spirit, p. 114.  
Sense of love gradual, p. 167.  
To Settle the soul in assurance of love, p. 176.  
Sin to be subdued, p. 231.   

T.  
Thankfulness, p. 43, 125.  
Tenderness of spirit, p. 49.  
Tempting of conscience of what, p. 58.  
To Taste divine wrath, p. 96.  
Testimony of Satan put by two ways, p. 219.  
Thoughts 1. In their sorts, p 319.  
2. In their trouble.  
3. In their trial.  
4. In their cure.   

V  
Uprightness of conscience, p. 48.  
Use conscience, p. 65.  
Conscience Vexed, p. 58.  
Vnstedfastnesse in walking, p. 163  
Unworthiness, p. ●34.   

W.  
Weakness of spirit, p. 28.  
Wound of spirit, p. 73.  
Want of good, p. 103.  
Willing of cure, p. 141.  
Wash the wound, p. 143.  
God's Wages, p. 281.  
Waiting must be added to doing, page 283.   
FINIS.   

A Postscript to the Reader  
THou hast a promise of Cases in the Epistle unto thee, I had no sooner made it, but it was called for by desiring and needing Christians, time and leisure also serving, it is brought forth, as fitly agreeing with the subject handled, and deemed (by men more judicious than myself) very comforting and settling unto perplexed souls.  
I. S.   

Errata.  
Page 116. for are the next instruments, read or. Page 323. for formerly, read formally.