A divine herbal together with a forrest of thorns In five sermons. ... By…A divine herball together with a forrest of thornes In five sermons. ... By…

For as in the body, a raw stomach makes a rheumatic head, & a rheumatic head a raw stomach. ⟨p. 56⟩So in the soul, an indigested conceit of some good thing in us, makes the head rheum of some rheumatic opinion, or mad factious singularity: and this petulant rheum in the brain, keeps the conscience raw still; that the physic of repentance, or good diet of peaceable obedience cannot help it. Let us correct these exorbitant and superfluous conceits, which are like proud flesh upon us; and know, we are able to do nothing of our selves, but God is fain to put even good thoughts in us. And if we do good from him, how good soever it be as from him, yet running through us it gets some pollution.

For as in the body, a raw stomach makes a rhumatick head, & a rhumatick head a raw stomach. ⟨p. 56⟩So in the soule, an indigested conceit of some good thing in vs, makes the head rume of some rheumaticke opinion, or madde factious singularitie: and this petulant rheume in the braine, keeps the conscience raw stil; that the physicke of repentance, or good diet of peaceable obedience cannot helpe it. Let vs correct these exorbitant and superfluous conceits, which are like proude flesh vpon vs; and knowe, wee are able to doe nothing of our selues, but God is faine to put euen good thoughts in vs. And if wee doe good from him, how good soeuer it be as from him, yet running through vs it gets some pollution.

Neither let us run into the contrary error, as if in a stupid wilfulness, what good soever we did, we could not hope that God in Jesus Christ would accept it. There is a threshold of despair below to stumble at, as well as a post of high presumption to break our heads at. There is a base dejection, a sordid humility. Bar•ena the Jesuit told another of his order; that when the devil appeared to him one night, out of his profound humility he rose up to meet him, and prayed him to sit down in his chair; for he was more worthy to sit there then he. This did appear a strange kind of dejectedness. Surely I think, a man should by Gods word and warrant, take comfort in his well doing, and be cheered in the testimony which a good conscience, on good cause beareth to him. So David heartened himself against all the malicious slanders of his