The first treatise is of a wounded spirit, wherein this faithful servant of Christ teacheth us: 1. How great an evil the wound of the spirit is: for that the very Pagans and Papists can bear great afflictions till their spirits be wounded, but if their minds be dejected, they will dispatch themselves with any violent death: and the faithful also cast down with Gods arrows▪ and sight of their sins and the feeling of Gods hand upon their minds, Job, David, Hezekiah, Jeremiah, mourned heavily for the wound of the spirit. 2. What comfort the true peace of conscience carries with it, able to free us from all discomforts of this life: and contrarily how the mind appalled, no blessing can long cheer us in this present life. 3. How mad they be which by violent death seek to end their afflictions of mind: for that this is the only way to increase their torments: for if their burden be great here, it is intolerable in hell. 4. How most men seem active, painful, and prudent to prevent and foresee other troubles and evils: but few regard with any care a• all to prevent the troubles of mind. How many travel with great skill for riches, and honour, &c. but few take any pains for the precious treasure of the peace of a good conscience. 5. Preservatives against afflictions of mind are the searching of our sins past and present, great and small: and the examination of our faith. 6. In examination for sin, we may not content our selves to have left them. We must also heartily sorrow for them, even the sins of our youth: for if we do not truly repent us of them, they may again rebound upon us (saith he) after many years to the great affliction and tormenting of our minds. 7. Examination of sins, must be as well of sins committed after our calling as before: for these sins of all other bite sorest and pierce deepest. Cover them not, but confess them to God in time least thou1 be constrained to blaze them abroad to thine exceeding grief and torment. 8. After knowledge and light received from God, note ever what sins sway most in thee, by the often checks of thy conscience, and so labour to avoid them, being grieved for them: which if thou do not, thou canst not escape either hardness of heart▪ or afflictions of mind. 9.
The first treatise is of a wounded spirit, wherein this faithfull seruant of Christ teacheth vs: 1. How great an euill the wound of the spirit is: for that the very Pagans and Papists can beare great afflictions till their spirits be wounded, but if their minds be deiected, they will disp•tch themselues with any violent death: and the faithfull also cast downe with Gods arrowes▪ and sight of their sinnes and the feeling of Gods hand vpon their mindes, Iob, Dauid, Ezekiah, Ieremiah, mourned heauily for the wound of the spirit. 2. What comfort the true peace of conscience carries with it, able to free vs from all discomforts of this life: and contrarily how the minde appalled, no blessing can long cheere vs in this present life. 3. How mad they be which by violent death seeke to end their afflictions of minde: for that this is the onely way to increase their torments: for if their burthen be great here, it is intollerable in hell. 4. How most men seeme actiue, painfull, and prudent to preuent and foresee other troubles and euils: but few regard with any care a• all to preuent the troubles of minde. How many trauell with great skill for riches, and honour, &c. but few take any paines for the precious treasure of the peace of a good conscience. 5. Preseruatiues against afflictions of minde are the searching of our sinnes past and present, great and small: and the examination of our faith. 6. In examination for sinne, we may not content our selues to haue left them. We must also heartily sorrow for them, euen the sinnes of our youth: for if we doe not truly repent vs of them, they may againe rebound vpon vs (saith he) after many yeeres to the great affliction and tormenting of our minds. 7. Examination of sinnes, must be as well of sinnes committed after our calling as before: for these sinnes of all other bite sorest and pearce deepest. Couer them not, but confesse them to God in time least thou1 be constrained to blaze them abroad to thine exceeding griefe and torment. 8. After knowledge and light receiued from God, note euer what sinnes sway most in thee, by the often checks of thy conscience, and so labour to auoide them, being grieued for them: which if thou doe not, thou canst not escape either hardnes of heart▪ or afflictions of minde. 9.
- 1By the often checks of conscience we may know what sins sway most in us.By the often checkes of conscience we may know what sinnes sway most in vs.
