The Soul's Conflict with Itself

Moreover, to the right comforting ¹of an afflicted person, special care must be had of discerning the true ground of his grievance, the core must be searched out; if the grief ariseth from outward causes, then it must be carried into the right channel, the course of it must be turned another way, as in staying of blood; we should grieve for sin in the first place, as being the evil of all evils: If the ground be sin, ⟨p. 232⟩then it must be drawn to a head, from a confused grief to some more particular sin, that so we may strike the right vein; but if we find the spirit much cast down for particular sins, then comfort is presently to be applied; But if the grief be not fully ²ripe, then, as we use to help nature in its offers to purge, by Physic, till the sick matter be carried away; so when conscience, moved by the spirit, begins to ease it self by confession, it is good to help forward the work of it, till we find the heart low enough for comfort to be laid upon. When Paul found the Jailer cast down almost as low as hell, he stands not now upon further hammering, and preparing of him for mercy, (that work was done already,) but presently stirs him up to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ; here being a fit place ³for an interpreter to declare unto man his righteousness, and his mercy that belongs unto him after he hath acknowledged his personal and particular sins, which the natural guile of the heart is extremely backward to do, and yet ⟨p. 233⟩cannot receive any sound peace till it be done: If signs of grace be discerned, here likewise is a fit place to declare unto man the saving work of grace in his heart, which Satan labours to hide from him. Men oft are not able to read their own evidences without help.

Moreover, to the right comforting ¹of an afflicted person, speciall care must be had of discerning the true ground of his grievance, the coare must bee searched out; if the griefe ariseth from outward causes, then it must be carried into the right channell, the course of it must bee turned another way, as in staying of blood; we should grieve for sinne in the first place, as being the evill of all evills: If the ground be sinne,