The right method for a settled peace of conscience, and spiritual comfort in 32…

5. Next consider, in what manner you must open your Grief, if you would have Cure. 1. Do it as truly as you can. Make the matter neither better nor worse then it is. Specially take heed of dealing like Ananias; pretending to open all (as he did to Give all) when you do but open some common infirmities, and hide all the most disgraceful distempers ⟨p. 512⟩of your heart and sins of your life. The Vomit of Confession must work to the bottom and fetch up that hidden sin, which is it that continueth your Calamity. Read Mr. T. Hooker in his Souls Preparation, concerning this Confession; who shows you the danger of not going to the bottom.

5. Next consider, in what manner you must open your Grief, if you would have Cure. 1. Do it as truly as you can. Make the matter neither better nor worse then it is. Specially take heed of dealing like Ananias; pretending to open all (as he did to Give all) when you do but open some common infirmities, and hide all the most disgraceful distempers ⟨p. 512⟩of your heart and sins of your life. The Vomit of Confession must work to the bottom and fetch up that hidden sin, which is it that continueth your Calamity. Read Mr. T. Hooker in his Souls Preparation, concerning this Confession; who shews you the danger of not going to the bottom.

2. You must not go to a Minister to be cured merely by Good words, as Wizards do by charms; and so think that all is well when he hath spoken comfortably to you: But you must go for Directions for your own Practice, that so the cure may be done by leisure when you come home. Truly most even of the godly that I have known, do go to a Minister for comfort, as silly people go a Physician for Physic. If the Physician could stroke them whole, or give them a penny worth of some pleasant stuff, that would cure all in an hour, then they would praise him. But alas, the cure will not be done 1. Without cost. 2. Nor without time and patience. 3. Nor without taking down unpleasing medicines; and so they let all alone. So you come to a Minister for advice and comfort; and you look that his words should comfort you before he leaves you, or at least, some short small direction to take home with you: But he tells you, if you will be cured you must more Resolve against that