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

These things may do much for prevention, and abating your disease if it be not gone too far: but if it be, you were best have recourse to the Physician, and expect Gods blessing in the use of means: and you will find when your Body is once cured, the disquietness of your Mind will vanish of it self.

These things may do much for prevention, and abating your disease if it be not gone too far: but if it be, you were best have recourse to the Physitian, and expect Gods blessing in the use of means: and you will finde when your Body is once cured, the disquietness of your Minde will vanish of it self.

2. The second part of this Direction was, That you take notice how much of your disquietness may proceed from outward Crosses: for it is ordinary for these to lye at the root and bring the heart into a disquiet and discontent, and then trouble for sin doth follow after. Alas, how oft have I seen that verified of the Apostle, 2 Cor. 7.10. The sorrow of the world worketh death. How many even godly people have I known, that through crosses in children or friends, or losses in their estates, or wrongs from men, or perplexities that through some unadvisedness they were cast into, or the like, have ⟨p. 14⟩fallen into mortal Diseases, or into such a fixed Melancholy, that some of them have gone besides themselves, and others have lived in fears and doubting ever after, by the removal of the disquietness to their consciences? How sad a thing is it, that we should thus add to our own Afflictions? and the heavier we judge the burden, the more we lay on! As if God had not done enough, or would not sufficiently afflict us? We may more comfortably bear that which God layeth on us, then that which we immediately lay upon our selves! Crosses are not great or small according to the bulk of the matter, but according chiefly to the mind of the sufferer. Or else how could holy men rejoice in Tribulation, and be exceeding glad that they are accounted worthy to suffer for Christ? Reproaches, wrongs, losses are all without you: unless you open them the door wilfully your self, they cannot come in to the heart. God hath not put the Joy or Grief of your Heart in any other mans power, but in your own. It is you therefore that do your selves the greatest mischief. God afflicts your body, or men wrong you in your state of name (a small hurt if it go on further;) and therefore you will afflict your soul! But a sadder thing yet is it to consider of, that men fearing God should so highly