ordinarily take least notice of their spirituall wounds in their cause and cure they are lumpish and heavie full of sad thoughts evill imaginations many times they roare and complaine but this is their Men doe mistake the spirits wound ignorance they know not what ailes them they are so mistaken in the cause businesse in hand that they judge themselves to bee under some bodily distempers by melancholie passions and other violent humours a great madnesse and ignorance in men and being fallen upon this point let mee tell you that melancholy prevailing in men doth come very neere to the trouble of conscience but it is not the wound of conscience here spoken of Satan makes it his bait and man makes it his burden but wee may not make it this wound concerning which I shall yeeld you two things 1. That melancholy given The operation of melancholie in man way unto doth corrupt the imagination and those actions of the minde or the â—ext instruments by which the minde worketh that therewith the heart affections and conscience are greatly distempered with feare and griefe and doe conceive a many uneschewable miseries against it selfe against which fancies and imaginations no arguments of reason can prevaile and this darkning vapour and blackish fume thus affecting the soule doth add torment unto it making it for the time uncapable of the sense of comfort I say this humour of melancholy hath very subtile spirits that flie up into the braine and the instrument of discretion and there they lodge their contagious qualities which corrupt the spirits and annoy both heart and braine whence arise strange imaginations and fancies in the head Head and heart having entercourse and body and soule being united the soule is nor thereby a little troubled 2. That what ever vaine men judge melancholy is not a spirituall maladie or the wounder spirit here spoken of the difference Melancholy is not the wounded spirit proved by 5. reasons betweene both is great as 1. In the ground and cause the troubles of melancholy ariseth either from naturall causes in the body or from supposed and fained causes the imagination conceiving things to bee so and so when indeed nothing is really so the trouble of conscience ariseth from the sight and sense of sin in the soule the apprehension of divine wrath due to man for sin and such like spirituall and reall causes 2. In the seate of it troubles from melancholy seate themselves in the head and naturall spirits the man having lost the right use of his wits and being mistaken in his imagination in conceits becomming monstrous true trouble is in the conscience and whole soule of man 3. In the cure of it physick may cure the one it being a bodily disease or distemper but it is not all artificiall and naturall meanes that can cure the wounds of the spirit 4. In the effects of it melancholy maketh a man simple and absurd in his thoughts touching himselfe such men will speake to you and yet conceive themselves to bee without head or heart and life they will tell you that they see Divels and feele Divels within them and you shall heare many odd things from them when as trouble of conscience looseth not it selfe but speakes according to the truth and feeling of it selfe 5. In the enlargement of it melancholy seldome or never worketh griefe for Gods dishonour it is not touched with sorrow for sin and when it is cured it gives not a man any ground and measure of spirituall joy it enforceth not a man to Christ for ease and rest it quickens no man to prayer and duty all which the wounds of the spirit in some men doe most kindly and savingly Thirdly and lastly let us know our selves rightly in our troubles of mind and we shall the better know our selves in our comforts nothing doth so prepare the heart for comforts and make us to rellish our comforts as the sense of soule trouble and heavinesse I dare affirme that if wee did know and finde our spirituall wants and wounds more wee would and should withall bee more upon the waies and feelings of comfort then we are Vse 2 Secondly let us have compassion on such who are wounded in spirit you see that such is the weight of their wounds as neither eye hath seene eare hath heard or tongue of man is able fully to expresse none can in any way of expression speake of it but such as have more or lesse felt it and shall we passe by any that are labouring under this burden not yeelding them our pitie 't is a foolish madnesse in many to thinke this sicknesse and this wound to bee but passion conceit and mopishnesse put into their heads by reading good books or hearing some strict Preachers or melancholy because it often changeth the body they think it ariseth from the body and what need all this adoe about it it is cursed cruelty in any to looke upon any labouring under this wound crying out against them censuring of them for hypocrites and in thought sentencing them to hell blaspheming their God and their religion O Considerations for the pitying of wounded in soule you ignorant men learne better and be now instructed 1. That there is no disease for symptomes and torments like unto this all other maladies are naturall but this is supernaturall they come from the constitution of the body this of the soule in them the humours first in this the conscience first and humours last are distempered they may all bee cured by naturall remedies the body may be brought to a fittemperature but it is not all the medicines under heaven that are meerely naturall can cure or comfort here 2. That it is an argument of an unsanctified and stony heart within maÌ„ to disregard taxe or censure men under the miseries of inward perplexities you being mercilesse and wanting tendernesse and experience cannot pittie them aright 3. Blessed are such as judge wisely of such poore soules and do labour to relieve their soules in their woundings this is a worke of mercy indeed and a businesse becomming the most excellent of Christians Motives to pitie and to relieve wouÌ„ded Christians Christ himselfe received his annointing and was sent of God to bind up the broken hearted Esay 61. 1 2 3. Ministers have the tongue of the learned given them to speake a word of comfort to such whose soules are wearie Esa 50. 4. and shall not wee that are Christians comfort the feeble minded and support the weake 1 Thes 5. 14. bearing one anothers burden O let us pity such and pray earnestly to God for such considering our owne case Gal. 6. 1. would wee not bee prayed for were wee in their conditions Vse 3 Thirdly how thankfull should all Christians bee for their freedome from this great burden of a wounded spirit tell me are you set at liberty and is all peace and rest within are the bands of the distresse broken wouldst
may be my case Sol. True some diseases are dangerous and some are deadly and there are relapses curable and incurable such who falling back out of malice and obstinacie resting themselves in a constant delight of those sinnes into which they have relaâ—sed making their sinne their gaine can gaine no assurance of healing but such as fall backe through incogitancie and infirmitie being exceeding troubled at heart for their sinnes and relapses into their sinnes may expect and shall finde a cure Leave disputing and use these meanes following and by the blessing of God you shall Foure meanes to get out of relapses get out of your diseases of sinne into which you are relapsed First worke the relapses upon your soules repeated sinnes are as broad and deepe wounds of which if a man meane to bee soundly cured hee must admit of a sound and thorough search relapses into sinne are like the returnes of the distemper into the body of which if a man expect to bee rid hee must resolve to fetch up and finde out the distempering cause untill a man soundly feeleth and truly knoweth the evillnesse of relapses hee will not seeke out for any recoverie by the helpe of judgement conscience and the law wee may finde out the full evill of relapses into sin Secondly physick the soule for this sinne wee are to drink downe the bitter potion of repentance wee must not thinke to come off of this sin with a few teares and a little sorrow renewed staines in the soule are not easily gotten off we must lie down in our shame and our confusion must cover Ier. 3. 25. us renewed sinnes must have our renewed sorrowes and renewed hatred the more a man sinnes the more reason hath he to hate sinne and the oftner he sins one sin the more reason hath hee to labour the mortifying of that get above all things a strong and setled hatred and abhomination of all sinnes for time to come and an unfeigned sorrow for sinnes past Thirdly keepe to the Ordinances our spirituall recovery is by meanes who though they can do little of themselves yet being blessed and assisted they can doe much these set out relapses to the life quicken the heart to sorrow breake open the riches of Gods unspeakeable mercy and goodnesse in promises of pardon and healing and doe greatly enable the heart to beleeve all promised mercy Fourthly hast in unto God suing out the promises which hee hath made in the Covenant let no feares or distrusts keepe you off but goe in unto God or else you perish your diseases are your owne but all recoveries doe belong to God Hos 13. 9. Ier 3. 22. who hath undertaken to cure all that returne to him and therefore come to God againe A threefold vvay of comming to God for cure 1. With confession freely and humbly acknowledging your fault with the Church Ier. 3. 13. 2. With petition intreating his pardon and his peace say receive us gratiously Hos 14. 2 4. 3. With faith perswading thy soule from the promise and performance of God that thou shalt be healed There are severall promises made to answer all the possible exigencies of Christians and why doth God make promises of healing and forgiving the backslidings of his people is it not to encourage the hearts of his children to lay hold on that promise and to sue it out in the needfull time surely if we did more speedily and heartily beset the Lord wee should finde a great healing of our revoltings and backslidings CASE VIII Of strange and terrible thoughts following Christians A Christian hath a double conversation from whence troubles doe arise unto him one is outward another is inward that notes the whole carriage of the life this the course of the whole soule a Christian is not a little troubled with himselfe being wise to study himselfe and to finde out the frame and temper of his heart and made tender to feele even the least erroneous flashings of the apprehending facultie such as his thoughts are which doth proove unto him great souleburdens as I shall now open unto you in this manner shewing Foure things about the thoughts of men Three sorts of thoughts 1 Natural to you foure things 1. That thoughts are of three sorts 1. Naturall 2. Spirituall 3. Sinfull Naturall thoughts are those motions stirrings and acts which reside or are framed in the sensible and intellectuall part of man and they doe comprehend under them those reasonings consultations purposes resolutions intents meditations considerations conceits and apprehensions which the understanding by the helpe of fancie frames within it selfe these following the nature of man in constitution and creation and immediately resulting from the mind of man are not unfitly called naturall thoughts man is borne and was made a thinking creature such thoughts will be in us do what we can it being naturall to the mind to be thinking and if we take such thoughts in a simple consideration they are no sinnes or faults the minde of Adam in Creation yea and of Christ himselfe who was in all things like unto us sinne excepted were full of such thoughts rightly composed they had many transactions in their mindes yea and their mindes held notable discourses with the things that they knew and touching things to be done they had their fore-thoughts preparing them to actions and they had their after-thoughts recollecting things done by them Spirituall thoughts are those 2. Spiritual motions and turnings of the minde flowing from the work of grace in the soule and determining themselves in spirituall and supernaturall objects there are two things which doe constitute the spirituallnesse of mans thoughts 1. The originall cause of them namely their springing from a sanctified fountaine that is closed within the soule the mind must bee renewed and sanctified altered and cleansed ere it can and doth yeeld out holy inclinations and motions and have within it holy projects counsells imaginations and reasonings 2. The speciall object of them the thoughts pitching themselves in a right way upon things that are divinely good and making for Gods glory and mans salvation are said to bee spirituall These kinde of thoughts are peculiar unto Gods Saints after regeneration for without the Spirit no man is able to thinke one good thought 2 Cor. 3. 5. as for wicked men if wee consider their thoughts formerly they are starke naught yea and if wee consider them objectively they may bee naturally and morally i. e. as they moove in the way of nature and tend to the good of a civill state and countrey good but spiritually good they are not they no way further their sanctification and obedience but doe occasion much hardnesse and sinfullnesse unto them Sinnefull thoughts are the 3. Sinfull motions and stirrings of mans mind unto sinne when the mind by the object or the subject doth muse on sinne and wickednesse representing and acting over the same in imagination and speculation entertaining
travells he should never be at a stand or question which was the way that he should take and it is to me as strange a Christian that can passe over so many crosse and unknowne paths unto nature as are to be gon over and yet never to bee weather-beaten or wind-shaken or to be so simple as to doubt for certaine this is nothing but presumption and selfe-deceiving and I would wish no man to blesse himselfe in this estate The other doubts of his 2. Men of doubtings estate because of doubtings it is a maine part of Satans policie to stagger Gods children and to cause the rising up of suspitions within themselves doubting whether that they are Christians in the state of grace by reason of the many doubtings that are found within them O say they we find within our selves the suspension of our mindes in the determination thereof our soules doe hang betweene two objects and unto The nature of doubtings either of them they cannot fixedly incline wee finde that there are at one time two distinct and opposite waies and objects and ends proposed and presented unto our mindes for choice as to beleeve and not to beleeve to be saved and not to be saved to doe this and not to doe this to have heaven and not to have heaven and now it becomes questionable unto us which of these two is eligible or which of these two shall befall us the minde reflects upon both and lookes upon both yet one alone must be ours in the issue our mindes doe debate exceedingly and beate themselves about them whether this or that this way or that way wee shall goe wee know not there are found within us at the same time the assentings dissentings of our minds perswasions and disswasions take hold of us we are like unto the waves of the sea that thrust forth to the shore and yet drawing backe againe or like unto men in ungrounded Simile places who no sooner pluck up one leg but the other sinkes in deeper many reasons on either side are apprehended and no fastning can be found if we looke 1. Upon things to be beleeved Doubtings seene in two things and done there are within us doubtings of the truth and goodnesse of the one or of the lawfullnesse and unlawfullnesse of the performance of the other we still halt betweene two opinions if wee looke 2. Upon our owne particular course and condition whether that we are Christians indeed and be such whose persons are accepted of God whose waies do please God who have any part in the Covenant or just title to the best things and that when we die wee shall goe to Heaven here likewise our hearts doe mis-give us and we daily question our owne estates And could this bee our condition if that we were in a good estate This I confesse is the trouble of Gods dearest children whose Doubtings in the godly cause 4. things mindes within them are diversly carried and cannot come to a rest whose mindes doe hang in suspence and cannot determine this condition causeth unto them 1. Multiplication of disputes such persons have contrariety of reasonings within themselves reason can never be equally ballanced but remaineth as a paire of scales turning this way and that way such can say as much why they should not doe such and such duties as why they should doe them and they conceive as many and as strong reasons why that they should be damned as well as saved 2. Interruption of the practicall act of the understanding that it cannot give sentence either way for a man or against a man so that men under doubts remaine under certaine trouble and restlesnesse but uncertaine quiet and reliefe and know no more what to resolve on then he who hath referred himselfe and his cause unto the umperage of him who will not as yet declare himselfe 3. Uproare in affections they will be very tumultuous passions by doubtings are set on a hurley burley and rage exceedingly now men fret and feare and faint and even vexe themselves unto death 4. Alterations and changes men under doubts are constant in inconstancie and do never remaine setled unto themselves they cannot bee long of one mind but as the weather-cock doth turne with Simile every turning of the wind from point to point so such men to day shall and will be of a good mind for God and Heaven but to morrow shifting and of a new and another mind thus do they every day vary from themselves and this being the condition of a doubtfull Christian I cannot wonder why his doubts should so perplexe him Consider with mee one thing more what it is that causeth doubtings in the soule and if we prove the springs or causes to be evill and terrible no marvaile if that they are so troublesome unto Christians I open it thus unto you Five cau ses of doubtings in Christians Doubtings within Christians spring 1. From originall corruption that sinning sinne and mother of all sinne in men which hath in it the seed of all sinne and therefore doubtings nature it selfe can nothing but doubt flesh in the Elect is wavering and weake even when grace would beleeve and settle innumerable evills have compassed mee about mine iniquities have taken hold of mee so that I am not able to looke up they are more then the haires of my head therefore my heart faileth mee saith David Psal 40. 12. in which place you may see plainely what it was that made Davids heart to faile him it was his sinnes these were the clog unto his spirit and these were they that did stagger and doubt him 2. From the darknesse and ignorance that is within their mindes withholding not so much the light of nature as the light of the Scripture in generall and of the promise in particular without which they are never able to judge aright of things and condition what determination can there be whilst a man is in darkenesse he that cannot see what hee is or where he is may do things at a venture only but in all things he Pro. 4. 18. is uncertaine and doubtfull 3. From the hurryings and winnowings of Satan who followeth Gods children with many and various temptations in times of tempest it is no new thing to see a ship fastly anchored Simile tossed too and fro and when Satan is maliciously haunting and vexing a Christian no marvaile if doubts and irresolvednesse do appeare 4. From the greatnesse of dangers into which they are cast if Peter be ready to sinke in the sea he will doubt O thou Mat. 14. 31. of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt saith Christ we see how his feares did sinke him below the waters and â—urely as a Christians troubles inward or outward doe arise so doe his doubtings arise also the ship doth not more naturally arise Simile with the flowing in of the waters then doubts in the soule with the comming in of troubles 5. From Gods forsaking
good ends doth suffer Ends of doubtings in the godly foure doubtings in his as 1. To free them from many sins of pride presumption negligence and the like 2. To force them to their divine helps that now they may the more enquire and seeke resolution and setling from Heaven 3. To make them more firme and certaine Simile at the last a tree in shaking gets Nil tam certum quà m quod ex dubio certum fixednesse a scholler by enquiry gets satisfaction and a Christian by his doubtings commeth to be more resolved all our doubtings end in resolution God will give unto his at the last full satisfaction of soule and conscience 5. In the Elect all doubtings are curable and recoverable they are possible of cure and shall actually be cured in Gods time by Gods meanes the Lord doth mercifully heale his of all the tossings and turnings of their minds that at length they come to rest upon the mountaine of his truth goodnesse unto them in Christ there is an excellent temper toward Note healing wrought in Gods children they have a bent unto determination and will not give up their case as desperate what though they cannot quit themselves of all uncertainties and attaine unto positive fixing yet they will with Noahs Dove hover over the Arke which is Christ and the Promises the onely and able grounds of stedfastnesse and setling unto Christians The doubtings of wicked men are possible of curing if wee consider what God by his power can doe but yet they remaine uncured by the justice of God lying upon them and doe goe on increasing doubtings unto their owne damnation so that in the one doubtings are miserable but in the other damnable Seventhly beware of maintaining and cherishing doubtings within your owne soules it is for Christians to labour after the cure of this disease of doubting and to close up this spirituall distemper within their soules considering Motives to cure doubtings are three 1. That doubting is an ill quality in the soule that breeds unto much discomfort depriving of all true staiednesse and contentment 2. It is that which is very hindersome to a progresse in Christianity keeping Christians at a stay and standing and 3. There is nothing which is more injurious to God in his Attributes who must not bee questioned in his promised Power Truth Love and Goodnesse and yet wee finde this to bee a common failing in doubting Christians to cherish and nourish doubtings within themselves yea and many times to study and follow the way of doubting a great and cruell evill most gratefull unto Meanes against cherishing doubts Satan and displeasing to God my counsell therefore is unto you 1. To make and maintaine no argument within you against the full and gratious promises of God delight not in that childish and unreasonable kinde of disputation which may hurry the soule with feares and doubtings helping doubts against faith if men will thrust away the promises from themselves and say that though there be an absolute truth and goodnesse in them yet their truth and goodnesse doth not belong unto them how can the soule possibly settle and be quiet can Simile the anchor fixe if it want ground or the bird rest whilst its in the aire no more can a Christian resolve and settle if it pleade against the promises 2. Beleeve no testimonie of Satan concerning your conditions I know Satan will take upon him to judge of Christians sinnes and services and temper and state and as he hath an art to colour over the true condition of sinnefull bondage so hee hath a delusion in hiding from the eyes of Christians the true powers of gratious sincerity and safe standing now if wee looke upon things in the divells glasse beleeving that all things are in us and with us as hee doth tell us how shall wee bee tossed too and fro and what can abide us but daily doubtings for Satan will alwaies bee deciding and determining against a Christians comfort and happinesse he being their utter enemie it doth well become us to wave the erroneous judgement of Satan 1. By making our appeales The testimony of Satan put by tvvo vvaies unto God the Just and Supreame Judge to whom immediately and onely the decisive power doth appertaine I say none but God can decide the triall of a mans eternall estate 2. By resting in the testimony of Gods Word wee must learne the skill of beating of Satan by the Word setting up the judgement of the Word against the judgement of Satan and if wee can finde from the Word a good estate let Satan goe and whistle wee need in nothing bee troubled by him 3. Be not apt to give way unto needlesse and causelesse feares this is a great fault in Christians and very injurious unto setling you shall seldome finde but that an overfearing nature is a doubting nature and if we will give way unto the creating and multiplying of our feares wee shall feed and nourish scruples and doubtings exceedingly consider it in experience if that a childe be hurt or any undesired newes brought unto us of the sicknesse or calamity of a neare and deare friend the heart is presently grieving and fearing and when feares prevaile and command within then the minde is full of questionings sure the wound is mortall and my friend is dead or in farre worse condition then is reported unto mee and alas what will bee the issue the party is extreamely cruciated in his minde and just so is it in the case in hand if that men will still feare their estate how can they but still continue under doubtings and bee as it were at their wits end not knowing what to doe or what shall become of themselves 4. Doe not disregard motions and motives unto setlednesse there are many who come to Gods Word and Ministers with their doubtings and with many teares and bitter complaints they vent themselves of them now when the Minister hath judicially shewed unto them not onely the causes but the cures of those their doubtings and hath given unto them curing comfort and counsell they set up their reasons against all that is said and conceive the man to be mistaken in them or else they forget the consolation not applying themselves to the way prescribed and surely long may such continue under a doubting condition who reject all directions given unto them Eighthly affect not a life of sense this will expose us to infinite doubtings it is open unto all windes and hath no constant bottome to settle upon observe the uncertainty of this life of sense in Thomas the man would not beleeve that Christ was risen except he should see in his hands the print of the nailes and thrust his hand into his side Ioh. 20. 21. Say now that Christ had for ever withdrawne his bodily presence from Thomas where had beene all those sweet comforts which he might have enjoyed in and by the resurrection of Christ certainely hee had
lost them for ever if sense must bee his judge and give the sentence Christ therefore doth shew him his weakenesse and failing in saying to him Thomas Blessed are they that have not seene and yet have beleeved verse 29. you that will have all by sight and feeling or else you will never bee quiet I tell you 1. That sense is not a fit judge of a Christians spirituall condition it cannot at all times see into our estates much lesse report our estate unto us the spirituall Psal 73. 28. condition may be without all feeling eyes may faile and flesh faile and God frowne and faith onely expresse such acts as are pure and hidden grounding it selfe upon the naked promise and how can sense report and give sentence 2. That sense is yea and nay it maketh our condition to bee good and bad lost and found and that many times in one day nay in one hower and all because it looketh on the outside of things judging according to outward appearance I yeeld that it is uncomfortable for a man to walke without his feeling but it is as uncertaine to walke alltogether by feeling 3. That the spirituall course of Christians doth many times goe against all the sense of Christians sense and the promise are many times at a contradiction the promise goeth on when sense cannot perceive it but behold the contrary and how can sense meeting with contrarieties resolve 4. That sense goes mans way but faith goes Gods way sense mooves upon what appeares and takes Gods deed whereas faith relyeth upon Gods Word and pitcheth upon things invisible I will waite upon the Lord that hides his face from the house of Iacob and I will looke for him Esa 8. 17. to this purpose reade Esa 50. 10. Hab. 3. 17 18. Ninthly maintaine and set up faith beleeving is the ground of setling after yee beleeved you were sealed saith Paul Ephes 1. 13. a man cannot have the fruit before hee hath the tree nor safety before hee hath laid himselfe on the rock nor assurance before hee beleeveth looke as the soule Simile breeds seeing in the eyes and hearing in the eares so true faith doth breed in the soule true setlednesse and assurance if Christians could rise up to the granting way of faith their doubts would more and more vanish faith is 1. The first ground of all a Christians assurances and experiences if any man hath either in his soule he obtained them by faith 2. The prime instrument bringing home the comfort of all divine good unto the soule the joy of Heaven merit of Christ and favour of God cannot actually comfort and quiet mans heart untill that faith hath done its part Faith at liberty and in authority doth compose a Christians doubtings keeping him from sinking under them two waies 1. By yeelding a ground for setlednesse all the while the soule can finde and feele no bottome it cannot but doubt and stagger can the ship but rowle up and downe when the Marriner cannot finde a place to Simile fixe his anchor but when a man can finde in and by beleeving the truth and goodnesse of a promise to rest upon and can say as David Remember the Psal 119. 49. word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused mee to hope now is hee resolved and become quiet I beleeved and therefore I spake and what reason is there that a man should doubt his safety when hee is once fully set upon the rocke 2. By overmatching all the causes and grounds of doubtings imagined by Christians Christians doubt many times when as they have little reason to doubt and sometimes they thinke their reasons for their doubtings are unanswerable but faith prevailing will put the lie and folly upon al that can bee said for doubting it will shame and silence the foolish reasonings of the hearts of Gods children you may see this in David when his thoughts ranne wild upon the prosperities of wicked men and the adversities of Gods children how did his doubts come in upon him even to his sinking he saith Verily I have cleansed my heart in vaine and washed my hands in innocency for all the day long I have beene plagued but how doth he recover himselfe Surely it was by the exercise and liberty of his faith he went into the house of God and there his faith found matter and ground to worke upon and hee became better setled in his soule Psal 73. 13 14 15 16 17. and truth it is that every thing appeares in all causes of feare when faith is not the master and cannot have full power to bee agent and factor for a Christian Beleeve in the Lord your God and you shall bee established 2 Chron. 20. 20. Tenthly subdue and keepe downe sinne in the love and power thereof If iniquity bee in thine hand put it farre away and let not wickednesse dwell in thy tabernacles for then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot yea thou shalt bee stedfast and shalt not feare Iob â—â— 14 15. where wee plainely see that the more sinne doth die in its love and power within the soule the more will doubtings die too kill sinne and faith lives and doubts vanish The Apostle would that men should draw neere with a true heart in assurance Heb. 10. 22. of faith i. e. to cast away doubtings in their approaches to God and not to come indifferently may bee I shall bee accepted may bee I shall not but as verily perswaded of Gods acceptation happily some Christian might say to him how might a man doe this hee answereth having the heart sprinkled from an evill conscience q. d. faith cannot well perswade nor the heart settle till you get quit of sinne if your consciences doe charge and condemne you of evill you will bee doubtfull truth it is that doubtings are cured by Mortification the heart must bee circumcised of its unbeleeving and hardnesse and ungodlinesse ere ever wee shall get quit of doubtings if wee resolve to bee evill wee must resolve to bee doubtfull were it not for sinnefullnesse faith would bee quicker and stronger and wee more setled and staied in our mindes a heavie rhume falling into the eyes doth hinder a man from looking up and sinne entertained in the soule reares up contrary reasonings and denials to faith making the incouragements of it to bee so difficult that a Christian spirit doth faile him and hee shall not bee able to looke up Psal 40.12 CASE III. Of personall unworthinesse IT hath not a little troubled the minds of many of Gods deare children to consider what unworthy creatures they are in themselves and that they are so ill deserving at Gods hands having no more goodnesse in them to commend them to Gods acceptation and love wee finde them many times complaining and that with much griefe of heart that they have nothing in them but sinne and wickednesse and how should God ever accept such as they are to love and life under the presence