The Right Method for a Settled Peace of Conscience, Direction 1
DIRECTION I.
1. Get as clear a diſcovery as you can of the true Cauſe of your Doubts and Troubles: for if you ſhould miſtake in the Cauſe, it would much fruſtrate the moſt excellent means for the Cure.
THe very ſame Doubts and Complaints may come from ſeverall Cauſes in ſeverall Perſons, and therefore admit not of the ſame way of Cure: ſometime the Cauſe begins in the body, and thence proceedeth to the minde: ſometime it begins in the minde, and thence diſtempereth the body: ſometime in the minde, it is moſt or firſt from worldly croſſes and thence proceedeth to ſpirituall things: And of ſpirituall matters, ſometimes it begins upon ſcruples or differences in Religion, or points of Doctrine: ſometimes and moſt commonly, from the …enſe of our own Infirmities: ſometimes it is only from ordinary Infirmities: ſometimes from ſome extraordinary decayes of inward Grace: ſometime from the neglects of ſome weighty duty: and ſometimes from the deep wounds of ſome heynous ſecret, or ſcandalous ſin: And ſometimes it is meerly from the freſh diſcovery of that which before we never did diſcern: And ſometimes from the violent aſſault of extraordinary Temptations: which of theſe is your own Caſe, you muſt be carefull to finde out, and to apply the means for Cure accordingly. Even of true Chriſtians, the ſame means will not fit all. The difference of Natures as well as of actuall Caſes muſt be conſidered. One hath need of that tender handling which would undo another: and he again hath need of that rowſing which another cannot bear. And therefore underſtand that when I have given you all the Directions that I can, I muſt (in the end hereof) adviſe you to take the Counſel of a skilfull Miniſter in applying and making uſe of them: For it is in this, as in the Caſe of Phyſick: When we have written the beſt Books of Receipts, or for Methodicall Cures, yet we muſt adviſe people to take heed how they uſe them without the advice of a learned and faithfull Phyſitian. For Medicines muſt not be only fitted to Diſeaſes but to Bodies. That Medicine will kill one man, which will cure another of the ſame diſtemper: ſuch difference there may be in their age, ſtrength, complexion and other things. So is it much in our preſent Caſe. And therefore as when all the Phyſick Books in the world are written, and all Receipts known, yet will there be ſtill a Neceſſity of Phyſitians; ſo when all Diſcoveries and Directions are made in Divinity, there will ſtill be a Neceſſity of a conſtant ſtanding Miniſtry. And as ignorant Women and Emprikes do kill oft times more then they Cure, though they have the beſt Receipts, for want of Judgment and experience to uſe them aright: ſo do ignorant Teachers and Guides by mens ſouls, though they can ſay the ſame words as a Judicious Paſtor, and repeat the ſame Texts of Scripture. Not that I mean, that ſuch can do no good: Yes, much no doubt, if they will humbly, compaſſionately and faithfully improve their Talents, within the verge of their own Calling: which if they go beyond, ordinarily a remarkable Judgment followeth their beſt labours; both to the Churches and particular ſouls that make uſe of them. And therefore becauſe (if my conjectural progniſticks fail not, as I daily pray they may) we are like to be more tried and plagued this way, then ever were any of our fore-fathers ſince Adams dayes till now, and ſeeing this is the hour of our Temptation, wherein God is purpoſely ſeparating the chaff, and diſcovering to the world, the dangers of injudicious miſguided Zeal; I ſhall therefore both firſt and laſt adviſe you, as ever you would have a ſetled Peace of Conſcience, keep out of the hand of vagrant and ſeducing Mountebanks, under what Names, or Titles, or pretences ſoever they may aſſault you. Eſpecially ſuſpect all that beſtow as much pains to win you to their party, as to win you to Chriſt.