scudderpage282

their own corrupted hearts, and their vain companions advise them, whereby sometimes they stupefy and deaden their conscience, and lay it asleep for a time. Thus Cain and Saul allayed their distempered spirits, Gen. iv. 17, &c., 1 Sam. xvi. 17. And if they had some godly friends, who shall bring them to God's ministers, or do themselves minister to them the instructions of the word, this is tedious and irksome to them; they cannot relish these means, nor take any satisfaction in them. But the other are willing to seek to God, by seeking to his ministers, Acts ii. 37, to whom God has given the tongue of the learned, to minister a word in season, to the soul that is weary; and though they cannot presently receive comfort, will not utterly reject them, except in case of melancholy, which must not be imputed to them, but to their disease, Isa. l. 4.

And in application of the remedy, as there were two parts of the grief, so they must find remedies for both, or they cannot be fully satisfied. First, They were filled with grief for fear of hell; for the removing of which, the blood of Christ is applied, together with God's promise of forgiveness to him that believes, and a commandment to believe; all this is applied to take away the guilt and punishment of sin. Secondly, They were troubled for sin, whereby they dishonoured and displeased God; now unless also they feel in some measure, the grace of Christ's Spirit healing the wound of sin, and subduing the power of it, and enabling them at least to will and strive to please God, they cannot be satisfied. As it was with David, though God had said by the prophet, The Lord has put away thy sin, that is, forgiven it, 2 Sam. xii. 1 - 3; yet he had no comfort until God had created in him a clean heart, and renewed a right spirit within him, Psa. li. 10. Whereas if fear of hell be removed, it is all that the former sort care for.

5. As for the first sort, it may be, while they were afraid to be damned, they had some restraint of sin, and, it may be, made some essays towards reformation; but when their terrors are over and forgotten, then like the dog, they return to their vomit, and like