Mary Magdalen's tears wip't off. Or The voice of peace to an unquiet conscience.: Written by way of letter to a person of quality. And published for the comfort of all those, who mourn in Zion.

OBJECT. XIII.

But the root of Bitterness, from which most of these Doubts, Scruples, and Feares do spring is my Aptness to fall into sin; together with such horrible thoughts Startling up in my Heart that I could even teare that Body to peices, and rend out the Soul that harbours, and Evaporates, such black, and Stinking Eruptions.

SOLUTION.

34. IF the sins you have formerly bin guilty of, are sins of wilfulness, and the Relapse, you may be thought to intend in your objection, be into such sins; then is your case so much the more dangerous, by how much the more certain it is, that such sins of Wilfulness are not reconcilable to a State of regeneracy. The determination whereof, I must referr to the Judgment of him, with whom you shall think fit to intrust the Anatomie of your soul. But if they are but sins of Humane, and Personall infirmity; then shall I offer to your consideration, these two things: First, that it being supposed that the sins you mention, are only sins of in∣sirmity;

that Relapses into such sins, are no new thing to every Child of God. as being Spotts so inseparable from a State of mortali∣ty, that the Spirit of God hath Styled them by the mouth of Moses, the Spots of Gods Chil∣dren. Deut. 32.5. aly. that it is not to be expected, that there should be an Equality, of the Number or Kindes of these sins, in all the Children of God; some being guilty of more, some of fewer; some of more of one kinde, of sins of infirmity; some of another; and much of this not only depending upon the diversity of the measure of grace given; but likewise upon the different complexions, and former habits of those Christians, before their Penitence and Reformation.

But if the case be of other Sins, viz. of Sins of Wilfulness, then observe, that there is a very considerable difference (at least in your apprehension perhaps) betwixt the aptness, or facility, of falling into Sin, and actuall relapsing thereinto. You finde (per∣chance) the temptations are frequent and strong upon you, and your enemie very in∣defatigable and restless; and you fear that the battery in the end, will be too forcible for the fortification to hold out against it is that these assaults of Flesh and bloud, will not only Storm, but take, or else surprise your Resolution: but all this while, this is but anxiety: and if those temptations do get ground of you; draw your will to some

short parly with them, and thereby increase your fear of Yealding to this enemy; yet is there no relapse: and if there were, yet ought you to have conifort, against tempta∣tions to dispair of finall victorie: because these utmost endeavors of yours together with your grief conceived for but inclining to these temptations, will render your conditi∣on commiserable in the eyes of your tender, and compassionate Father: who will in the end, make his strength to be seen in your weakness; giving you good reason to ascribe, the cause as well as the honor of the victo∣rie, to him alone, by whom you shall be able to do all things. Phil. 4.13.

But to prevent your danger by temptation you shall do well, to open your condition freely to some Grave, Pious, Discreet, and Learned Divine; one well seen in the Studie of mens Consciences, (a great rarity I must tell you amongst Protestants,) to have often conference with him, to confesse freely to him, to receive directions from him, for pre∣venting your guilt and trouble, to communi∣cate frequently: the blessed Sacrament hav∣ing a speciall designation, for those in your condition, refreshing of wearied Souls be∣ing the great intendment of that Commemo∣ration of Christs death: All temptations under such hard usage as is now prescribed, will wither away, and dye in their prime; which by our private endeavours of eradication, do

most times exceed our fears, as well as our expectations, in the growth of them.

As for the other part of your objection, wherein you complain of the depravity and corruption of your nature, belcht out many times in Prodigious thoughts of your heart, (it may be against the goodness, or justice, or perhaps against the very essence of the Divine Majestie,) the more holy you desire to be, the more grievous will such thoughts (as you call them) be unto you. Therefore be pleased to consider, 1. that in my judgment, many of these are not your own thoughts, or mo∣tions of corrupt nature in you, as you con∣ceive; but really injections of Satan, strong∣ly savouring of malice against God, and the merciful work of our Redemption. This Itake to be it, which is called the Divells putting of somewhat into mens hearts, as he did the treason of Judas, the prevarication of Anani∣as and Sapphira, Davids numbring the People, and St. Peters effeminate suggestions to our Sa∣viour, &c. These sometimes are punish∣ments for sin either in our selves or others, sometimes only trialls from God, for the manifestation of the power of his Grace, in mens souls: and I suppose they are not duly styld our thoughts, till they are admitted, and treated by us, they then become our finfull thoughts, assoon as we incline to en∣tertain and in••••r ace them. And 2ly. I doubt not, but such as these may be injected into

holy men, as in the case of David, and Pe∣ter, as we have instanced before. Yea and not so only but they may be hardned to, and imbraced, and consequently, their state in∣dangered till renewed again by faith and Repentance.

Wherefore if you reject, and not own them; grieving for them as punishments for sin, praying against them, and perfectly hating them, with what e're is the Author of them, having an holy jealousie over your own na∣ture, labouring to shut the Den of your heart against such intruders, and to give the posses∣sion of the considerable fort to better friends to your salvation; you are not hereby endan∣gered by present guilt, or engaged under just fear of Apostacy; your state in this (as in all other things) being not without example in the dearest Children of God.