Bitter and untoothsome things may yet be of a blessed and wholsome use to Gods people.
Sixthly, as it is in the restoring of the body to health, or in the preserving of it in an healthfull condition: it is often necessarie to use the help of sharp and bitter things, bitter pils, bitter potions, bitter medicines, sweatings, purgings, vomitings, blood-lettings, &c. So is it with our souls, and spirits, and preservation of the health and chearfulness of the spirituall and the inner man.
Two sorts of bitter afflictions.
The sharp and bitter things which it pleaseth God to make use of in these cases are of two sorts.
First, such as himself is pleased to use towards us in the way of his fatherly afflictions of all sorts: on our spirits, our bodies, our yoak-fellows, children, servants, cattel, goods, &c. out of which, yea also out of the injurious, and slanderous, and persecuting dealing of others, yea and out of our own sins and failings his most holy and infinite wisdom, fetcheth all sorts of cleansing and purging, yea and sometimes a cordiall and healing physick.
The second sort of sharp and bitter means are such, as we voluntarily use and apply our selves unto our selves, for the slaying and the purging out of the filthy humours and corruptions of pride, securitie, uncleanness, self-love, covetousness, and what ever else remains behinde of the body of death in us.
The Scripture the true storehouse of soul physick.
It is true that the word of God, and all his holy Ordinances, they are not only of a feeding, and nourishing, but also of a purging, and cleansing Nature, of a preserving, and a restoring Quality: and therefore out of these, we must take direction for all our spirituall Remedies, against those foul distempers, unto which our spirituall, and inner men are subject.
1.
The remembrance of our sins bitter, yet an wholsome pill.