our pontifical writers.  But because these men’s works are not to all parties at hand, so parable at all times, I will for the benefit and ease of such as are afflicted, at the request of some [6756]friends, recollect out of their voluminous treatises, some few such comfortable speeches, exhortations, arguments, advice, tending to this subject, and out of God’s word, knowing, as Culmannus saith upon the like occasion, [6757]"how unavailable and vain men’s councils are to comfort an afflicted conscience, except God’s word concur and be annexed, from which comes life, ease, repentance,” &c.  Presupposing first that which Beza, Greenham, Perkins, Bolton, give in charge, the parties to whom counsel is given be sufficiently prepared, humbled for their sins, fit for comfort, confessed, tried how they are more or less afflicted, how they stand affected, or capable of good advice, before any remedies be applied:  to such therefore as are so thoroughly searched and examined, I address this following discourse.

Two main antidotes, [6758]Hemmingius observes, opposite to despair, good hope out of God’s word, to be embraced; perverse security and presumption from the devil’s treachery, to be rejected; Illa solus animae, haec pestis; one saves, the other kills, occidit animam, saith Austin, and doth as much harm as despair itself, [6759]Navarrus the casuist reckons up ten special cures out of Anton. 1. part.  Tit. 3. cap. 10. 1.  God. 2.  Physic. 3. [6760]Avoiding such objects as have caused it. 4.  Submission of himself to other men’s judgments. 5.  Answer of all objections, &c.  All which Cajetan, Gerson, lib. de vit. spirit. Sayrus, lib. 1. cons. cap. 14. repeat and approve out of Emanuel Roderiques, cap. 51 et 52. Greenham prescribes six special rules, Culmannus seven.  First, to acknowledge all help come from God. 2.  That the cause of their present misery is sin. 3.  To repent and be heartily sorry for their sins. 4.  To pray earnestly to God they may be eased. 5.  To expect and implore the prayers of the church, and good men’s advice. 6.  Physic. 7.  To commend themselves to God, and rely upon His mercy:  others, otherwise, but all to this effect.  But forasmuch as most men in this malady are spiritually sick, void of reason almost, overborne by their miseries, and too deep an apprehension of their sins, they cannot apply themselves to good counsel, pray, believe, repent, we must, as much as in us lies, occur and help their peculiar infirmities, according to their several causes and symptoms, as we shall find them distressed and complain.