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. [Sidenote: 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. [Sidenote: 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. [Sidenote: 1.] [Sidenote: The remembrance of our sins bitter, yet an wholsome pill.] First, then it is an _wholsome_ though _bitter pill_, often to call to mind our _many_, our _great_, our _known_, our _unknown_ transgressions against; the _Lord_ as a _Creatour_, against the _Lord_ as a _Father_, against the _Lord_ as a _Redeemer_, against _Christ Jesus_, against his holy _Spirit_, against his _Ordinances_, against his _Saints_, against our _selves_, &c. Yea the _sins_ and severall _corruptions_ of our _Natures_, _callings_, and _conditions_, to which we yet are subject, and lye open, and without _supply_ of _Grace_, and _strength_ from _Heaven_, we shall fall, and tumble into, as well as the strongest of _Gods servants_, of whose wofull _falls_ we read of in holy Scripture. _Obj._ It is a part of the _Lords New Covenant_, that he will forgive our _sins_, and remember our _iniquities_ no more. [Sidenote: Gods children bound to beg for pardon of sin.]