T he yexation of the Spirit. but finneithath no fling in it, z Col../ 5. 5 5. how much leffe Bing, think we, have thofe things which were made for the comforts of rnans life, iffinne were not the S erpent that did lurke under them all ? Doefl thou then in thy . fwifte(} carters ofearthly delights, when thou art pofi ing in the wayes of thy heart , and in the fight of thine eyes, feele a curbe privily galling thy confcience , a fecret damp feizing upon thy foule, a.nd affrightingirwith difinall fufp icions and trembling preoccupations:of attending judgements, fee a hand againf} the wall writing bitter things again(} thee ? Doll thou in all thy lawful!- Callings finde much fweat of brow, much toyle ofbraine,'much plunging of thoughts , much care of heart in compaf hg thy juf} and lawful! intendment`s ?' Doe , not lofXhé'dp- portunitie of that good which all this' Ma!y ftiggeff'iintá thee, take advantage to fifh in that troubled water. ! Cer- taihely there is fomeIonah that hath rayfedthis'f}orrne there is fome finne or other -that hat(v caufed all this erriubletathy foule. 'Doenot rcpine'át Zód 'provident -0 ;' nor quarrell with theduirnbe `reatures, b u t ; i dignation refleo} upon thine ovine heart ; ° and "as ëiiér thou hopeí }to have the fweat of thy brow aba.tcdt, or the care of thy heart remitted , or the curfeof the Creature. removed , caf} thy felfe downe, before God; i thr -oi,v Dias. thy fit-me, awake -thy Saviour With thary tífthÿ repen- tance, and all theflormes will bee fudden lycalmed. Cer- tainely the more power any man bath over the corrup- tion of his nature, the lefle power hath*the fling of any Creature over his heart: Though thou h'af }-bìtt a dinner of herbes with a quiet confcience , t'econc'ilëd i:ntö`God, thott doefl therein finde more fweetneffe than in a fatted Oxe with the contentions of a troubled heart, When ever therefore we finde, this Thorne in the Creature ., we fhouId throw our felves downe before God' `, and in fonre filch manner as this bewaile the finne;of our 'heart, which is the roote ofthat Thorne. Lord, thou art a Cod G 4 of
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=