5 8 `.The Vexation of the Spirit. Pfal. 611ip and'though it bee as Beare to thee as thy 'Tight eye, or thy . right harid,thychoycefi pleafitre,orthy chiefef profit, yet .cats it out in an humble confeífion unto God, in a heartie and willing ref itution to men, in opening thy clofe and conrraçied bowels- to thofethat never yet enjoyed corn- forts from them; then (hall quietncife ai ife from thy foule, & that very gaine which thou throwef} away, is but cati upon the waters; the Lord will provide a Whale to keepe it for thee, and will at.laíl ref ore it thee whole againe. The ]aft direélion which I (hall give to remove the vexation ofthe Creature, is out of the Text, and that is, To keepe itfrom thy Spirit, not to fuffer it to take up thy thoughts and inner man. They are not. nesotia, but via- tica only, and a mans heart ought to be upon his bufineffe, and not upon matters accidental]. If in a ternpeft men fhould not addreffe themfelves to their offices,.. to loofe the tacklings, to draw the pumpe, to ílrike failes, and lighten the veffell, but fhould make it their foie worke to gaze upon their commodities, who could expe& that a- calme fhould drop into fuch mens laps ? BeIoved, when the Creature hath railed a tempefl of vexation , thinke upon your Offices; to thepumpe, to powre out thy cor- ruptions ; to the failes and tackling, abate thy lulls and the provifions for them ; to thy faith, to live above hope; to thy patience, It is the Lord, let him doe as feemeth gcod to him ; to thy thankfulneffe, the Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away, Blefi'ed be the Name of the Lord. If Job fhould have gazed on his children, or fubflance, hee might have bcene (wallowed up in the forme ; but God was in his heart, and fo the veffell wasfill fafe. But what is it to keepe the Creature from the fpirit ? It is in the phrafe of Scripture, Npt to, jet the Heart. upon riches. eXpponere cor, to carry a mans heart to the,. Creature, the Prophet gives a fit expreffion of it, when hee faith, That the heart loth goe after covetoufneff'e; when a man makes all the, motions of his foule wait upon his lulls, and.
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