Reynolds - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.R485 T47 1642

110 The Vexation of the Spirit. the duff, fucking out their very livelihood and fubflan ce, till they are faineto lye downein the dull Woe unto him, faith the Prophet, that encrea.feth that which is not his, en- larginoo his delres as Hell and death, that loadeth himfelfe withthickeclay, that is in otherexpreflions, that foreth up violence and robbery, that heapeth treafures again` the last day ; the 'words (hew us what the iffue of vehement and indefatigable afeJions is, they doe but create vexa- tions to a mans owne foule, and all his wealth will at length lye upon his confcience like a load and mountaine of heavieearth. The third Degree of vexation is from the enjoyment, or rather from the fife of earthly things. For though a wicked man may be faid to ufe the Creatures, yet in a arid fenfe he cannot be faid to enjoy them. The L oil. D maketh his Sunneto filine upon them, giveth them a Iaw- full intereft,poffcf iion,and ufe of them but all thi s doth not reach to a Fruition. For that imports a delightfull fweet orderly ufe of them, which things belong unto the bleflìngs and pcomifes of the Gofpell.. In which refpe& the Apoflle faith, that God giveth unto us WáyTU =is ázzbxau erv, eXllthinas richly to enjoy. This is the maine fling and vexation of theCreature alone without Gods more cfpe- ciall bleflìng, that in it a man Ihall í1i11 tafle a ferret curfe which deprives him of that dearenef e and fatisfadion which he lcokes for from it. Falfe joy like the crackling of Thornes he may fi tide, but flu there is forte fife in the oyntment, forme death in the pot, forne madneffe in the laughter,which in the midfl of all, dampes and furprifeth he foule w th horrour and fadneffe ; there are í1i11 fome ferret fuggeflions and whifperings of a guiltie confcience, that thorow all this Jordan of pleafure a man fwimmes downeapace into dead Sea, that all his delights doe but carry him the fafler unto a finali Judgement. Res fevers e;. verumgauctiurn: True joy, faith the Heathen man, is not a perfunctory, a floating thing,it is ferious and maille,' F it Amos 3.1o. Lames 5.3. ó E,c:yoróvosd ir- ?,os i; ,ni ävó xav0'ic ci'd+nr+^s, oc1 á.- (Zet ai'iit.t a7a, 7 ) y d o,'oróxavcrty 7rápsSxsv Tti- pcs. cbyyjos'ï. ad nop, Antioch; Hom, z. t Fim,6.r. Senec. Epfi.

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