m. Positive causes.
May be, 1. When men lay up their comfort too much on outivard things, which, being subject to much inconstancy and change, breed disquiet. Vexation always follows vanity, when vanity is not apprehended to be where it is. In that measure we are cast down in the disappointing of our hopes, as we were too much lifted up in expectation of good fi'om them. Whence proceed these complaints : Such a friend hath failed me ; I never thought to have fallen into this condition ; I had settled my joy in this child, in this friend, &c. But this is to build om* comfort upon things that have no firm foundation, to build castles in the air, as we use to say. Therefore it is a good desire of the wise man Agur to desire God ' to remove from us vanity and lies,' Prov. xxx. 8 ; that is, a vain and false apprehension pitch- ing upon things that are vain and lying, promising that* contentment to ourselves from the creature which it cannot yield. Confidence in vain things makes a vain heart, the heart becoming of the nature of the thing it relies on. We may say of all earthly things as the prophet speaketh, ' here is not our rest,' Mic. ii. 10.
It is no wonder, therefore, that worldly men are oft cast down and dis- quieted, when they walk in a vain shadow, Ps. xxxix. 6, as hkewise that men given much to recreations should be subject to passionate distempers, because here, things fall out otherwise than they looked for ; recreations being about matters that are variable, which especially falls out in games of hazard, wherein they oft spare not divine providence itself, but break out into blasphemy.
Likewise men that grasp more businesses than they can discharge, must needs bear both the blame and the grief of losing or marring many busi- nesses, it being almost impossible to do many things so well as to give content to conscience ; hence it is that covetous and busy men trouble both their hearts and their houses. Though some men, from a largeness of parts and a special dexterity in afi'airs, may tm-n over much, yet the most capa- cious heart hath its measure, and when the cup is fuU, a little drop may
* ' a,' in C.
THE SOUL S CONFLICT. 141
cause the rest to spill. There is a spiritual suifeit, when the soul is over- charged -with business ; it is fit the soul should have its meet bui'den and no more.
2. As likewise, those that depend too much ^ipon the opinions of other men. A very little matter will refresh, and then again discourage, a mind that rests too much upon the liking of others — Sic leve sic parvum est animum quod laudis avarum, subruit aut rejicit. Men that seek themselves too much abroad, find themselves disquieted at home. Even good men many times are too much troubled with the unjust censures of other men, specially in the day of their trouble. It was Job's case ; and it is a heavy thing to have affliction added to affliction. It was Hannah's case, who, being troubled in spirit, was censured by EH for distemper in brain, 1 Sam. i. 14 ; but for vain men who Uve more to reputation than to conscience, it cannot be that they should long enjoy settled quiet, because those ui whose good opinion they desire to dwell, are ready often to take up contrary conceits upon slender grounds.
3. It is also a ground of overmuch trouble, when we look too much and too long upon the ill in ourselves and abroad. We may fix our eyes too long even upon sin itself, considering that we have not only a remedy against the hmi by sin, but a commandment to rejoice always in the Lord, Phihp, iv. 4. Much more may we err in poring too much upon om- afflictions ; wherein we may find always in om'selves upon search, a cause to justify God, and always something left to comfort us ; though we natm\illy mind more one cross than a hundred favours, dwelling over long upon the sore.
So hkewise, our minds may be too much taken up in consideration of the miseries of the times at home and abroad, as if Christ did not rule in the midst of his enemies, and would not help aU in due time ; or as if the con- dition of the church in this world were not for the most part in an afflicted and conflicted condition. Indeed there is a perfect rest both for the souls and bodies of God's people, but that b ot in this world, but is kept for hereafter ; here we are in a sea, where what can we look for but stomis ?
To insist upon no more, one cause is, that we do usurp upon God, and take his office upon us, by troubling ourselves in forecasting the event of things, whereas our work is only to do our work and be quiet, as children when they please their parents take no further thought ; our trouble is the fruit of our foUy in this kind.
Use 1. That which we should observe from all that hath been said is, that we be not over hasty in censuring others, when we see their spirits out of temper, for we see how many things there are that work strongly upon the weak nature of man. We may sin more by harsh censure than they by overmuch distemper ; as, in Job's case, it was a matter rather of just grief and pity, than great wonder or heavy censure.