THE SOUL S CONFLICT. 167
tincler some abasement, it is in a less distance from God. Others are not so afflicted as we, then they have less experience of God's gracious power than we. Others may have more healthy bodies, but souls less weaned from the world. We would not change conditions with them, so as to have their spmts with their condition. For one half of our Uves, the meanest are as happy and free from cares, as the greatest monarch, that is, while both sleep ; and usually the sleep of the one is sweeter than the sleep of the other. What is all that the earth can afford us, if God deny health ? and this a man in the meanest condition may enjoy. That wherein one man diflers from another, is but title, and but for a little time ; death levelleth all.
There is scarce any man, but the good ho receives from God is more than the ill he feels, if our unthankful hearts would suffer us to think so. Is not our health more than our sickness ? do we not enjoy more than we want, I mean, of the things that are necessary ? are not our good days more than our evil ? but we would go to heaven upon roses, and usually one cross is more taken to heart, than a hundred blessings. So unkindly we deal with God. Is God indebted to us ? doth he owe us any thing ? those that deserve nothing, should be content with any thing.
We should look to others as good as ourselves, as well as to ourselves, and then we shall see it is not our own case only. Who are we that we should look for an exempted condition from those troubles which God's dearest children are addicted unto ?
Thus when we are surprised contrary to our looking for and liking, we should study rather how to exercise some grace, than give way to any passion. Think, now is a time to exercise our patience, our wisdom, and other graces. By this means we shall turn that to our greatest advantage, which Satan intendeth greatest hurt to us by. Thus we shall not only master every condition, but make it serviceable to our good. If nature teach bees, not only to gather honey out of sweet flowers, but out of bitter, shall not grace teach us to draw even out of the bitterest condition some- thing to better our souls ? we learn to tame all creatures, even the wildest, that we may bring them to our use : and why should we give way to our own unruly passions ?
(7.) It were good to have in our eye the beauty of a u-ell-ordered soul, and we should think that nothing in this world is of sufficient worth to put us out of frame. The sanctified soul should be like the sun in this, which though it worketh upon all these inferior bodies, and cherisheth them by light and influence, yet is not moved nor wrought upon by them again, but keepeth its own lustre and distance ; so our spirits, being of a heavenly breed, should rule other things beneath them, and not be ruled by them. It is a holy state of soul to be under the power of nothing beneath itself. Are we stirred ? then consider, is this matter worth the loss of my quiet ? What we esteem, that we love ; what we love, we labour for ; and there- fore let us esteem highly of a clear, calm temper, whereby we both enjoy our God and ourselves, and Imow how to rank all things else. It is against nature for inferior things to rule that which the wise Disposer of all things hath set above them. We owe the flesh neither suit nor service ; we are no debtors to it.
The more we set before the soul that quiet estate in heaven which the souls of perfect men now enjoy, and itself ere long shall enjoy there, the more it will be in love with it, and endeavour to attain unto it. And because the soul never worketh better, than when it is raised up by some
168 THE soul's conflict.
strong and sweet affection — anima nunquam melius ar/it, quam ex imperio alicujics insignis ajfectus — let us look upon our nature, as it is in Christ, in ■whom it is pure, sweet, calm, meek, every way lovely. This sight is a changing sight ; love is an affection of imitation ; we affect a likeness to him we love. Let us * learn of Christ to be humble and meek,' and then we * shall find rest to our souls,' Mat. xi. 29. The setting of an excellent idea and platform before us, mil raise and draw up our souls higher, and make us sensible of the least moving of spirit, that shall be contrary to that, the attainment whereof we have in our desires. He will hardly attain to mean things, that sets not befoi-e him higher perfection. Naturally we love to see symmetry and proportion, even in a dead picture, and are much taken with some curious piece. But why should we not rather labour to keep the affections of the soul in due proportion ? seeing a meek and well ordered soul is not only lovely in the sight of men and angels, but is much set by, by the great God himself. But now the greatest care of those that set highest price upon themselves is, how to compose their outward carriage in some graceful manner, never studying how to compose their spirits ; and rather how to cover the deformity of their passions than to cure them. Whence it is that the foulest inward vices are covered with the fairest vizards, and to make this the worse, all this is counted the best breeding.