We see likewise hence a necessity of having something in the soul above it 1self, it must be partaker of a diviner nature then it self; otherwise, when the most refined part of our souls, the very spirit of our minds is out of frame, what shall bring it in again? Therefore we must conceive in a godly man, a double self, one which must be denied, the other which must deny; one that breeds all the disquiet, and another that stilleth what the other hath raised. The way to still the soul, as it is under our corrupt self, is not to parley with it, and divide government for peace sake, as if we should gratify the flesh in something, to redeem liberty to the spirit in other things; for we shall find the flesh will be too encroaching. We must strive against it, ⟨p. 111⟩not with subtlety and discourse, so much, as with peremptory violence silence it and vex it: An enemy that parleys will yield at length. Grace is nothing else but that blessed power, whereby as spiritual, we gain upon our selves as carnal. Holy love is that which we gain of self-love; and so joy, and delight, &c. Grace labours to win ground of the old man, until at length it be all in all; Indeed we are never our selves perfectly, till we have wholly put off our selves. Nothing should be at a greater distance to us then our selves. This is the reason why carnal men that have nothing above themselves but their corrupt self, sink in great troubles, having nothing within to uphold them, whereas a good man is wiser then himself, holier then himself, stronger then himself, there is something in him more then a man. There be evils that the spirit of man alone out of the goodness of nature cannot bear, but the spirit of man assisted with an higher spirit, will support and carry him through. It is a good ⟨p. 112⟩trial of a mans condition to know what he esteems to be himself. A godly man counts the inner man, the sanctified part, to be himself, whereby he stands in relation to Christ and a better life. Another man esteems his contentment in the world, the satisfaction of his carnal desires, the respect he finds from men by reason of his parts, or something without him, that he is master of, this he counts himself, and by this he values himself, and to this he makes his best thoughts and endeavours serviceable;
We see likewise hence a necessity of having something in the soule above it 1selfe, it must be partaker of a diviner nature then it selfe; otherwise, when the most refined part of our soules, the very spirit of our mindes is out of frame, what shall bring it in againe? Therefore we must conceive in a godly man, a double selfe, one which must be denied, the other which must denie; one that breeds all the disquiet, and another that stilleth what the other hath raised. The way to still the soule, as it is under our corrupt selfe, is not to parlee with it, and divide government for peace sake, as if wee should gratifie the flesh in something, to redeeme liberty to the spirit in other things; for we shall finde the flesh will be too encroching. Wee must strive against it, ⟨p. 111⟩not with subtilty and discourse, so much, as with peremptory violence silence it and vexe it: An enemy that parlees will yeeld at length. Grace is nothing else but that blessed power, whereby as spirituall, wee gaine upon our selves as carnall. Holy love is that which wee gaine of selfe-love; and so joy, and delight, &c. Grace labours to winne ground of the old man, untill at length it be all in all; Indeed wee are never our selves perfectly, till we have wholly put off our selves. Nothing should bee at a greater distance to us then our selves. This is the reason why carnall men that have nothing above themselves but their corrupt selfe, sinke in great troubles, having nothing within to uphold them, whereas a good man is wiser then himselfe, holier then himselfe, stronger then himselfe, there is something in him more then a man. There be evills that the spirit of man alone out of the goodnesse of nature cannot beare, but the spirit of man assisted with an higher spirit, will support and carry him through. It is a good ⟨p. 112⟩trial of a mans condition to know what he esteemes to be himselfe. A godly man counts the inner man, the sanctified part, to be himselfe, whereby hee stands in relation to Christ and a better life. Another man esteemes his contentment in the world, the satisfaction of his carnall desires, the respect hee findes from men by reason of his parts, or something without him, that he is master of, this he counts himselfe, and by this hee values himselfe, and to this he makes his best thoughts and endevours serviceable;
- 1Obser. 3.
