The Soul's Conflict with Itself

If they be such troubles, as will certainly come to pass, as parting with friends and contentments (at least) by death; than I think of them so, as not to be much dismayed, but furnish thy heart with strength before-hand that they may fall the lighter. 2. Think of them so, as not to give up the bucklers to passion, and lye open as a fair mark for any uncomfortable accident to strike to the heart; nor yet so think of them as to despise them, but to consider of Gods meaning in them, and how to take good by them. 3. Think of the things we enjoy, so as to moderate our enjoying of them, by considering there must be a parting, and therefore how we shall be able to bear it when it comes.

If they be such troubles, as will certainely come to passe, as parting with friends and contentments (at least) by death; than I thinke of them so, as not to be much dismayed, but furnish thy heart with strength before-hand that they may fall the lighter. 2. Thinke of them so, as not to give up the bucklers to passion, and lye open as a faire marke for any uncomfortable accident to strike to the heart; nor yet so think of them as to despise them, but to consider of Gods meaning in them, and how to take good by them. 3. Thinke of the things we enjoy, so as to moderate our enjoying of them, by considering there must be a parting, and therefore how wee shall bee able to beare it when it comes.

2. If we desire not to be overcharged ¹with sorrow, when that which we fear is fallen upon us, we must then beforehand look that our love to any thing in this world, shoot not so far, as that, when the time of severing cometh, we part with so much of our hearts by ⟨p. 122⟩that rent. Those that love too […] will always grieve too much. It is t• greatness of our affections which c• seth the sharpness of our afflictions. […] that cannot abound without pride a high-mindedness, will not want wi out-too-much dejectedness. Love […] planted for such things as can retu love: and make us better by loving them, wherein we shall satisfy our lo to the full. It is pity so sweet an affection should be lost: So sorrow is […] sin, and for other things as they m sin the more bitter to us. The […] of a Christian should be a meditati how to unloose his affections from inferior things; he will easily die that […] dead before in affection. But this will never be unless the soul seeth some thing better than all things in the world, upon which is may bestow it self. In that measure our affections die in the excessive motion to things below, […] they are taken up with the love and admiration of the best things. He that […] much in heaven in his thoughts, is free from being tossed with tempest here