The Soul's Conflict with Itself

2. We should look upon it, as worse then any of those filthy streams ¹that come from it, nay then all the impure issues of our lives together; there is more fire in the furnace then in the sparkles; There is more poison in the root then in all the branches; for if the stream were stopped, & the branches cut off, and the sparkles quenched, yet there would be a perpetual supply; as in good things, the cause is better then the effect, so in ill things the cause is worse. Every fruit should make this poysonfull root more hateful to us, and the root should make us hate the fruit more, as coming from so bad a root, ⟨p. 168⟩as being worse in the cause, then in it self; the affection is worse then the action, which may be forced or counterfeited. We cry out upon partic•r ²sins, but are not humbled as we should be for our impure dispositions; Without the sight of which there […] be no sound repentance arising from the ³deep and through consideration of sin; no desire to be new moulded, without which we can never enter into so holy ⁴a place as heaven; no self denial till ⁵we see the best things in us are enmity against God; no high prizing of Christ, ⁶without whom our natures, our person, and our actions are abominable in Go• ⁷sight; nor any solid peace settled in the soul which peace ariseth not from the ignorance of our corruption, or compounding with it, but from sight and hatred of it, and strength against it.

2. Wee should looke upon it, as worse then any of those filthy streames