The Soul's Conflict with Itself

§. 1.

And amongst all the faculties of the soul Most of the disquiet and […] necessary ¹trouble of our lives arises from the vanity and ill government of that power of the soul which we […] imagination and opinion, bordering between the senses and our understanding; which is nothing else but a shallow apprehension of good or evil •en from the senses: Now because […] good or evil things agree or disagree to the senses, and the life of sense is […] us before the use of reason, and the delights of sense are present, and pleasing, and suitable to our natures: thereup• the imagination setteth a great price upon sensible good things; and the judgement it self since the fall, until it hath an higher light and strength, yieldeth to our imagination; hence it co• ⟨p. 177⟩to pass that the best things, if they be attended with sensible inconveniences, as want, disgrace in the world, and such like, are misjudged for evil things; and the very worst things, if they be attended with respect in the world and sensible contentments, are imagined to be the greatest good: which appears not so much in mens words (because they are ashamed to discover their hidden folly and a theism) but the lives of people speak as much, in that particular choice which they make; Many there are who think it not only a vain but a dangerous thing to serve God, and a base thing to be awed with religious respects, they count the ways that Gods people take no better then madness, and that course which GOD takes in bringing men to heaven by a plain publishing of heavenly truths to be nothing but foolishness, and those people that regard it, are esteemed (as the Pharisees esteemed them that heard Christ) ignorant, base, and despicable pierce; Hence arise all those false pre•dice against the ways of holiness, ⟨p. 178⟩