The Soul's Conflict with Itself

The Holy Ghost to prevent further mischief by these outward things, gives a dangerous report of them, calling them vanity, unrighteous Mammon, ¹entertain riches, thorns, yea nothing; because though they be not so in themselves, yet, our imagination over-valuing them, they prove so to us upon trial; Now knowledge that is bought by trial is often deer bought, and therefore God would have us prevent this by a right conceit of things before hand, least trusting to vanity we vanish our selves, and trusting to nothing we become nothing our selves, and which is worse, worse then nothing.

The Holy Ghost to prevent further mischiefe by these outward things, gives a dangerous report of them, calling them vanity, unrighteous Mammon, ¹entertaine riches, thornes, yea nothing; because though they be not so in themselves, yet, our imagination over-valuing them, they prove so to us upon triall; Now knowledge that is bought by triall is often deere bought, and therefore God would have us prevent this by a right conceit of things before hand, least trusting to vanity wee vanish our selves, and trusting to nothing wee become nothing our selves, and which is worse, worse then nothing.

1. 1Luke 15. 9. Pro. 23. 5.

3. Oppose serious consideration, against ¹vain imagination, and because ⟨p. 186⟩our imagination is prone to raise false objects, and thereby false conceits, and discourses in us; Our best way herein is to propound true objects for the mind to work upon; as, 1. to consider the greatness and goodness of Almighty God, and his love to us in Christ. 2, the joys of heaven, and the torments of hell. 3. the last and strict day of accou. 4. The vanity of all earthly things. 5. The uncertainty of our lives, &c. From the meditation of these truths, the soul will be prepared to have rig conceits of things, and to discourse upon true grounds of them, and think with it self, that if these things be so i deed, then I must frame my life suitable to these principles; hence arise true affections in the soul, true fear of God, true love and desire after the best things, &c. The way to expel ind o of our bodies, is to take some wholesome nourishment, and the way to expel windy fancies from the soul, is […] feed upon serious truths.