The Soul's Conflict with Itself

1. Outward things are not fitted to ¹the spiritual nature of the soul; they are dead things and cannot touch it being a lively spirit, unless by way of •aint.

1. Outward things are not fitted to ¹the spirituall nature of the soule; they are dead things and cannot touch it being a lively spirit, unlesse by way of •aint.

1. 11.

2. They are beneath the worth of the ¹soul, and therefore debase the soul, & draw it lower then it self. As a Noble woman, by matching with a mean person much injures her self, especially when higher matches are offered. Earthly things are not given for Stays wholly to rest on, but for Comforts in our way to Heaven; they are no more fit for the soul, then that which hath many angles is fit to fill up that which ⟨p. 322⟩is round, which it cannot do, because of the unevenness and void places that will remain; Outward things are never so well fitted for the soul, but that the soul will presently see some voidness and emptiness in them, and in it self in cleaving to them; for that which shall be a fit object for the soul, must be 1. for the nature of it spiritual; (as the soul it self is) 2. constant, 3. full, and satisfying, 4. of equal continuance with it, and 5. always yielding fresh contents: we cast away flowers, after once we have had the sweetness of them, because there is not still a fresh supply of sweetness. What ever comfort is in the creature, the soul will spend quickly, and look still for more; whereas the comfort we have in God is undefiled and fadeth not away; How can we trust to that for comfort, which by very trusting proves uncomfortable to us? Outward things are only so far forth good, as we do not trust in them; thorns may be touched, but not rested on, for then they will pierce; we must not set our hearts upon those things