The Soul's Conflict with Itself

Thirdly, we must search what is the ¹cause of this want of grief which we complain of; whether it be not a secret cleaving to the creature, and too much contentment in it, which oft stealeth ⟨p. 372⟩away the heart from God, and brings in such contentment, as is subject to fail and deceive us, whereupon from discontentment, we grieve, which grief (being carnal) hinders grief of a better kind.

Thirdly, we must search what is the ¹cause of this want of griefe which wee complaine of; whether it be not a secret cleaving to the creature, and too much contentment in it, which oft stealeth ⟨p. 372⟩away the heart from God, and brings in such contentment, as is subject to faile and deceive us, whereupon from discontentment, wee grieve, which griefe (being carnall) hinders griefe of a better kinde.

1. 1Ans. 3.

Usually the causes of our want of ¹grief for sin are these. First, a want of serious consideration, and dwelling long enough upon the cause of grief, ²which springs either from an unsettledness of Nature, or distractions from things without. Moveable dispositions, are not long affected with any thing. One main use of crosses, is to ³take off the soul from that it is dangerously set upon, and to fix our running spirits. For though grief for crosses hinder spiritual grief, yet worldly delights hinder more. That grief is less distant from true grief, and therefore nearer to be turned into it.