The Soul's Conflict with Itself

God giveth some larger spirits, and so their sorrows become larger. Some ¹upon quickness of apprehension, and the ready passages betwixt the brain and the heart, are quickly moved: where the apprehension is deeper, and the passages slower, there sorrow is long in working, and long in removing. The deepest waters have the stillest motion. Iron takes fire more slowly then stubble, but then it holds it longer.

God giveth some larger spirits, and so their sorowes become larger. Some ¹upon quicknesse of apprehension, and the ready passages betwixt the braine and the heart, are quickly moved: where the apprehension is deeper, and the passages slower, there sorow is long in working, and long in removing. The deepest waters have the stillest motion. Iron takes fire more slowly then stubble, but then it holds it longer.

1. 14.

Again, God that searcheth and knows our hearts (better then our selves) knows ¹when and in what measure it is fit for to grieve: He sees it fitter for some dispositions, to go on in a constant grief. We must give that honour to the wisdom of the great Physician of souls, to know best how to mingle and minister his potions. And we must not be ⟨p. 375⟩so unkind to take it ill at Gods hands, when he, (out of gentleness and forbearance) ministers not to us that chur•sh Physic he doth to others; but cheerfully embrace any potion that he thinks fit to give us.

Againe, God that searcheth and knows our hearts (better then our selves) knows