A Continuation of morning-exercise questions and cases of conscience practically resolvedA Continuation of morning-exercise questions and cases of conscience practicaly resolved

1. Sorrow is overmuch, when it is fed by a mistaken Cause: All is too much where none is due; and great sorrow is too much when the Cause requireth but less.

If a man thinketh that somewhat is a Duty, which is no Duty, and then sorrow for omitting it, such sorrow is all too much, because it is undue, and caused by error. Many I have known that have been greatly troubled, because they could not bring themselves to that length or order of meditation, for which they had neither Ability nor Time. And many because they could not reprove sin in others, when prudent instruction and intimation was more suitable than reproof. And many are troubled because in their Shops and Callings they think of any thing but God; as if our outward Business must have no thoughts.

If a man thinketh that somewhat is a Duty, which is no Duty, and then sorrow for omitting it, such sorrow is all too much, because it is undue, and caused by errour. Many I have known that have been greatly troubled, because they could not bring themselves to that length or order of meditation, for which they had neither Ability nor Time. And many because they could not reprove sin in others, when prudent instruction and intimation was more suitable than reproof. And many are troubled because in their Shops and Callings they think of any thing but God; as if our outward Business must have no thoughts.

Superstition always breeds such sorrows, when men make themselves Religious Duties which God never made them, and then come short in the performance of them. Many dark Souls are assaulted by the erroneous, and told that they are in a wrong way; and they must take up some Error as a necessary Truth, and so are cast into perplexing difficulties, and perhaps repent of the Truth which they before owned. ⟨p. 266⟩