The great duty of resignation to the divine will in afflictions enforced from the…

First; In the degrees of them, when they exceed their causes. Afflictive things that deeply wound us, are usually represented by the reflection of Sorrow, with all the heightening Circumstances, the Loss as unvaluable, the Evil as intolerable. ⟨p. 24⟩As objects are greater than their true proportion when seen through a Mist; so do Evils, apprehended through Grief: and after such a false judgment the Passions take their violent course, and the Spirit sinks under overwhelming heaviness. The Soul is disabled from performing what belongs to it, with respect to the general and particular Calling, and cannot with freedom wait upon God, but neglects its duty and felicity. 'Twas the complaint of the afflicted Poet, Hei mihi quod miseros prudentia prima relinquit. The first effect of misery is black confusion in the thoughts, that the Mind doth not distinctly consider, and apply such things as ⟨p. 25⟩would be effectual to mitigate, or remove it. Besides, as when the Stream overflows the Channel, it runs foul and turbid: so immoderate Sorrow often causeth secret Discontent and Anger at the Almighty, disquieting and tormenting risings of heart against his Providence. All things are disordered and turbulent in the little and marvellous Monarchy of the Soul. And such seeds of incitation are in our corrupt Nature, that in the extremity of Anguish, the furious Passions swell into a Storm, and break the restraints of Reason and Grace. Job in a hot fit expostulates strangely with God, Is it good unto thee that thou ¹shouldest oppress? He was a Holy Man, and a Prophet, who in the Paroxysm of his Passion curst the ²day of his Birth.

First; In the degrees of them, when they exceed their causes. Afflictive things that deeply wound us, are usually represented by the reflection of Sorrow, with all the heightning Circumstances, the Loss as unvaluable, the Evil as intollerable. ⟨p. 24⟩As objects are greater than their true proportion when seen through a Mist; so do Evils, apprehended through Grief: and after such a false judgment the Passions take their violent course, and the Spirit sinks under overwhelming heaviness. The Soul is disabled from performing what belongs to it, with respect to the general and particular Calling, and cannot with freedom wait upon God, but neglects its duty and felicity. 'Twas the complaint of the afflicted Poet, Hei mihi quod miseros prudentia prima relinquit. The first effect of misery is black confusion in the thoughts, that the Mind doth not distinctly consider, and apply such things as