One Hundred and Ninety Sermons on Psalm 119

2. We must distinguish between the sensitive stirring of the affections, and the solid complacency of the soul. It is possible a child of God may be more sensibly moved by temporal things, as they do more strike upon the senses; but the supreme and prevailing delight of the soul is in spiritual things, in the way of Gods testimonies. To exemplify this by the contrary affection, as in Sorrow; a temporal loss may to sense more stir the affections, as to bodily expression of them, than a spiritual; as the drawing of a tooth or any present pain, may make us cry out more than the languishings of a Consumption; whereas the other may go nearer to the heart, and causeth a more lasting trouble. So in Joy, a man may be pleased with earthly conveniences, and yet his solid esteem is more in spiritual things. As a Trifle may provoke laughter more than a solid benefit that accrueth to us. Therefore the case is not to be decided by the intensiveness of the sensitive expression, so much as by the appreciation of the soul. In this sense the point is to be understood, he would lose all the world rather than dispense with his obedience to God. This is selling all for the pearl of price, spoken of Mat. 13. 46. All other things are trampled upon and renounced for this one's sake, that we may enjoy God in Christ. And truly this affection to the word is not easily to be found: for we often see that men for a little gain will break all the Commandments of God, as things not to be stood upon, when any temporal commodity is in chase, and in the pursuit of worldly riches, care not how they neglect Christ and heavenly things.

2. We must distinguish between the sensitive stirring of the affections, and the solid complacency of the soul. It is possible a child of God may be more sensibly moved by temporal things, as they do more strike upon the senses; but the supreme and prevailing delight of the soul is in spiritual things, in the way of Gods testimonies. To exemplifie this by the contrary affection, as in Sorrow; a temporal loss may to sense more stir the affections, as to bodily expression of them, than a spiritual; as the drawing of a tooth or any present pain, may make us cry out more than the languishings of a Consumption; whereas the other may go nearer to the heart, and causeth a more lasting trouble. So in Joy, a man may be pleased with earthly conveniences, and yet his solid esteem is more in spiritual things. As a Trifle may provoke laughter more than a solid benefit that accrueth to us. Therefore the case is not to be decided by the intensiveness of the sensitive expression, so much as by the appretiation of the soul. In this sense the point is to be understood, he would lose all the world rather than dispense with his obedience to God. This is selling all for the pearl of price, spoken of