Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…

Secondly, is it so that the strength of the inward man is to be desired above all things, then in the second place ¹it may serve for exhortation to all men, that they would labour to grow strong in the Inward man, And that they would now at the last gather the fragments of their thoughts and desires, which have been formerly set to get other things, & wholly to employ them for the getting of this strength. And so much the rather, because other things are as the husk without the kernel, or as the scabbard without the sword, which will do a man no good, when he stands in need of them. As for example, to be strong in riches, honour, credit (and this is all the strength that most men desire) what good will these do, when you come to wrestle with sin and death? yet men are violent after these, but to be strong in the Inward man who seeks or inquires after it? I know every man desires to be strong in all earthly strength, but I beseech you above all things labour to be strong in the Inward man, It is the folly, weakness, and sickness of men, they look all without doors, and upon outward things, That is to the strength of the outward man, but they seldom or never look within at all, that is to strengthen the Inward man: Oh that I could persuade you as I said before, to gather up your thoughts and desires together, and set the soul in assurance of grace, that you may mortify these inordinate affections, which keep back the strengthening of the Inward man, as covetousness, pride, pleasure, self-love, vain glory and the like: Then it would be an easy work, and no burden unto you to strengthen the Inward man: but here men stick, the way is too narrow, it is a hard matter to persuade men to it, That is, To make them believe there is such excellency in the one & not in the other, that grace is the better part, Therefore that I may the better prevail with you to attend to the strengthening of the Inward man. ⟨p. 61⟩I will lay down some motives to incite you to it.

Secondly, is it so that the strength of the inward man is to be desired above all things, then in the second place ¹it may serve for exhortation to all men, that they would labour to grow strong in the Inward man, And that they would now at the last gather the fragments of their thoughts and desires, which have been formerly set to get other things, & wholly to imploy them for the getting of this strength. And so much the rather, because other things are as the husk without the kernel, or as the scabberd without the sword, which will do a man no good, when he stands in need of them. As for example, to be strong in riches, honour, credit (and this is all the strength that most men desire) what good will these do, when you come to wrestle with sin and death? yet men are violent after these, but to be strong in the Inward man who seekes or inquires after it? I know every man desires to be strong in all earthly strength, but I beseech you above all things labour to be strong in the Inward man, It is the folly, weakness, and sickness of men, they look all without doors, and upon outward things, That is to the strength of the outward man, but they seldom or never look within at all, that is to strengthen the Inward man: Oh that I could perswade you as I said before, to gather up your thoughts and desires together, and set the soul in assurance of grace, that you may mortifie these inordinate affections, which keep back the strengthening of the Inward man, as covetousness, pride, pleasure, self-love, vain glory and the like: Then it would be an easie work, and no burthen unto you to strengthen the Inward man: but here men stick, the way is too narrow, it is a hard matter to perswade men to it, That is, To make them believe there is such excellencie in the one & not in the other, that grace is the better part, Therefore that I may the better prevail with you to attend to the strengthening of the Inward man.