Certain select cases resolved specially tending to the right ordering of the heart, that…

Your sixth trouble set down in two heads, ⟨p. 39⟩put into one for brevity, viz. secret unwillingness to seek God in the strictest solemn services, before you enter into them; weariness of them while they last, and glad when they are gone: the reasons which you mention are, partly fear of not using them aright, together with melancholy, and lastly, the strictness of them.¹

Your sixth trouble set downe in two heads, ⟨p. 39⟩put into one for brevity, viz. secret unwillingnesse to seeke God in the strictest sol•mn services, before you enter into them; wearinesse of them while they last, and glad when they are gone: the reasons which you mention are, partly feare of not using them aright, together with melancholy, and lastly, the strictnesse of them.¹

1. 1Answ.

It is very true, there is abundance of wildness in our hearts, which naturally seek to have their liberty abroad, and cannot endure to be pent in the narrow room of holy performances, extraordinary duties, &c. no more then children can be pent up from their play. And hence it is weary of them, and glad to think of their departures and ends. And truly it is one of the most grievous miseries that a holy heart can feel, and I beseech the Lord of heaven and earth to keep you, and me, and all his for ever, while we are here in our valley, under the sense of such distempers as our greatest misery. And therefore me thought it was a solemn sweet speech of an honest man to his friend, who seeing him oppressed with such distempers as you mention, and perceiving him to droop under them, he came cheerfully to him, and suddenly said unto him, I can tell you good news, the best that ever you heard, viz. As soon as ever you are in Heaven, you shall serve Christ without weariness: Which words well thought on, revived the man. That which I would speak with as much tenderness of compassion as I am able to you, I refer to these things.