A Body of Practical Divinity

3. Subject to all outward Miseries: All the Troubles incident to Man's Life are the bitter Fruits of Original Sin; The sin of Adam hath subjected the Creature to Vanity, Rom. 8.20. Is it not a part of the Creature's Vanity, that all the Comforts here below will not fill the Heart, no more then the Mariner's breath can fill the Sails of a Ship: Job 2•.22. In the midst of his sufficiency he shall be in straits. There is still something wanting, and a Man would have more: the Heart is always Hydropical, it thirsts and is not satisfied. Solomon put all the Creatures into a Limbeck, and when he came to extract the Spirits and Quintessence, there was nothing but Froth, ⟨p. 88⟩all was Vanity, Eccles. 1.2. Nay, 'tis vexing Vanity, not only Emptiness but Bitterness. Our Life is Labour and Sorrow, we come into the World with a Cry, go out with a Groan, Ps. 90.10. Some have said that they would not be to live the Life they have lived over again, because their Life hath had more Water in it than Wine. More Water of Tears then Wine of Joy: Quid est diu vivere nisi diu torqueri, Aug. Man is born to trouble, Job 5.7. Every one is not born Heir to Land, but he is born Heir to Trouble; as well separate Weight from Lead. We do not finish our Troubles in this Life, but change them. Trouble is the Vermin bred out of the puttered matter of Sin. Whence are all our Fears, but from Sin? 1 Joh. 4.18. There is torment in fear. Fear is the Ague of the Soul, sets it a shaking: some fear Want, others Alarms, others fear loss of Relations: If we rejoice 'tis with Trembling. Whence are all our Disappointment of Hopes, but from Sin? Where we look for Comfort, there a Cross: where we expect Honey there we taste Wormwood: Whence is it that the Earth is filled with Violence, that the Wicked oppresseth the Man which is more righteous then he?