10 The body an imperfect organ to the soul, Ep. to our exertions to express ourselves likewise become faint *'. For many a year's circuit has gone by since I have been afflicted with frequent pains in the bowels, and the powers of my stomach being broken down, makes me at all times and seasons weakly ; and under the influence of fevers, slow, but in constant succession, I draw my breath with difficulty; and when in the midst of these sufferings I ponder with earnest Heb.i2.heed, that according to the testimony of Scripture, He scourgeth every son whom He receiveth; the more I am weighed down by the severity of present afflictions, from my anticipations for eternity, I gather strength to breathe with so much the better assurance. And perchance it was this that Divine Providence designed, that I a stricken one, should set forth Job stricken, and that by these scourges I should the more perfectly enter into the feelings of one that was scourged. Yet it will be evident to all that consider the thing aright, that bodily ailment hinders the pursuits wherein I labour, and that with no slight power of opposi- tion "i in this respect, that, when the powers of the flesh are not strong enough to discharge the office of speech, the mind cannot adequately convey its meaning. For what is the office of the body saving to be the organ of the mind ; and •cantan-though the musician be ever so skilled in playing^ he cannot put his art in practice unless outward aids accord with 2 cantU himself for that purpose, for we know that the melody ^ which the hand of the proficient bids, is not rightly given back by instruments that are out of order ; nor does the wind express his art, if the pipe, gaping with crevices, gives a grating sound. How much more affected in quality then is a thing like this exposition of mine, wherein the grace of delivery is so dissipated by the broken condition of the instrument, that no contrivance of skill can avail to recover it! But I beg that in going through the statements of this work, you would not seek the foliage of eloquence therein : for by the sacred oracles the vanity of a barren wordiness is purposely debarred those that treat thereof, in that it is forbidden to plant a grove in the temple of God. And doubtless we are all of us aware, p His letters add severe attacks of 1 * Adversitate.' This sense should the gout to the infirmities mentioned be borne in mind when the Church here, see 1. xi. ep. 32. &c. prays against ' adversity.' cum