but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken; a man is dejected, his spirits sink, and it is seen in his countenance: there is a great sympathy between the body and mind, the one is much affected by the other; when the heart is full of sorrow, the animal spirits are low, the nerves are loosened, the whole frame, of nature is enfeebled, and the body emaciated; this is often the case through outward troubles [d]: physicians say [e] that grief weakens the strength, and destroys the spirits, more than labour does. "The sorrow of the world worketh death", 2Co 7:10; and sometimes, through spiritual troubles, a sense of sin and guilt of it, a legal sorrow, which produces a legal contrition of spirit; and such "a wounded spirit who can bear?" Pr 18:14. This is the effect of a mere work of the law upon the conscience; and stands opposed to the spiritual joy, and the effects of it, the Gospel brings. [c] xmv bl "cor gaudens", V. L. Baynus. [d] "Frangit fortia corda dolor", Tibullus, l. 3. Eleg. 2. v. 6. [e] Fernel. Method. Medendi, l. 7. c. 9. p. 54.
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