A discourse about the state of true happiness delivered in certain sermons in Oxford,…A discourse about the state of true happinesse deliuered in certaine sermons in Oxford,…

So that howsoever this enmity betwixt the world and the children of light be many times bridled by the restraining spirit of God, sometimes by the ingenuousness of the wicked, ⟨p. 42⟩or their moral virtue or policy or some by-respect, or by accident be turned into love; because by the presence and prayers of the godly they many times escape judgements, and receive blessings. Yet I say, howsoever it be thus bridled, in it self it is more then ordinary or natural, and hath in it some degree and mixture of hellish virulency. Ordinary hatred expires in the down-fall of his adversary: Nay, any one of generous mind out of the interest he challengeth in the common state of humanity, will commiserate the distress and affliction even of his greatest and basest enemy; but much more of one of noble spirit and eminent worth, and more then that, of one that hath followed him with all offices of kindness and love: yet the flame of this hatred is so fierce & so set on fire by hell, that it is not extinguished even with the blood of his supposed Opposite, but barbarously sports in his miseries, & with insolency tramples upon his desolations. This appeareth clearly in the example of David, Psal. 35.15. But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: the abjects assembled themselves against me, and I knew not; they tare me and ceased not. Who without indignation can think upon these lewd companions and base drunkards, that with the false scoffers at banquets gnashed their teeth and cruelly insulted over the misery and disgrace of that man, that was a man after Gods own heart, of incomparable excellency, and so kindly affected towards them, that when they were sick, he clothed himself with a sack, he humbled his soul with fasting, and mourned as one that mourneth for his mother? You see then the fountain both of the greater stoods of bloody persecutions, and the lesser streams of inferior vexations; as slanders, railings and false imputations. To some particulars whereof I now come.

So that howsoeuer this enmitie betwixt the world and the children of light be many times bridled by the restraining spirit of God, sometimes by the ingenuousnesse of the wicked, ⟨p. 42⟩or their morall vertue or policie or some by-respect, or by accident bee turned into loue; because by the presence and praiers of the godly they many times escape iudgements, and receiue blessings. Yet I say, howsoeuer it be thus bridled, in it selfe it is more then ordinary or naturall, and hath in it some degree and mixture of hellish virulencie. Ordinarie hatred expires in the downe-fall of his aduersarie: Nay, any one of generous mind out of the interest he challengeth in the common state of humanitie, will commiserate the distresse and affliction euen of his greatest and basest enemie; but much more of one of noble spirit and eminent worth, and more then that, of one that hath followed him with all offices of kindnes and loue: yet the flame of this hatred is so firce & so set on fire by hell, that it is not extinguished euen with the blood of his supposed Opposite, but barbarously sports in his miseries, & with insolēcy tramples vpon his desolations. This appeareth clearely in the example of Dauid,