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,…

A misconceit of Gods justice, and a straining and racking of his mercy beyond his truth and promise: so making the way to heaven broader then the Scripture hath made it, and himself more blessed then he is indeed. Mans heart is naturally empoisoned with pride and hypocrisy, and therefore is hardly drawn heartily to acknowledge the horrible ugliness of his sin; or that Gods proceeding against it with such weight of vengeance is equal. Hence comes much indulgence, and partial censuring of our own sins, transferring them upon allurements, occasions, circumstances, necessity and the like: much lessening and impairing Gods justice, but amplifying his mercies, even to the securing of unwarrantable courses. Adam immediately after his fall shifteth off his sin upon his wife; nay, he is so blind in spiritual judgement of divine purity, that rather then he will cry guilty, he will fasten the fault by consequent upon God himself. The woman, saith he, which thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. So gladly would sensual men persuade themselves, that either their sins deserve not so strict account and great judgements; or that God doth exercise too much rigour in inflicting them. For out of their worldly wisdom they measure and esteem the unspotted and infinite Ocean of the justice of God, by the finite, muddy and imperfect stream of humane justice. Laws and constitutions of states and kingdoms are bridles to curb and moderate our corruption, that we become sociable and peaceable; but they cut off only from the Body politic by final execution, those that are of notorious and desperate condition, such as are Thieves, Murderers, Traitors and the like. A very proportionable conceit, I am persuaded, of divine justice and comminations in the law of God, lurks in the hearts of many; they think that those sins that arise inevitably out of our ⟨p. 59⟩corrupt nature, or that are committed by strong temptation, or that are less pernicious, are, I know not how, naturally pardonable;

A misconceit of Gods iustice, and a straining and racking of his mercy beyond his truth and promise: so making the way to heauen broder then the Scripture hath made it, and himselfe more blessed then he is indeed. Mans heart is naturally empoysoned with pride and hypocrisie, and therefore is hardly drawne hartily to acknowledge the horrible vglinesse of his sin; or that Gods proceeding against it with such waight of vengeance is equall. Hence comes much indulgence, and partiall censuring of our owne sinnes, transferring them vpon allurements, occasions, circumstances, necessitie and the like: much lessening and impairing Gods iustice, but amplifying his mercies, euen to the securing of vnwarrantable courses. Adam immediately after his fall shifteth off his sin vpon his wife; nay, he is so blind in spirituall iudgement of diuine purity, that rather then hee will crie guiltie, he will fasten the fault by consequent vpon God himselfe. The woman, saith hee, which thou gauest to bee with mee, shee gaue mee of the tree, and I did eate. So gladly would sensuall men persuade themselues, that either their sinnes deserue not so strict account and great iudgements; or that God doth exercise too much rigour in inflicting them. For out of their worldly wisedome they measure and esteeme the vnspotted and infinite Ocean of the iustice of God, by the finite, muddie and imperfect streame of humane iustice. Lawes and constitutions of states and kingdomes are bridles to curbe and moderate our corruption, that we become sociable and peaceable; but they cut off only from the Body politique by finall execution, those that are of notorious and desperate condition, such as are Theeues, Murtherers, Traitors and the like. A verie proportionable conceit, I am persuaded, of diuine iustice and comminations in the law of God, lurkes in the hearts of many; they thinke that those sinnes that arise ineuitably out of our