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,…

Let those then examine themselves at this mark; who, howsoever shame keep them from unclean practises, and grosser acts of filthiness; yet inwardly boil in speculative wantonness and adulteries of the heart. Those, who howsoever their indirect means speed not for mounting themselves to high estate, yet spend their best thoughts all their life long, in projecting and contriving, as though they were borne to advance themselves, and not to honour God in their •allings. Those, who though they do not enclose, oppress and grind the faces of the poor; yet have their hearts exercised in covetousness. Those, who though they have forsaken some sins, yet maintain in themselves one known sweet sin. Those, who though laws, and fear of danger ⟨p. 73⟩restrain from railing with open mouths against our State, yet harbour secret repinings, murmurings, unthankfulness, and discontentments. Even a contemptuous thought of a king, or lawful authority, is a sin of high nature: and me thinks, for the miraculousness of the discovery; is paralleled in Ecclesiastes, to the bloodiness of actual murder. That which hath wings (saith the Preacher) shall declare the matter.¹

Let those then examine themselues at this marke; who, howsoeuer shame keepe them from vncleane practises, and grosser acts of filthines; yet inwardly boyle in speculatiue wantonnesse and adulteries of the heart. Those, who howsoeuer their indirect meanes speed not for mounting themselues to high estate, yet spend their best thoughts all their life long, in proiecting and contriuing, as though they were borne to aduance themselues, and not to honour God in their •allings. Those, who though they doe not enclose, oppresse and grind the faces of the poore; yet haue their hearts exercised in couetousnes. Those, who though they haue forsakē some sins, yet maintain in themselues one known sweet sinne. Those, who though lawes, and feare of danger ⟨p. 73⟩restraine from railing with open mouthes against our State, yet harbour secret repinings, murmurings, vnthankfulnesse, and discontentments. Euen a contemptuous thought of a king, or lawfull authority, is a sinne of high nature: and me thinkes, for the miraculousnesse of the discouerie; is paralleld in Ecclesiastes, to the bloodinesse of actuall murther. That which hath wings (saith the Preacher) shall declare the matter.