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,…

Secondly, he seeks to weaken our practise of godliness, by fastening upon us uncheerfulness, and unprofitableness in the means of the preservation of grace. For if he can once make us cold and negligent, or only formal, and cursory in the daily examination of our consciences, in hearing the word of God, in the godly exercises with our scholars or families, in public prayer, or our more private striving with God by groans and sighs, for the supply of some grace, or removal of some corruption; then there ever follows a languishing and decay of the life of grace. If we but perfunctorily receive the heavenly food into our understandings; and being hindered by distractions, carelessness or worldly cares, not digest it by meditation and conference, and by spiritual exercise of fervent prayer convey it into the several parts of our souls; our new man will quickly fall into a consumption.

Secondly, he seekes to weaken our practise of godlinesse, by fastening vpon vs vncheerefulnesse, and vnprofitablenesse in the meanes of the preseruation of grace. For if he can once make vs cold and negligent, or onely formall, and cursorie in the daily examination of our consciences, in hearing the word of God, in the godly exercises with our schollers or families, in publike prayer, or our more priuate striuing with God by groanes and sighes, for the supplie of some grace, or remooueall of some corruption; then there euer followes a languishing and decay of the life of grace. If we but perfunctorily receiue the heauenly food into our vnderstandings; and being hindered by distractions, carelesnesse or worldlie cares, not digest it by meditation and conference, and by spirituall exercise of seruent prayer conuey it into the seuerall parts of our soules; our new man wil quickly fall into a consumption.

Thirdly, he doth notably dull and darken our holiness and sincerity, by casting us upon ungodly and profane company: which hath I know not what secret and bewitching ⟨p. 95⟩power to transform others into their own fashions and conditions; and to make them sometimes to condemn their former forwardness and zeal in the service of God. For as the feed cast into the earth draws unto it self by little and little the property of that soil whereunto it is transported, until at length it becomes like that which doth there naturally grow: so the spirits and manners of men commonly conform themselves to those with whom they ordinarily converse. Lamentable then is their case, base their resolution, and miserable their comfort, who for advantage, faction, foresight and hope of future gratifications, or any other by-respect, plunge themselves into such companies, where perhaps they may enjoy many pleasant passages of wit, set, and artificial disports, and passing the time, direction in their worldly affairs, combination against the power of religion, and the true professors thereof: but where they shall find no furtherance in the way to heaven, no comfort in heavenly things, no encouragement to piety, no counsel in tentations, no consolation upon their deaths-bed. O how much better were it, for these few and wretched days, to sort and solace themselves amongst the Saints of God, with whom they might shine as glorious lights together in the earth, and hereafter in the heavens above the brightness of the sun for evermore; rather then profanely to sport themselves in Meshech, and for a season proudly to ruffle it in the tents of Kedar, where there is no light of grace, no joint expectation of eternity, but darkness of sin, and shadow of death! Mistake me not in this point: I would not have men go out of the world, or become Separists. I would rather have them, if they will understand Paul aright, be made all things to all men, that they might by all means save some: That is, I would have the children of God not be wanting in any offices of kindness or piety, but to yield and communicate themselves so far as duty, charity, humanity, necessity of their general or particular calling upon good warrant, and just occasion my challenge and exact at their hands.