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,…

But if Satan meet with a strong man in Christ, he tempts him by those two methods I told you of before, sometimes by wasting his zeal, sometimes by weakening his faith, and a ⟨p. 101⟩thousand moe. Amid which infinite variety, he is for the most part constant in one point of policy, and that is this: He conceals his greatest fury, his most desperate assault unto the last: He reserves his fieriest dart, his deadliest poison, his sharpest sting, his Gunpowder-plot until he meet us on our deaths bed. Wherefore, beloved in Christ Jesus, we had need every man to be strongly and soundly prepared and armed against that great and last encounter with Satan; upon which depends our everlasting estate, either in the joys of heaven, or pains of hell. Oh at that day, (and we little know how near it is) it is not our deep reaches and unfathomed policies and projects, the countenance and patronage of great personages, our merry and pleasant companions, or the plurality of livings and preferments, that can yield us any comfort or assistance in that terrible and fearful combat. Nay, though we now little think upon it, all the worldly contentments, that we have either indirectly purchased, or unconscionably employed, he will then turn unto us into Scorpions, stings and worms of conscience. Only at that day a good conscience will hold out as armour of proof; which, as it hath bin on earth a continual feast, so their it will be unto us a great and everlasting Jubilee for evermore.

But if Satan meet with a strong man in Christ, he tempts him by those two methods I told you of before, somtimes by wasting his zeale, sometimes by weakening his faith, and a ⟨p. 101⟩thousand moe. Amid which infinite varietie, he is for the most part constant in one point of policy, and that is this: He cōceales his greatest fury, his most desperate assault vnto the last: He reserues his fieriest dart, his deadliest poison, his sharpest sting, his Gunpouder-plot vntill he meete vs on our deaths bed. Wherefore, beloued in Christ Iesus, we had need euery man to be strongly and soundly prepared and armed against that great and last encounter with Satan; vpon which depends our euerlasting estate, either in the ioies of heauen, or paines of hell. Oh at that day, (and we little know how neere it is) it is not our deepe reaches and vnfathomd policies and proiects, the countenance and patronage of great personages, our merrie and plesant companions, or the pluralitie of liuings and preferments, that can yeeld vs any comfort or assistance in that terrible and fearefull combat. Nay, though we now little thinke vpon it, all the worldly contentments, that we haue either indirectly purchased, or vnconscionably imploid, he will then turne vnto vs into Scorpions, stings and wormes of conscience. Onely at that day a good conscience will hold out as armour of proofe; which, as it hath bin on earth a continuall feast, so their it will bee vnto vs a great and euerlasting Iubilee for euermore.