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 us imagine an evil report or false slander to be unjustly raised, and without ground upon the formal hypocrite, though it seldom befall such; for commonly profane men are more countenanced, better conceived and spoken of by the greater part, and by great men, then they deserve. Yet if it so fall out; this or the like is his behaviour: He perhaps proclaims and protests his clearness in the case too ambitiously and impotently; not with that humility and spiritual discretion: He pleaseth and applaudeth himself in his innocency, for this particular, boisterously and with clamour, which perhaps secretly breeds a ⟨p. 107⟩more general Pharisaical self-conceit of the rest of his ways: He angerly contests with the iniquity, and ingratitude of the world, for casting such base indignities and aspersions upon goodness and virtue: He would gladly bear it out bravely, and make others think that he passeth it without wound or passion; but indeed he inwardly chases and frets, and is much grieved and galled with worldly sorrow for it: the reason is, his reputation with men is dearer unto him, then the glory of God; his chiefest good and comfort in this world, is the worlds good opinion of him. But in all this, he is so far from working any spiritual good out of it, that he rather entertains a secret encouragement to be that indeed, which the world censures him to be, then for a bare concealed conscience of his innocency, to debar himself of a full fruition of the present times.

Let vs imagine an euill report or false slander to bee vniustly raised, and without ground vpon the formall hypocrite, though it seldome befall such; for commonly prophane men are more countenanced, better conceiued and spoken of by the greater part, and by great men, then they deserue. Yet if it so fall out; this or the like is his behauiour: He perhaps proclaimes and protests his cleerenesse in the case too ambitiously and impotently; not with that humilitie and spirituall discretion: He pleaseth and applaudeth himselfe in his innocency, for this particular, boisterously and with clamour, which perhaps secretly breeds a ⟨p. 107⟩more generall Pharisaicall selfe-conceit of the rest of his waies: He angerly contests with the iniquitie, and ingratitude of the world, for casting such base indignities and aspersions vpon goodnesse and vertue: He would gladly beare it out brauely, and make others think that he passeth it without wound or passion; but indeed he inwardly chases and frets, and is much grieued and gauled with worldly sorrow for it: the reason is, his reputation with men is dearer vnto him, then the glory of God; his chiefest good and comfort in this world, is the worlds good opinion of him. But in all this, he is so farre from working any spirituall good out of it, that he rather entertaines a secret encouragement to be that indeed, which the world censures him to be, then for a bare conceald conscience of his innocency, to debarre himselfe of a full fruition of the present times.