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, they cannot secure the conscience distressed §2with the apprehension of the wrath of God, or prevent his judgements. Memorable is that horrible amazement, that ⟨p. 10⟩surprised the heart of Belshazzar […] his greatest jollities. Melting he was in pleasures, and deliciousness; solacing himself amongst his wives, and concubines; carousing in the golden, and silver vessels of the Temple. But when there appeared fingers of a mans hand, which wrote over against the Candlestick upon the plaster of the wall: a remembrancer unto his conscience, how contemptuously, and sacrilegiously he had dishonoured the highest Majesty; and that the vials of Gods heavy vengeance were ready to be poured upon his head, all the joys of his royal pomp vanished as the smoke. For then the Kings countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his Joins were loosed, and his knees smote one against the other. And now, one pang of his wounded conscience did much more torment him, then the kingdom, majesty, glory, and honour, which he received from his father Nebuchadnezzar could ever comfort him. So, I doubt not, but many times, the hearts of many glorious Ones in this life, that are not in trouble like other men; but spread themselves as green bay-trees; when they hear the certain judgements of God, denounced out of his book by his Ministers, against those sins, to which by long custom, and vowed resolution, they have fastened their affections, because thereon depend their pleasures, honours, states, reputations, contented passing the time, or the like: I say, that many times (except their consciences be feared up with an hot iron, against the day of vengeance, and then their case is unspeakably woeful) their hearts tremble, even as the trees of the forrest, that are shaken with the wind. Amid their laughing, their hearts are sorrowful. Or if their mirth be entire; it is but like the noise of the thorns under the pot. Thorns under a pot, you know, make a great crackling, and noise for a little time; they blaze fair, and bright; but are suddenly extinct, and brought to nothing. Neither are these cold comforters able to quench Gods fiery jealousy, when it breaks forth in plagues, and judgements against a sinful people. Witness the Prophets: Zepha. Chap. 1.17.18. Their blood shall be ⟨p. 11⟩poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.