The divine life in three treatises

While a miserable soul hath his back upon God, and his face upon the world, every step he goeth is an act of folly▪ as tending unto his further misery. It can be no act of wisdom, which tendeth to a mans damnation. When such a wretch begins to enquire and bethink him where he is, and whither he is going, and whither he should go, and to think of turning back to God, then and never till then, he is beginning to come to himself, and to be wise, Luk. 15. 17. Till God and Glory be the End that he aimeth at, and seriously bends his study, heart and life to seek, though a man were searching into the mysteries of nature, though he were studying or discussing the notions of Theology; though he were admired for his earning and wisdom by the world, and cried up as the Oracle of the Earth, he is all the while but playing the fool, and going a cleanlier way to Hell than the grosser sinners of the world! For •s he wise, that knoweth not whether Heaven or Earth be better? whether God or his Flesh should be obeyed? whether everlasting joys, or the transitory pleasures of sin, should be preferred? or that seemeth to be convinced of the truth in these and such like cases, and yet hath not the wit to make his choice, and bend his life according to his conviction? He cannot be wise that practically mistakes his End.

While a miserable soul hath his back upon God, and his face upon the world, every step he goeth is an act of folly▪ as tending unto his further misery. It can be no act of wisdome, which tendeth to a mans damnation. When such a wretch begins to enquire and bethink him where he is, and whither he is going, and whither he should go, and to think of turning back to God, then and never till then, he is beginning to come to himself, and to be wise, Luk. 15. 17. Till God and Glory be the End that he aimeth at, and seriously bends his study, heart and life to seek, though a man were searching into the mysteries of nature, though he were studying or discussing the notions of Theology; though he were admired for his earning and wisdome by the world, and cryed up as the Oracle of the Earth, he is all the while but playing the fool, and going a cleanlier way to Hell than the grosser sinners of the world! For •s he wise, that knoweth not whether Heaven or Earth be better? whether God or his Flesh should be obeyed? whether everlasting joyes, or the transitory pleasures of sin, should be preferred? or that seemeth to be convinced of the truth in these and such like cases, and yet hath not the wit to make his choice, and bend his life according to his conviction? He cannot be wise that practically mistakes his End.