Four useful discourses viz. ... /Four usefull discourses viz. ... /

First, Consider, How vile is thy heart, it is an argument of strong corruption that is in thy heart that the things of the Gospel cannot stick there.

And Consider, How vild it is, that wicked thoughts, vile base, unworthy, unclean, filthy thoughts can abide upon you. If the Devil dart in temptations they will abide and rest, why when he darts them in over-night, he can find them in the morning; perhaps if you have some vain or unclean thoughts, you can role them up and down in your mind for half a night together; perhaps day after day, and night after night, base and filthy thoughts are rolled up and down in your Spirits; these things can abide. Now what shall vile, filthy, ungodly thoughts rest in your hearts and shall not the Blessed and Glorious Truths of Jesus Christ and the things of the Kingdom of God rest upon your hearts?

And Consider, How vild it is, that wicked thoughts, vile base, unworthy, unclean, filthy thoughts can abide upon you. If the Devil dart in temptations they will abide and rest, why when he darts them in over-night, he can find them in the morning; perhaps if you have some vain or unclean thoughts, you can role them up and down in your mind for half a night together; perhaps day after day, and night after night, base and filthy thoughts are rol'd up and down in your Spirits; these things can abide. Now what shall vile, filthy, ungodly thoughts rest in your hearts and shall not the Blessed and Glorious Truths of Jesus Christ and the things of the Kingdom of God rest upon your hearts?

Yea, Consider further, That it is a most dangerous ⟨p. 194⟩thing for an essay of mercy to pass away and to do no good, for mercy to come and as it were make a trial upon the heart, and then leave it and no good done; this is a sad condition: It is not so dangerous while Men and Women are in such an estate as the mercy of God hath not made an essay as it were upon them. But now, When the Grace of the Gospel shall come to make an essay upon the heart, to make as it were a trial upon the heart and to have the repulse, this is a dangerous thing; for an offer of Gods Grace to be rejected is very sad, to loose one opportunity of Gods Mercy is a very sad thing; how dost thou know that ever they will come upon thy heart with that power that once they did, and therefore thy condition is very sad.