Gospel-conversation

3 A third sign of a man of this world, is this, A man of the world blesses those that are like himself, looks upon and measures the happiness or misery of other men, according to what they do enjoy, or according to what they do enjoy in this world. They call the proud, happy; I mean by this they measure the happiness of other men, according to what they have of the world, and think that the mere enjoying of worldly accommodations is enough to make men happy, notwithstanding they see them to be very wicked and sinful, yet so long as they flourish as a green bay tree, yet rejoice in them and with them, yea, get themselves in the midst of the guilt that is upon them, when conscience (as a wolf in their bosom) flies in their faces, yet they can bless themselves in the enjoyment of outward comforts, and set that against any trouble of mind whatsoever, as if so be it were enough to make up their comforts: I have been at such a place, and contracted such guiltiness upon my soul, committed such sins, Oh! what shall comfort me now? well, he comes home, and sees all well about him, his house furnished, his table spread, means coming in as a flood, and this quiets him: here's a worldly heart: whereas were the heart taken off from the world, the possession of all under Christ would never calm a conscience that hath any guilt upon it; when I have contracted any guilt upon my soul, although I see all well about me, Oh! till I have an assurance from the Holy Ghost the Witness of the Spirit, that the guilt of my sin is washed away in the blood of Jesus Christ, what will all these do me good? I have these and these comforts, Oh! but I have an unclean conscience, a leprous soul: Doest thou set the good things here to countervail the evil of sin? Certainly, thou ⟨p. 167⟩art a man of the world, thy name is written in the earth▪ thou art but living dust and ashes at the best. And the world is like to be the only portion of thy soul, thou art a stranger to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. That's a second Use.

3 A third sign of a man of this world, is this, A man of the world blesses those that are like himself, looks upon and measures the happiness or misery of other men, according to what they do enjoy, or according to what they do enjoy in this world. They call the proud, happy; I mean by this they measure the happiness of other men, according to what they have of the world, and think that the meer enjoying of worldly accommodations is enough to make men happy, notwithstanding they see them to be very wicked and sinful, yet so long as they flourish as a green bay tree, yet rejoyce in them and with them, yea, get themselves in the midst of the guilt that is upon them, when conscience (as a woolf in their bosom) flyes in their faces, yet they can blesse themselves in the enjoyment of outward comforts, and set that against any trouble of mind whatsoever, as if so be it were enough to make up their comforts: I have been at such a place, and contracted such guiltiness upon my soul, committed such sins, Oh! what shall comfort me now? well, he comes home, and sees all wel about him, his house furnished, his table spread, means coming in as a floud, and this quiets him: here's a worldly heart: whereas were the heart taken off from the world, the possession of al under Christ would never calm a conscience that hath any guilt upon it; when I have contracted any guilt upon my soul, although I see all well about me, Oh! till I have an assurance from the Holy Ghost the Witness of the Spirit, that the guilt of my sin is washt away in the blood of Jesus Christ, what wil all these do me good? I have these and these comforts, Oh! but I have an unclean conscience, a leprous soul: Doest thou set the good things here to countervail the evil of sin? Certainly, thou