The blessedness of the righteous discoursed from Psal. 17, 15 /The blessednesse of the righteous discoursed from Psal. 17, 15 /

Then Heaven and Hell become with them Fancies and Dreams, and all that we have said to them false and fabulous. We are to the most, as men that mock, in our most serious warnings, and counsels, and the word of the Lord is a reproach. We sometimes fill our mouths with Arguments, and our hearts with Hope, and think, sure, they will now yield, but they esteem our strongest reasonings (as Leviathan doth Iron, and Brass) but as Straw, and rotten Wood, and laugh at Divine threatenings; as he doth at the shaking of the Spear. Yea, and when we have convinced them, yet we have done nothing; though we have got their Judgements and Consciences on our side, and their own; their Lusts, only, reluctate, and carry all. They will now have their way, though they perish. We see them perishing under our very eye, and we cry to them (in thy name, O Lord) to turn, and live, but they regard us not. For these things sometimes we weep in secret, and our eyes trickle ⟨p. 269⟩down with tears, yea we cry to thee, O Lord! and thou hearest us not; thy hand seems shortened, that it cannot save; it puts not on strength as in the days of old. It hath snatched souls by thousands, as firebrands out of the fire, but now thou hidest and drawest it back. Who hath believed our report, to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed. Mean while even the Devils instruments prosper more than we. And he that makes it his business to tempt, and entice down souls to hell, succeeds more then we that would allure them to heaven.

Then Heaven and Hell become with them Phancies and Dreams, and all that we have said to them false and fabulous. We are to the most, as men that mock, in our most serious warnings, and counsels, and the word of the Lord is a reproach. We sometimes fill our mouthes with Arguments, and our hearts with Hope, and think, sure, they will now yield, but they esteem our strongest reasonings (as Leviathan doth Iron, and Brass) but as Straw, and rotten Wood, and laugh at Divine threatnings; as he doth at the shaking of the Spear. Yea, and when we have convinc't them, yet we have done nothing; though we have got their Judgements and Consciences on our side, and their own; their Lusts, onely, reluctate, and carry all. They will now have their way, though they perish. We see them perishing under our very eye, and we cry to them (in thy name, O Lord) to turn, and live, but they regard us not. For these things sometimes we weep in secret, and our eyes trickle ⟨p. 269⟩