Twenty sermons preached at Oxford before His Majesty, and elsewhere

But this man goes farther; I not only compare my self with others, but with my self too, and find good ground to conclude the safeness of my condition. I remember a time, when I was vain and idle, when I ran in a way contrary to God. But now I have sowed my wild-oats; and whereas before I was loose and dissolute, I have care to do my duty, to serve God, &c. I am not so profane as formerly, my estate must needs be good. This is a very dangerous thing to say, that because I am not as bad, as I was, I am therefore good: It is as if a man had a debtor, a slack paymaster, to whom the Creditor calls earnestly to pay the debt, the best answer the debtor gives is this, I am sure there are many worse paymasters in the World then I am, and I my self have been a worse, and more slow paymaster heretofore then I am now. Well, because there are worse paymasters, and he himself hath been a worse, doth this make him a better now? And shall this serve to excuse thee, by comparing thy self with others that are worse? And with thy self, that because thou hast mended thy self in some particulars, therefore thou art in the way to Heaven? It is a fal•e and foolish Conclusion.

But this man goes farther; I not only compare my self with others, but with my self too, and find good ground to conclude the safeness of my condition. I remember a time, when I was vain and idle, when I ran in a way contrary to God. But now I have sowed my wild-oats; and whereas before I was loose and dissolute, I have care to do my duty, to serve God, &c. I am not so prophane as formerly, my estate must needs be good. This is a very dangerous thing to say, that because I am not as bad, as I was, I am therefore good: It is as if a man had a debter, a slack paymaster, to whom the Creditor calls earnestly to pay the debt, the best answer the debtor gives is this, I am sure there are many worse paymasters in the World then I am, and I my self have been a worse, and more slow paymaster heretofore then I am now. Well, because there are worse paymasters, and he himself hath been a worse, doth this make him a better now? And shall this serve to excuse thee, by comparing thy self with others that are worse? And with thy self, that because thou hast mended thy self in some particulars, therefore thou art in the way to Heaven? It is a fal•e and foolish Conclusion.