Four books on the eleventh of Matthew

Seventhly, A carnal heart, the ease that it hath in Gods ways, it is all a like aswell one time as at another time, it is not so with the Saints, they have ease, but they do not find it all alike when indeed they can be constant in Gods ways, then they find constant ease, but because sometimes they find corruption prevail then indeed the ways of God are difficult, more difficult then at other times, when they find a temptation that overcomes their hearts, they find a great deal of difficulty before they can get it off, but this will discover many men to be naught, when you find your corruptions prevail, you can have as much ease as at other times, As suppose you have been the last week drunk, or have been committing uncleanness, or have been in Company, and you can come to the Sacrament on the Lords day, and join with the Minister when at prayer, you can come and put on your sunday clothes (as you call them) and sit at the word, and it is as easy to you ⟨p. 668⟩as any other thing, surely, now thy heart is but carnal, wert thou spiritual, if thy heart were conscious of some sin committed the week before when thou wert in company, Oh! when thou comest to the word, thou wouldest find the word as a dagger stuck to thy soul, thou wouldest find the presence of God terrible to thee, in prayer, and in the word and Sacrament: but canst thou give way to thy sin in the week time, and God knows that thou hast not been humbled before the Lords day, and yet canst thou come and join in prayer, and the word, and Sacrament with ease, this is a sign of a carnal heart, that thou art not acquainted with God or any of his ways: but it is otherwise with a gracious heart, he hath ease, the presence of God is comfortable unto him so long as he can keep his reckoning even between God and his Soul, but if he should give way to sin, and draw the power of the devil upon him when he comes into the presence of God, he finds the presence of God terrible unto him.

Seventhly, A carnal heart, the ease that it hath in Gods waies, it is all a like aswel one time as at another time, it is not so with the Saints, they have ease, but they do not find it all alike when indeed they can be constant in Gods waies, then they find constant ease, but because sometimes they find corruption prevail then indeed the waies of God are difficult, more difficult then at other times, when they find a temptation that overcomes their hearts, they find a great deal of difficulty before they can get it off, but this will discover many men to be naught, when you find your corruptions prevail, you can have as much ease as at other times, As suppose you have been the last week drunk, or have been committing uncleaness, or have been in Company, and you can come to the Sacrament on the Lords day, and joyne with the Minister when at prayer, you can come and put on your sunday clothes (as you cal them) and sit at the word, and it is as easy to you