CHAPTER IX.

VIRTUE AND VICE.

1. Sin, error, and negligence.

EVERY sin against God abateth, and continuance in sin extinguisheth, our love towards him; as we never decay in love till we sin, in like sort neither can we possibly forsake sin, unless we first began again to love.

Every error and offence is a stain to the beauty of nature, for which cause it blusheth thereat, but glorieth in the contrary.

The mixture of those things by speech which by nature are divided is the mother of all error.

That which error rashly uttereth in disgrace of good things, may peradventure be spunged out, when the print of those evils which are grown through neglect will remain behind.

2. Immorality.

Is it not wonderful, that base desires should so extinguish in men the sense of their own excellency, as to make them willing that their souls should be like to the souls of beasts, mortal and corruptible with their bodies? How should the brightness of wisdom shine, where the windows of the soul are of very set purpose closed?

3. Effects of immorality on faith.

We find by experience, that, although faith be an

intellectual habit of the mind, and have her seat in the understanding; yet an evil moral disposition, obstinately wedded to the love of darkness, dampeth the very light of heavenly illumination, and permitteth not the mind to see what doth shine before it. Men are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. Their assent to his saving truth is many times withheld from it, not that the truth is too weak to persuade, but because the stream of corrupt affection carrieth them a clean contrary way. That the mind therefore may abide in the light of faith, there must abide in the will as constant a resolution to have no fellowship at all with the vanities and works of darkness.

4. Pride and humility.

A vice which cleaveth so fast unto the hearts of men, that if we were to strip ourselves of all faults one by one, we should undoubtedly find it the very last and hardest to put off.

My eager protestations, made in the glory of my ghostly strength, I am ashamed of; but those crystal tears, wherewith my sin and weakness was bewailed, have procured my endless joy; my strength hath been my ruin, and my fall my stay.

The enemy that waiteth for all occasions to work our ruin, hath found it harder to overthrow an humble sinner, than a proud saint.

5. The alliance of humility with peace.

Give me the hearts of all men humbled; and what is there that can overthrow or disturb the peace of the world?

6. False security breedeth pride, fear humility.

They which sit at continual ease, and are settled

in the lees of their security, look upon them, view their countenance, their speech, their gesture, their deeds: Put them in fear, O God, saith the prophet, that so they may know themselves to be but men ; worms of earth, dust and ashes, frail, corruptible, feeble things.

CHAPTER X.

HAPPINESS AND PROSPERITY.

1. Happiness.

IT hath been truly said, and agreeably with all men's experience, that if the virtuous did excel in no other privilege, yet far happier they are than the contrary sort of men, for that their hopes be always better.

All men desire to lead in this world a happy life that life is led most happily, wherein all virtue is exercised without impediment or let.

2. True happiness from Religion.

If religion did possess sincerely and sufficiently the hearts of all men, there would need no other restraint from evil. This doth not only give life and perfection to all endeavours wherewith it concurreth: but what event soever ensues, it breedeth, if not joy and gladness always, yet always patience, satisfaction, and reasonable contentment of mind. Whereupon it hath been set down as an axiom of good experience, that all things religiously taken in hand are prosperously ended; because, whether men in the end have that which religion did allow them to desire, or that which it teacheth them contentedly to suffer, they are in neither event unfor

tunate.

If any thing desirable may be infinite, that must needs be the highest of all things that are desired. No good is infinite but only God; therefore he

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is our felicity and bliss. Again, it is not the possession of any good thing can make them happy which have it, unless they enjoy the things wherewith they are possessed.

Then are we happy therefore, when fully we enjoy God as an object wherein the powers of our souls are satisfied even with everlasting delight: so that although we be men, yet by being unto God united, we live as it were the life of God. How just occasion have we therefore, even in this respect, with the prophet to admire the goodness of God? Lord, what is man, that thou shouldst exalt him above the works of thy hands, so far as to make thyself the inheritance of his rest, and the substance of his felicity?

3. Influence of Religion on prosperity and adversity. This singular grace and pre-eminence religion hath, that either it guardeth as an heavenly shield from all calamities, or else conducteth us safe through them, and permitteth them not to be miseries; it either giveth honours, promotions, and wealth, or else more benefit by wanting them than if we had them at will; it either filleth our houses with plenty of all good things, or maketh a salad of green herbs more sweet than all the sacrifices of the ungodly.

4. Earthly riches sometimes an obstacle to true happiness.

An usual practice it is of Satan to cast heaps of worldly baggage in our way, that whilst we desire to heap up gold as dust, we may be brought at the length to esteem vilely spiritual bliss.

not.

Few men there are which long prosper and sin

5. True distinguished from false happiness. If any think that iniquity and peace, sin and pros