Bolton - Houston-Packer Collection BX9339.B65 A2 1641

L4 Difcourfe oftare happineffe. Atheifine,and the diffolution of all humane focietie; that to them the breachofthe lawes ofGod, ofnature, and nations, is meritorious,and worthy canonization ; ifit ferve any way to the advancement oftheir execrableidolatrie, to the repai- ringo their decaying L'hbylon, and toreare their Italian Idols, the ¡ rieft ofRoane, yet a little higher above all that is called God. In this refpeEt then, that the wicked dare enlarge their confciences to the utmoll bounds ofany pleafure, gaine or preferment,they have great advantage for the engroffing of all worldly happinef e,and may easily purchafe a Monopoly ofearthlyprolperitie.Out ofthis widenesof confcience,pro- ceede muchmincing and excufing,many interpretations, fa- vourable conflruaions, and diftinaions of finnes. As for example, that Vfury is of two forts, biting and toothleffe; when all kind of Vfury is pestilent, and molt certainely damned in the Bookeof God. That Simonie is either buy- ing the gifts of the holy Ghoil, or buying Church livings; as though this latter werenot fo foule andenormous, when it is able in Ihort time, to bring a curfe and confufion upon the molt glorious and bell fetled Church in the world. That oflyes, Tome are pernicious, fo ne are ofiicious, and for a greatergood; whenas even the learned Schoole-men, who are far enough from precifeneffe, hold every kind oflie tobe a In indifpenfable;whë as .rluffin that worthy father &great difputer, admits not a lie for the falvation of a mans foule, which is far more worth then thewhole world ; Nay, when a man is not to tell a lie for the glory of God,as it appearet4, lob t 3.then which there can be no greater good. O: O they, that fome aregreater and more bloudy ; forne are leger, or- dinary and more tolerable; as though cutlome and corn- monnelfe made thefe latter exccfable, and unpunifhable;:. when as the plague of God hangs continually over the head of what, fwearer foever, ready every boute to feaze upon him, and finke him downe into the bottome of hell..' The flyingbooke of Gods curfe and vengeance {hall .enter into the houfeof the fwearer, and{hall not onely'cut him off, but (hall SS.

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