Bolton - Houston-Packer Collection BX9339.B65 A2 1641

i o Difèourfè oftrue happineffe. i>an,f,6. Eccicf.7.8. furprifed the heart of BelJhaztar; amid his greater} jolities. Melting bee was inpleafiires, and delicioufneße; folacing himfelfe amongfi his 'wives and concubines; cároufing in thegolden andflyer veflel'sof the Temple. Butwhen there appeared fingersof a mans hand, which wrote over againft the Candleiticke, upon the plailler of the wall (a remem- brancerr'unto-his confcience,'how contemp*.uouíV, and fa- crilegioufly hee had difhonoured the higheft Majerfie; and thatthe vials ofGóds heávie vengeance were ready to bee po`wred uponhisliead) all the ¡oyesofhis royall pompeva- niflied as the fmoke: For then the Kings countenance mu changed , andbis thoughts troubled him, f that the joynts of hi loyner were loofed, and his knees fasote'one ageinfl theo thee. Andnow, one pang of hi§ wounded- confcience did much niòre torment him,then the'kingdome,majeflÿ,glory,' andhonour which hee received from his father Nebuchad- nezzarcould ever comfor him. So, I doubt not, but many times, thehearts ofmanyglörious Ones in this life, that are riot' iri trouble like other men; but ;fpread theiimfelves as greenebay-trees; when they heare the certaine judgements of God, denounced out ofhisbooke by his Minifters, againft thofe fnnes,to which (by long cuílomeand vowed retold tion)theyhave fattened their áffe6tions, becaufè thereon de- pend their pleafures, honours; í$ares; reputations, contented palling the tithe, or the. like : I fay, that many times (except their confciences bee feared up with a hot iron againft the day ofvengeance,andthen their cafe is unfpeaka,bly wofull) their hearts tremble, even as the treesofthe forreft, that are fhaken with the winde : AtnidEtheir laughing their hearts are forrowfull : Or iftheirmirthi be 'entire , it is but like the,' rooyfe ofthethornes under the psi. Thames under a pot, you know,make a great crackling; and a noyfe for alittle time : they blaze faire and bright, but are 'fuddenly extiiic ,, and brought tonothing., Neither are thofe cold co!nforters able to quench Iods'f t r jeícrufre, wheii'it nreakes' forth in plagues and judgements- againft a finfctll people. Witneffe the Prophets zephari :chap. i. r 7, i8. Theirdlersdfhall bee poured

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