Pro.a7.af. +ií4 Difcourfeoftrue happineffe. as the hand of the greaten Giant, though not hold it fo ftrongly : a weake faith may be a true faith, and fo a laving faith, as well as the full perfwafion and height of affurance. This onely I mull advife in this point; that ifthis graine of muftard-feed, watered with the dew ofgrace, grow not to- wardsa great tree : ifthis fparke, enkindled by the Spirit of God, fpreadnot intoa big flame : if this fmall meafüre of faithbe not edgedwitha longing fervency after fulneffe of perfwafion,and feconded with an affïduous and ferious en- deavour after more perfwaion ; it was no found and faxing faith, but onely a counterfeit fhew, and a deceiving fha- dow. But yet for all this,I cannot (without a woe) fpeake good ofevill,and evill of good: I muffnot put darkenefle for light, and light fcr darkeneffe : wife Salomonhath taught us, that hee that juffifieth the wicked, and hee that condemned,' the juft even they both are abominationunto the Lord. And therefore I mull tell you, that a man may be great in theeye of the world, and in the judgement ofthe greater part, for his civili honeftie, and folemne performances of outward duties of Religion (to which many thoufands never at- taine;) andyet himfelfe be not only a ftranger from the life ofGo&and righthappinefle,and holden fall under the power and tyranny of the firft death : but alfo by accident, be- ing puft up with a conceit of an imaginary perfehion, be- come a violent oppofite to the power of Religion and true godlinefle. The reafonwhereof may be this: Our corrupt nature (as in matters ofunderfcanding andopinion) wor- keth in any man a too too much love of his owne inventi- ons, and conclufions; all oppofition inflames the affedi- on, and lets on foote the wit, to find out arguments for their proofe,left he feeme to have beene too weakeofjudge- ment in framing them, or too inconflantin not defending them : even foalfo in mattersof life and converfation ; and the more plaufible a mans courte is, and the more glori- oufly it is entertained ofthe world, the Pronger is his re- folution to continue in it, and the more impatient hee is of all controlement andcontradi6ion. So that morall ho- nefie,
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