lmda f}irit·with§ut Guile.]: · JrefumptUO\lS rt}en oftbeworJd~~hin~ this a. needl~ffe fcrupte; yet chofe that f(:ar God, have m tht-s very parucular great , divifions of heart; and we fee here Da-vid t·hough agreat Stat(fm·a~,~nd bldfed with mighty fuccefff in the world,hach his pr-iv.~ te tetireFIJents abol,ll! ·.rhis praCl:icalt,d9ubt; and l1e that did not feat the fact of his fioucefi enemy~ is afraid of , the ·unknown corruption of' his foul: the tlrong holdsrand fecret firatag~ms of h-is enemies, do no~ (o much terrifie him, as the perfidious lufi sof his 'own foul. · · . Jhis being difpa\€hed, I proceed further to d!8" out more ) gold from this, rich mine: a.nd the next praeti~all truth I lhall obferve is ·; · · . . That,it u a-very h~rd r:md difficult thing f() he l!fcquaintcd WitE Oh/er;v; . the corruptions ~tndtrrorJ of our heartJ and lives. Learned men That m~ d1f• ' fay about na.turall things,That we are ignorant offarre more £cult thmg tP . h" b . k b h. . h f h . f)nd_e ou~ the · t mgs t en,we now, · ut t IS IS muc more true o t e wm~ corr,uptions , · dings and crafty t~rnings of our hearts ~ithin us, onely i~ and errors_of .thQfe naturall thty commend a doffa ignor~t:tia~ ~learned ig· ou• hearts an4 norance; butcomparing the err9rs and lufis ofour fouls, all lives. ignorance is finfull and blam·ewortby. Yea it is fo hard to know the errors we are guiltyof, that .the. grtar~ft par~ of ..men,are fo farre feduced, that they ta·k~ contratics for contra.. ries, black for wh~te, darkndfe for light; the wora efiate which is upon the very borders ofhell, forthe befr, as bor: dering upon Heaven : Sfllom.on a wifeman ohfcrved ir, Every . 1pans \\?ay u right in his own t)eJ,-but God poidcreth the h"Ntrt, .Prov. 16. 2· How then can we expetl: repentance and conver~ · lion from men r How .can we look, .that men with- the prodigaiJ, fllould arife and go to- Goq,. bewailing their finnes ~.. . gainfi Heaven and earth, when they th ink alt. is well and , -~ right; and th-is was the defpera te efl:ate pf LaDdice~t, Shefa.td foe 'W.:U rich, andfull,and 'fP~tnted rJothinJ, , when indeed foe \\?.u poor, and mi[er.tblt:, andi'Vant!'dall rhing1,R'ev.z.A defperate e.. fiace I eaU this,becaufe nulii/unt magu_ d'cfperati,qna qui miniM fu.nt defperantes, None are more defperare, ,then thofe who · haye not an holy defpair in themfelves, and in their own worth : It was one ofHippocrates his Aphorifmes r1~etM~ov n _~vt't~, an high degrte of u .cellcnt health is danger~ us! Even . . ~ 3 ~$ /
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