5158 Thevneertetintie ofobtaiNItogYearldly thing,. feares, troubles and difcontents, infirmities and aches, fick- neffes and difeafes,that we are read ievpon trial to conclude, that we hauebut exchanged the frying-pan for the fire, and that as in a quagmire, whilefl we haue gotten one foot out of the dirt, the other is fallerand deeper in. Nowwhat rea- fonthereis whymen fhould afterthis manifoldexperience both in themfelues and others, Hill decciue themfelues with vaine hopes, I can render noother, but that they for their owneparts are willing tobe thusdeceiued, and dare not ex- peFk that which in truth theyare to find, left their life fhould be altogether vncomfortableand miferablebefore the time, when asthey hauenot fomuch as hope toA-ilithê, &make their burthens tollerable: and therefore ratherthen they will haue no hope tobeare them companyin their miferies, they are readie to admit offuch asare deceiueable and ill groun- ded;thatthefe fade hopes maybring veto them:fome true comforts,and final! refrefhings, though they continue only for the prefent. AndGod for his part is côtented to let them continue in this blindnes or wilfull winking; and to haue there falfe anddcceiuing hopes alwaies attending on them; thatwickedmen abuung themfelues with theirowne fophi- f(rie,maygo on in their courfesto their perdition ; andwhi- leflthey hope to artaine vnco there worldly things which they fodotingly loueneuer labour to amine vnto better hopes, nor toaffurem the felues ofeuerlafling happines; and partlythatthey might not hurt humane focietie, norin de- fpaire lay violent hands vpon themfelues, when as they fhouldbe forfakenofall hope to rcceiue contentment,either in things appertaining to this life or the life to come. Yea and whereas Gods dearefi feruants being partly flcfh and partly fpirit, as they haue the fpirituall part cheered and comforted in the timeoftheir pilgrimage, with the affured hopes offuture happineffe, fo the flefhly parr admi ttethof no refre(hingor contentment, but that which is recciued from things prefent ; therefore God thought it fit to fitffer themalto to entertaine force worldly hopes, Ieftthe flefhbe- ing vtterlyfruflrate ofit chicle defircs, might withexceffue murmuring, repining and difcontent, be tooheauic a clog to
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