Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

5158 The vneertetintie of obtaiNItogYearldly thing,. feares, troubles and difcontents, infirmities and aches, fick- neffes and difeafes,that we are read ie vpon trial to conclude, that we haue but 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. Now what rea- fonthereis whymen fhould after this manifold experience both in themfelues and others, Hill decciue themfelues with vaine hopes, I can render no other, but that they for their owne parts are willing to be thus deceiued, and dare not ex- peFk that which in truth they are to find, left their life fhould be altogether vncomfortable and miferablebefore the time, when as they haue not fomuch as hope toA-ilithê, & make their burthens tollerable: and therefore ratherthen they will haue no hope to beare them companyin their miferies, they are readie to admit offuch as are deceiueable and ill groun- ded;thatthefe fade hopes may bring veto them:fome true comforts, and final! refrefhings, though they continue only for the prefent. And God 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; that wicked men abuung themfelues with theirowne fophi- f(rie,maygo on in their courfesto their perdition ; and whi- leflthey hope to artaine vnco there worldly things which they fo dotingly loueneuer labour to amine vnto better hopes, nor to affurem the felues ofeuerlafling happines; and partlythat they might not hurt humane focietie, nor in de- fpaire lay violent hands vpon themfelues, when as they fhouldbe forfaken of all 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 time of their pilgrimage, with the affured hopes of future happineffe, fo the flefhly parr admi tteth of no refre(hing or contentment, but that which is recciued from things prefent ; therefore God thought it fit to fitffer them alto to entertaine force worldly hopes, Ieft the flefh be- ing vtterly fruflrate of it chicle defircs, might with exceffue murmuring, repining and difcontent, be too heauic a clog to