Sin Stigmatized, Part 2 · Section 183
§ 183.
THirdly, in regard of peace.
1 with Sathan.3 In regard of peace, and that
2 with the world.
3 with themſelves.
Firſt, 1 With Sathan.they have farre more peace with Sathan then Gods people, for he fights not with his owne ſubjects or ſouldiers, as hath largely beene proved; yea, well may theſe have more peace then others, ſeeing the barques of their ſoules are rowed with farre leſſe labour (having the wind of Sathans temptations, and the tyde of their owne affections to drive them) then the other, who rowe againſt both.
2 In regard of their peace with the World, the World loves her owne, 2 VVith the VVorld.but hates all that Chriſt hath choſen out of it, Ioh. 15.19. and this is a ſtrong tye to fleſh and blood, though our Saviour calls this a curſed condition, Luk. 6.26.
Yea, how doth the indifferent worldling applaud himſelfe therein; together with his owne diſcretion and mediocrity; for ſeeing this man, vexed for his zeale; that other, hated for his knowledge; a third, perſecuted for the profeſſion of his ſaith, &c. he ſaith within himſelfe, welfare a quiet ignorance: ſo his body is but like a lumpe of ſcarce moving earth, and his ſoule a ſtanding puddle in the midſt of it.
3 They have farre more peace (if it may be called peace) with their owne hearts then the Godly; 3 VVith themſelvesfor their conſciences being either brawned with the cuſtome of ſinne, or caſt into a dead ſleepe by Sathan, they feele not thoſe perilous wounds which ſinne impaires them withall: yea, being paſt feeling, they can with more eaſe digeſt the hardeſt and fouleſt offence, then the ſtomacke of an Eſtridge can digeſt Iron; whereby they eſteeme of their ſinnes, as Paul ſpeakes of an Idoll, that it is nothing in the world: as for oathes, yea, the ſinne of blaſphemy, it is a very mite, a moate, a nothing; in a word, how ſick ſoever their ſoules be, I meane, how wicked and deteſtable ſoever their lives, yet they have healthfull conſciences, which never complaine, or once paine them, no, they heare not a Syllable of ill language from them, they never check them, doe they what they will, neither did they ever doubt in all their lives, or were once troubled in mind or conſcience, They think themſelves more happy in ſerving the Devill then others in ſerving of God.as many ſcrupulous fooles are; and hereupon, they thinke themſelves more happy in ſerving the Devill, then others in ſerving God: as thoſe apoſtate Iewes in Egypt did, Ier. 44.16. to 19. Alaſſe! what ſhould they feare? they proſper in their wickedneſſe, they doe what they liſt, and the Lord lets them alone; therefore they thinke he is pleaſed with them, and with their actions, and that which way ſoever they take, the end of their journey muſt needs be ſalvation; yea, this makes them thinke they doe wondrous well: as Dionyſius, when he had diſpoyled an Idolls temple of all the gold therein, and finding the winds favourable in his Navigation, applauds himſelfe, ſaying, ſee how the gods approve of Sacriledge; according to that in the Pſalmes, he that maketh gaine, bleſſeth himſelfe, Pſal. 10.3.
Beſides, they have good hearts and meanings, as how common is it with them to talke of good meanings, when they are the worſt doers in a countrey; yea, when in their practiſe they embrace all morall vertues in their contraries; yea, though they make not ſuch a ſhew to the world, they have as good a heart as the proudeſt, and hope to be ſaved as well as the beſt, and ſo let who will ſay to the contrary, they are ſure to goe to Heaven, as ſtreight as a Sickle; and ſo they ſhall, for they ſhall goe into Heaven (if they amend not their lives) when the Sodomites come out of Hell; and in the meane time their ſoules are ſo much the ſicker, by how much leſſe they are ſenſible of paine; they were wretched, if they felt their danger; more wretched, being they feele it not, as once Tully ſaid of Anthony.