7 be Harmony of the Vivine Attributes r<....A/0 Some kill ed themrelves for the apprehenfion of Sufferings: their Death wasnot the efChap. 17 ·feet of Courage, but CowardiCe, the Remedy of thei r Fear. Others, impatient of dif1./Y'"\-J appointment in their great Defigns, refufed to live. I will inflance in two of the mofl ~~ =~~~;}/ ~~~e~~~~n~;r~;;~~~e;a:;p~~~efr::~~ ~ r G~ i ~~~~r 7t~&ereba~~~n~h;~~[oA~a~~e~: t~aen '~:~!~ ~pienria. joined with a Stoical R.efolution. And they were not imperfect Proficienrs, but Mal1ers in Philorophy. Semca employs all the Ornaments of his Eloquence to make Cnto's Elo- ~:~EJ;:,:~~;:· fiie ~~{in~ee I~ef:~~~5e~t~~ ~5e~c~~b~~[~~~~:e~;i~~~~~r 0~ 11~~~~~~; v~~~~~~~~:Ja~~z~~ m£~cnugnift- to Cato. Yet there, with all the Power of their Philofophy, were not able to bear the ~~;~f!i~:~ IJ:.· fi10ck of Adverrity. Like raw Fencers, one thrurt: put them into foch diforder, ' that they bu n'on for tis, forgot all their Inft:ruftions in the place of trial. For being unfuccefsful in rheir Endea- ~;{j:;;~~ :f~l~5n~0 ~~~~~e u~~n~e ~~e~}er~~:~tyCa~;e~~~~e;;!~~n~1c~~1\~~t fi~~dat~%~~:r'ag:~~v~:~~ Marcurncato- tore open his Wounds with fiercenefs and rage. And Bml1u, ready to plunge the Sword tonem. into his Brea!t, complained that Vertue was but a vain Name. So infufficient are the be([ Precepts of meer natural R.eafon to relieve us in dHlrefs. As Torrents that are dried llp in the heat of Summer when there is the mol[ need of them; fo all Comforts fail in Extremity that are not derived from the Fountain of Life. I will only add how ineffectual Philofophy is to fupport us in a dying hour. The fear of Death is a Paflion fo f\rong, tha t. by it Men are kept in Bondage all their days. 'Tis an Enemy that threatens none whom it doth not ftrike, and there is none but it (t) Et p,;d;, threatens. Certainly that Speare which ( t) Ctzf~r had not courage to look in !:~;~~~;:~; ~~l~e~~~{A~~~~ata~~~~~~~~~d ~[:~:~e: ~~iel~v~~a~isf~y~~t:ny~tef~i~:~ i~t ~~~ ~~~~k mm1 1 apl{dr..t with a morta l Difeafe in Baby/on: and had Death in his view, (u) his Palace was filled ~~~~~;~;·}~t with Priefis and Diviners, and no fuperfiition was fo fottifh,. but he ufed to preferve v." ~.,.,,_ himfelf. And although the Philofop'>ers feemed to contemn Death, yet the great Pre- ~;~~f:;;1~;~- parations they made to encounter it, argue a fecret Fear in their Breafls. Many DifcourtumqHr pr.ttu· fes, Reafonings, and Arguments are employed to fweeten that cruel neceffity, but they lrrat.. Suet. are all ineffect ual. (u )V1d Piu· ' t;uch. · r . That 'tis the condition of our Nature: to be a Man and imp.},;? ~b~::m!~;[Jf:r;:; ;~~~M'~~j~;;nt:a;, mortal, are inconfiftent. But this Confolation affiicts to Extremity ( x). ~i;~um rx Jff• nmf!itMr folatmm rft ::~~~b~;~~f=~~~ea\~h~o[ee~i~:;/~se;~~~:i~~~!~~~ courage. He ~)d~~= .. a7f:c::;u~§t:hfin~'::;:;; no 2 io~~~lt~~~~[: ~~~0~r!0pr~~p!~~Js~~~dE~~!~r ~e~~ :~~feis~i~~ 1 ries which make Life intolerable (y); [o it cannot rationally relieve any that have not good hopes of Felicity after Death. The Heathens difcovered not the fling of Death, as 'tis the Wages of Sin, and configns the guilty to eternal Death; fo that they built upon a falfe Foundation, as if it were the cure of all Evils. 3· They encouraged themfelves from their Ignorance of the Conrequences of Death, I<! ,.,mfl whet her it only changed their Place, or extinguifbed thei r Perfons. Socrates (z) who 1JE;::siin· ~~:~ ~;~~1 ~~~e;~~~ ~~d!~~r_enc~,utg:~i~ ti~isn~~c~~~~i~!di!,; b~~a}~~:~dA~0tA~~o~~ew~b: ;;:~~fH!' h~;'~5br~i1:tJ1 r~~~~;}s.to ~~~~n!:~~~~fse rtt ~~i~~n1::0o~e1~~~~a~~~~r!5 un;~~r~~ ~:!~~;1 ~;~1/e: =~t:/e~ State, _not know~ng whether it iball be happy or miferable, to be unaffected with tHat Jacmnino,qkid dreadfu l uncertamty? . . . . . ~ndills __ qHa~" But now the Gofpel furntfhes us With real Remedies agamfr all the Evils of our pre-,._ ~~;~~{;~~t& ~;t~~~a~:a/i,:~i!/t~: ~a~i~:;_adi~:~r~e~:fut~d~h~~ 06o~fdi~f~}~ste~1'1 \;~~f~s~~~teh ;h: Wifdom and Love of a Father? and that his Providence is mof\ admirable and worthy of Praife in thofe things wherei n they who are only led by Senfe, doubt whether it be at all. For as 'tis the firfl point of Prudence to keep off Evils, fo the fecond and more excell ent is, to make them beneficial. Chrifiians are mor~ thmt Couq11erors thro11gh Chrifi tJJat loves them. They are always in an arcendent State; tmd believing, rejoyce w,ith an •"fPcnlznble n11d glorified JoJ. Death it felf is not only dirarmed, but made fubfervient to thei r everl afl ing good. Briefly, Chriflian Patience endures all things as well as Charity, becaufe it expects a bletfed itfue. It draws from prefent Mireries the atfurance of futme Happincfs. A Believer while he potfetfes nothing but the Crofs, fees by Faith the Crown of the eternal Kingdom hanging over his Head ; and the live I] Hope of it mh~:
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