17Je mifery of Ma~z,pleafers. 9· 5 s. Direct. ro. Remember wb.Jt a life of unquietmji and comin~o~l vextllion you choo~. if you pl~ce yuur peace or happineJi in the good wip or word of m_an. ~or havmg O~cwl!d you how tmpoffible a rask you undertake, it mull needs follow that the purfu1t of It mull be a hfe of torment: T~ engage Viselfe in your {elves in (o great cares, and be fure to be difappointed ! To make that your end, wh1ch you munJ.o? Con– cannot attain! To find that you labour in vain, and d.1ily meet with difpleafme infiead of the fa- temn~.f. tem– vour you expected; mull needs be a very grievous life. You are like one that dwclleth on the top of r;;: ;u~b;tca mountain, and yet cannot endure the wind to blow upon him : Or like him that dwellet~ in a wood, '"· • and yet is afraid of the fhaking of a leaf. You dwell among a world of ulcerated, feltifh, contradiCtory, mutable, unpleafable minds;·and yet you cannot endure rheir difpleafure. Are you M_a~ gifiratcs? The people will murmure at you, and thofe that are mofi incompetent and uncapable Wlil be the forwardefi to cenfure you, and think that they could govern much better than you: Thofc s d. that bear the necelTary burdens of the common filfety and defence, will fay that you oppnfs them ; ~~~~lt;~id1;m, and the rnaletaCl:ors that are punifhed, will fay you deal unmercifully by them, and tbofe that have a Nonne tibi il.e caufe never fo unjull, will fay .you wrong them, if it go not on their tide: Are you Pafi:ors and m1ledicin Teachers? You will feem too rough to one, and to rmoorh to another; yea too rough to the fame ~;~: ~~~:rina man when by reproof or cenfure you correct hts faults , who cenfureth you as too fmooth non aJru:,t. and a friend to fi.nners, when you are to deal in the caufe of others. No fermon that you preach is like to be pleating to all your hearers; nor any of. your miniflerial works. Are you Lawyers? Dic~batex· The Clyents that loH their caufe, b~hind Y?ur backs will ctll you unconfcionahle, and fay you be~ ~~t!I~~'ul~:i;:a: rrayed them : And thofc that prevatlc;d, wtll call you covetous,and tell how much money you took ~f cont:c·s expo– rhern, and how little you did for it : So that its no wonder that among the y-ulgar, your profeffion IS ncrct : N lm the matter of their reproach. Are you Phyfi.cions? You will be accufed as guilty of the death of 1i e.a ~ixeJit_l: many that die ; and as covetous takers oftheir money whether the Patient die or live : :For this is the qux_mn~bn common talk of the vulgar, except of fame fewwith whom your care hath ~uch fucceeded. Are fi~~~~~~e~J. you Trades-men? Moll: men that buy of you are fo felfifh, that except you wtll begger your felves, bunt: !ina i~ they will fay you deceive them, and deal unconfcionably and fell too dear : Little do they mind the as, ni~d aJ necdfary maintenance of your families, nor care whether yoplive or gain by your trading; Bur if 11~· you will wrong your feives to fell them a good penny-worth, they will fay you arc very honefi men: Dice_pti Aid– And yet when you are bro~(!Jt, they will accufc you of imprudence, and defrauding your creditors. bi<~Ji, non eOC: You mufi buy dear, and !dl cheap, and live by the lofs, or elfe difpleafe. •oie~>hil'm • Zanttppen aJeo, morofam: Atqui, ait, ego ita hifce j~ampridem affitetus fum, ac li fvnum troc,hearum audiam- & mihi poft Zantippes ufum, reliquorum mort:tlium fac1lis tokr:aio eft Larrt. in Sort. ' §.59· Direct. 11· F.rmrmber ftiU that the ~leafing of God i4 your bufinr{s in the world, a1td that in Direll. 11. Pl.eafing him jou_r {ou/1 may h.,:ve {afety,. reft and fit~ content, thoug.h aU the rvs~ld Jhould be diJPlea[ed ~r~cr~t::i~ & wzth you. God J1 tnottf.h for yore : And h1s app_robltJOn and favour IS your pl)rtton and reward. How p·z!idii ~\ fweet and fafe is the life of the fincere and upiJght ones, that fiudy more to be good than to feem ineisxrumni: good l And think if God accept them that they have enough? 0 what a mercy is an upright heart? fermones coum Which rcnounceth the world, and all therein that fiands in competition wirb his God ? And taketh De~'. cm~ God for his God indeed, even for his Lord, his Judge, his Portion and his aU? Who in temptation ~mtcLs vcni' rernembreth the eye of God, and in all his duty is provoked and ruled by the will and pleafure of his m~~:fir~;~ ui Judge ? And regardeth the eye and thoughts of (Jlan, but as he would do the prefence of a bird or BHCboU'-P• beafl:, unlefs as piety, jufiice or charity, r.equire him to have refpt:Cl to man, in due Cubordination to God. Who when men applaud him as a perfon of excellent holine!S and goodnds, is fearful and folJicitous left the all-knowing God fhould think otherwife of him than his applaude>S: And under all . . the .c~nfures, r~pr?aches and ihnders of ma~ (yea t_hough through temprati?n goo~ men _tbo~!d thus ~~~(:~11~~~~;iufe hi!.D) can ltvc m peace upon the approbation of hts God alone; and can reJoyce m his JufiJhcation ftrefi fed !loo: by his righteous judge, and gracious redeemer, though the inconfiderablc cenfures of men condemn & i~e~no~ him. Verily I cannot apprehend, how any other man but this, can live a life of true and folid poflum <~;~Ifpeace and j?Y• If ~ods approb~tion and favour quiet you not, nothing can ratiol1llly quiet you. J~~~~~~~t01!11;: If the J:lealmg of lum do not fatJsfie you though men, though good men, 1hough all men tbould be hi, (]Ui fum difplealed with you> I know not how or when you will be fatisfied. Yea if you be above rhe ccn:. v('rc fui cor:~~ furcs and difplcafure of the profane, and not alfo of the godly, (when God will permft them as Jab 1 fcren_td. beari. wife and fric:nds to be your trial ) it will not fufiice to an even cemented quiet lit"i:. And here t~~~~;n~ ~cGu-. confider. • 9· 6c. 1. If ) 1 0U {etk,_firft topleafo God and are fatiJjicd therein, yo.e have but om to pleafc inftead of p:.ilofop!li Ii– multitudes. And a rnuldtudtof maHers are hardlier pleafed than one. 2· And it is One that put- bc~rasm~.lclh teth you upon notbitig that if unre.~fon:Jble, for quantity or quaiity. 3· And one·that is pcrfiCily wife cfiomn_.bus. and f.ood! n_o~ lia~le to m.ifunderfiand your cafe a.nd a8:ion:s: .4· And one thu is mojt Hdy, and is not ~;ufr':~~r;i~ pieafed m uuqutry or dtOlOndl)'. 5• And he ts one that tS impartial and m!}t ju{f, and is no re- _fiJeli:.17.Hodi. fpeGter of perfons, A flt 10. 34· 6. And he is one that is a c:~mpetcnt judf!.e, that hath ticnefs and authority, and is acquainted with your hearts, and every circum{bncc and reafon of )'Our actions. 7· And he is one that pcrltdly ·agrecth with himfelfJ and putteth you not upon contradictions or impofiibilities. 8. And he is one that ~s confl:ant and unchangeable; a,nd is not pleafcd with one thing to day, and another contrary tomorrow; nor with one perfon this year, Whom he \till be weary of the next. ,. And he is one that is merciful, and requireth )'OU not to hurt: your felves to pleafe him: Nay he is pleafed with nothing of thine but that which tendeth to, thy harpinefs, and difpleafed
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