7be Ltfe of F'aitb, And our neerefl Relations mutt be preferred' in as of Bene- ficence before many whom we mutt love more. 5. When two goods come together (either to beReceived, or to be Done) the greater is ever to bepreferred ; and the chafing or tiling of the Ieffer at that time, is to be taken for a fin. I lately read a dcnyal of this, in a fuperfcial fatyrc ; but the thing it felt', if rightly undertlood, is paft all doubt witha rational man. For i. ?rife good is not to be cbefeo and done asgoad, if the belt be not to be preferred. 2. Elfe almofi all wicked omiflions might be excufed . I may be excufed for not giving a poor man a Wising (ttcver his neeeffi;y be) becaufe I give him a farthing : No dóubt but Dives, Luke t b, didgood at fuch a rate as this at 'cal: and elfe a man might be excufed from Caving adrowning man, if he fave his bode that while, &c. A quatenus a 1 fuirsmum valet confequentia, in the cafe ofdefiring and doing good. But then mark the fol- lowing explications. 6. That is not alwaies to be accounted the greatelf good, which is foonly in regard of the matter limply confidered But that is the greateft good, which is fo confiderats: conjderan- die, all things confideredand let together. 7. When God doth peremptorily tyc me to one certain duty, withoutany difpenfation or liberty of choice, that duty at that time is agreatergoodand duty,than many others which may be greater in their time and place. A duty materialy. leffer, is formally (and by accident materia4y) greater in its proper feafon. Reaping, and baking, and eating, are better than plowing, and weeding the Corn; as they arc neerer to the end : But plowing, and weeding are better in their fea- fon. To make pins or points, is not materially fo good a work as to pray : But in its feafon (as then done) it is better : And he that is of this trade, may not be praying when he fhould be about his trade : Not that he is to prefer the matter of it, before praying : But praying is to keep its rime, and may be a fin when it is out of time. He that would come at mid- night to difiurb his ref(, to prefent his fervice to his Lord o- King, would have hule thanks for loch unfeafat sblc firvice. 1. He that is rcftraincd by a lower eallin , or any true reflraining, 391
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