3O.f , Cotifideraliom to bring Saint; State IV. profefs ~concerning this ~ife, what Job did,. thap. vi.i. l 6. 1 lotht it~ I rwou/d not live alway1. lp order to gain their ~earts to this defireable temper, I offer. the foHowing adc\i:- , 11onal confiderations. Firfl, Confider the finfulnefs that attends life in this world. While ye Tive, here, ye fin, and fee others finning; Ye breathe infectious air. Ye live-in a pell~houfe. Is it. at all lhange 'to lothe fuch a life ? (1.) Yowr 'own plague~ fores are runniqg on you. Doth not the fin of your nature tnake you groan daily ? Are you not fenfible, that tho' the. cure be begun, it is yet far from being perfeCted ? Has not the leprofy got into the walls of the houfe, which cannot . ·be removed without pulling it down ? Is not your_nature fa , vitiate, that no lefs than tqe feparation of the foul from th'r ltody can root out the , difeafe ? Have you not your fores without, as well as your fi~knefs within ? Do·ye not leave ~arks of your pollution, do whatfoever paifes through your hand? are not all yo1u actions tainted 'and blemifhed witli defetrs and imP.erfections ? \V:ho elfe then lhould be much in lovewilh life, but fuch whofe ficknefs is their health, ~nd whoglory In iheirjhame ? (2.) The loathfome fores of o~ thers are always before your eyes, go whefe ·you will •. The follies ·and wickednefs of men are ev.ery wher,e confpicuous,. ' ·and make but an unpleafant fcene. Thi,s finful world is blit :an unfightly company:, a difagreeable croud, in .which· th,~ :mofi.loathfome are the moll nu~erous. (3.} Are not your t)Wn fores oft-times breakin·g 'out again, after healing ~ Frequent relapfes may well c:ar:fe us ~emit of our· fondnefs for this life. To be ever firuggling~ and anon falling int~ the mire ag<~in, makes' we~ry work. Do ye never wifh for cold death, thereby effeclually to cool the heat" of thefe lufl:s wbtch fo oft.en t~k:e fire a-gain; ·even after a flood of godly for row !}as gone over them? (4.) Do, trot ye foq~etimes infe8: other~, and othc:rs ·i.nfett you ? There is no fo– ciety in the world, in ~hich every member of it doth no,tfometimes lay a fhtmbling~block before the refi Tl~e,be{t , carry about with them the .tinder of a corrupt ll3t\ll'e, which: they cannot be t,id off while they lin, and which js . liable to \.le kindled at all times, and in all place$: yea1thry ar!2· apt to i.nfiame ot~ers , a~d bec~me the oc~a~ons oJ firm.mg~ Cettai&lJ tbe{e thmisare apt to1mliutter thuh-fe to ~he f~mu.- , . ..~e'i'" ' ..
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