Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v9

Chap. 30. An expolition upon the 'Boob of Jo a. Verf. 29. 27i and duty, teemed to have put off not only their particular and fpeciall bonds of duty, but even common modefty, and civillity, a&ing rather the part of beafis then of men of Dragons and ovules rather then of wife, friends or fervants. Are there not many even at this day, after fo long a fhining forth of Gofpet light and love, who (hew no more pityor charity, gve no more comfort or fuccour to their brethren in the flefh , yea to their brethren (by profeffion) in the faith , then a Dragon or an owle will doe ? and may not they who have fuch finerds and kindred fay, ( without breach of charity) weeare Brethren to Dragons and companions to Owles : This interpretation carri- eth a faireTropologicall or morall inftruaion in it ; Bar :he. for- mer being testuall andproper, I inf?ft rather upon that. 1 am a brother to Dragons, and a companion toowles. Hence note; Firft They that are highef in Grace and Saintfhip,, may yet a£t fometimes, not only below theirgrace andSaintfhhip, but even below rearm and manhood. fob was as holy a man as lived yet he was fometimes in his dikre&more like a Dragon or an ovule then anholy man. He continued alwayes in the fame grace, yet his grace did not. al- waves continue the fame. He had much, very much caufe of griefe, yet he grieved toomuch when he made a wayling like the Dragons and a mourning like the owles. A godly man mayaft below himfelfe, even likea beaft two wayes. Fick in finning, as `Davidconfeffed, ( Ppd. 73. 21, 22. ) So faalijh was I and ig- norant, I was ass beaft beforethee ; Nevertheleffe, Iam continu- ally with thee, thou haft holden mee by my right h.,nd. When Da- vid envied the profperitie ofthe wicked,he cenfured it as a beaft- like folly-and ignorance, and judged himfelfenot only unlike a holy man, but unlike a man that's rational!. While good men give any (cope to a tuft, and doe finfully they play the beafts, and behave themfelves more like Dragons or owles then true believers. Secondly, as good men fometimes like hearts in finning, foalto in farrowing. The Apaftie would not have be- lievers forrow (for the dead) at others ( that is a, Heathens ) which have no hope, much more would henot have the rat forrow' either upon that or any other account like brutes, whichhave no Nn2 un-

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