Thefull eJ1änn Funerál. 5 7 the fierceftadverfaries tooppofe them. With themoft in the world, it is quarrel e- nough to hate a good man, becaufe he is agood man, Saint 'Paul faith ofhinsfelf, Iprefs towards the mark. And thefame is the endeavour ofevery goodman: Now Pbil. ;.ì4. as in a race the formoft man who is neareft themark, is envied ofall thofewhich come after him, whocommonly ufe all tous play towardshim, (juftling him on the fide, Peeking to trip up his heels ; yea, fometimes thruftinghim forward on the back, that fo he might fall headlongby hisown.weightand their violence) fo often cometh it to pafs betwixt rivals in the race of honour and vertue. Illminded men. perceiving themfelves quite out-ftript by force eminent.perfon who bathgot the fpeed of them, and defpairingfairly to overtake him, refolve foulyto overturnhim, by all means poffible contriving- his deftruation. Hence come chore manymillions ofdivices and ftratagems contrived for hisruin, endeavouring either to, Divert him from or his righteoufnefs. Deftroy him in If the firft takes no efea, and if hisconftancy appears Inch as without regret he will perlift in piety, leavingthem no hope to 0,0 him to bare ends,thendefpairing tò bow himfrom, they contrive to break him in hisrighteoufnefr. Thus whiff} he bath many enemies which confpire his deftruétion, Peeking with powerto fupprefs, or pollicy to fupplant him The wickedman on the other fide, haththe generality ,ofmen ( the molt beingbad as himfelf ) to befriend him ; a main caufe ofhis pro- longing himfelffucefsful in his wickednefs. Secondly, Righteous men perifh in their righteoufnefs, becaufe not fo wary, and y. Watchful to defend themfelves in danger, being deaf to all jealoufies and fufpitions, over-confident ofother men, meafuring all others by the integrityof their own in- tentions. Thismakes them lie at an open guard, not fencing and fortifying them- (elves againft any fudden furprifal, but prefuming, that deferving no hurt, none thall be done unto them. Thus Cledaliah, Governour of the remnant ofthe Jews after the captivity,twicereceived theexprefs intelligence ofa confpiracy tokillhim, yet was fo farfrom giving credit, that hegave a (harp reproof to the firft difcoverer thereof : Yea, When Malian the fon of Kareah,tendered hisfervice to kill /fhmagl, Aß;tf. is; (fent ashe (aid, from 8aalis KingofAmnion to flay gedaliah) Cledaliah rejoyned, Thou£hale not do this thing,for thoufpeakef!falflyoflfimaeL His noble naturegave noentertainment to the report,till hefound it too late to prevent it. Whilft wick- ed then, partlyout ofpolicy,more out ofguiltinefs, fleep likeHercules withtheir dub in their hand, Rand always on their guard, are jealous oftheir very fhádows, and appearancesofdanger, agreat taufe of theirfafety and fuccefs,prolonging them- felves in their wickednefs. Thirdly, Theyperifh becaufe ofa lazy principle, whichhath poffeffed the heads t© and heartsevert ofthe belt men, (who are unexcufable herein) namely, that God in due time will defend their innocence, whichmakes them more negligent and re- mifs in defending themfelves; astheProphet makesmentionof alioncut out without hands, they conceivetheir caufe will without mans help hew its ownway through bans 34. therocks of all refrftance ; as if their caufewòuld Rand Centinal for them; though they fleep themfelves ; as iftheir caufewould (fixtheir Muskets),though they did it not themfelves. Thus the Chriflians in their battels againft the Turks, having wonthe day bytheir valour, have loft thenioht by their negligence, whichprincipally proceeded from their confidence, that God interefted as a Second in every jolt caufe, was in that quarrel concerned as a Principle, and it could not fraud in his ¡office to fuffer ittomifcarry, Whereas ontheother fide wickedmendedoublediligence inpromòtinoth'eirde- it lagns. If their lame caufe lack legs of its own, their will give it wings from their careful folliciting thereof, and will foulder up their crackt title with' their own in- duftry. They watch for all tides, and wait for all times,and work by all ways, and fail by allwinds ; eachgolden opportunity they cunninglycourt,and greedily catch: and careful keep, and thriftilyufe r in ayvord, íbef are sgsfer intheirgtneratioseth.i» the childrën ofligJrt This
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