to hit generation. 501 But fhould I flop here, I Ihotildnot do right to Davidt deferts. Be it knówui that betides the ferving his own Generation, Daviddid and doth ferve all Gene- rations in the worI4 s long as time (hall lafl, asbeing the inftrumehtal Author of the Pfalms. Far be it from me to makeodious comparifons between either pet- Ionsor things that are eminent, or to fee difference betwixt Gods Word (as once the Difciples fellout amongflthcmfclves which (houldbe thegreateft) which is the moil, heavenly part thereof ; but furcly the Pfalms are inferiotir to no part of the Old Teflament. The Robins have a fond conceit, that Manna did relifh in thembuths ofmen asthe Eaters thcreofdid fancy to thcmfelves, having theGufl of flefh;fith or fowl, roft,boyl'd, or bak'd, as the eater thereofdid with or defire: I call this a fond con.. ceit, as contrary to an exprefs in Scripture, Exod.1G. gt. wherein the fate there= ofis confined to wafers made with honey. But this I will boldly fay andmaintain, that the Pfalms ofDavid thall refill' to an hungry foul, as he thall ( not out of humour and caufelefs fancy, but) judicioufly defire it. wouldit thoúhave it tafle bitter ? it !hall tafle bitter and reprove thee ; tafle tweet ? it ¡hall tafle tweet and comfort thee ; tafle betwixt both, bitter-tweet ? it Ihá11 bitter-fweet counfel and adrift thee. Proceed we now toapplication : It ferveth toconfute three fortsofpeople i Hill thecovetous, who are fo far from ferving their Generation, that they will fcarce ferve tlaemfelves,and allowneceffaries for theirown comfortable fitbfiftance.second. ly,the voluptuous man, who only ferveth himfelfand is good to no other. Theft inflead of faying, Let us falland pray ; fay, Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we !hall die. Thirdly,thefuperftitiousman,who immureth himfelfin a Cloyfler, cry- ing his life up for an high pieceofholinefs,burying both his parts andperfon there- in. Surely the Church and State he liveth in, may juflly commence a fuit,and have !, anaelion of debt againft him, fornot repaying themproportionably to his abilities, who by his lazinefs will not ferve hisGeneration. Others there are, who arc fo far from ferving their Generation, That theydif- ferve it,and do muchmifchiefthereunto, either by their badwritings orvicious ex- amples. Badvvritings, eitherfcurrilousagainft modefty,or fcandalous againflcha- rity, orhlafphemousagainftpiety, as either inmaintaining erroneous opinions, or defendingvicious praélices; fuch black broods are bad vvhilft in their nets, con- cealed in the audiooftheir Authors,but vvell vvorfe When fledg'd and flovvn abroad into the vvorld,fo that it is not in the povver ofthe Hen to clockinher ovvn Chick-, ens again, and recal vvhat theyhave compofed. Secondly, they are not only unprofitable, but deftruffive fervants to poterity, vvho leave the Copies ofbad examples behind them, fo that they knovv not vvhen theyhave done finning; yea it is tobefeared, that vvhilfl their fouls areluffering in a vvoful place,they till may be finning hereon earth. If itbe truevvhat Symmachte faith, e 4uthor eft bonorumfequentium qui bonum relinquitexemplum ; By the fain proportion, he that liveth an ill Precedent, is the Father andFounder oral! theevil vvhich may infue thereupon ; like Jeroboam feldommentioned in Scripture but vvith his train fvveeping after him, thefon of Nebat which made¿feue! tofin. God grant that vvhen vve die, our fins may be buried in our Graves, or rather (vvhich is a more Chriftianexpreffion, and more conformable to theproportion of Faith) that before vve die, our fins may be buried in Chrits grave, pardoned and forgiven unto us,efpecially that vve leave not behind usill examplesfor the poyfon- ing and perverting offuch as ball furviveus. For as it is faid of Abel, Heb.u.4. He being deadyetfpea¢eth t fo it is fadly true of many vvho are dead androtten, that they fill lye, curfe, (wear, here on earth, occafioning the fame in others by teir vvicked patternsandpraftices theyhave left behind them. Oh/et-lion. Butfome vvi11 plead themfelves priviledged and exempted from ferving their Generation, becaufeof the badnefs thereof. David(fay they)had tome comfort in, and credit byferving bit Generation, having for his Time-fellows fo many wor- thies in all profeflions. worthy Prier, 4bimelech, Abiatbar, tadock ; wor- thy Captains, foab, 54jiilhar, &enaiab, the fon of jebojedab; vvorthy States- men, 245 26, al. z8. Lib. nono Ep. 70. d,
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