ICOO/ Lrn. XI. fenfible,and;more areldfe of the difpight and injuries ofothers,and can rurn o; er A unkind ufages, with contempt. By howmuch more tender the heart is, fo much more deeply is it ever a!felledwith dJfcourte!ies: Aswax receives and retains that 1mpretlion, which in the hard clay cannot be feen; or as the eye feclcs that moate' which the skin of the eye-lid could not complaine of.• Yetth~hnsband of Anna(.a; one that knew his duty)!abours by Ius love,tocomfort her agamlt thefe difcontenrmenrs, why weepefl th011 t .Amnot I better to thee than tenfonner t It is the weaknelfe ofgood natures, to give fo much advantage to an enemy; what would malice rather have, than the vexation of themwhom it perfecutes?We cannot better pleafe on adverCtry, than by hurting our [elves: This is no other than to humour envy to ferve1thc turnc ofthofe that maligne us,and to draw on that malice "hereofw;are weary; whereas carc!cfnelfc puts ill will out of countenance, and makes it with- B draw it felfe in a rage, as that which cloth but lhame the author, without the hurt of the patient. Incaufele!fe111rongs, the bell: remedy is contempt. . She that could not find comfort in the loving perfwalions of her husband, feeks 1t m her prayers; 01e nfes up hungry from the feall:, and hies her to the Temple; there 01e powres our herteares and fupphcatwns. Whatfoever the complaint be here is the remedy. There is one univerfall receit for all evils, prayer: when a!J helps failes us,this rem.lines,and whiles we have an heart, comforts ir. Here was not more bJtternelfe m the foule of .A ""a,than fervency; lhe did not onlyweep and pray, but vow unto God; IfGod will give het a fonne, lhe wi1!give her fonne to God back againe : Even noture it felfe lJad confecrated her fonne to God; for he could not but be l>onf'e a Levite: But if his birth make him a Levite her vow lhall make him a Nazarite, and dedicate his minority to the Tabernacle: C The way toobtalne any benefit, is to devote it in our hearts, to the glory of that God, ofwhom we aske it: By this meanes lhall God both pleafure his fervant and.honour himfelfe; whereas, if the fcope of our delires lie carnal!, we m'ay b~ fure, either to faile ofour fuit, or pf a blelling. Ep and .A J:!.N A. Ld Eltlitsona ll:oole,byoneofthe poll:softhc Tabernacle: Where D lhou!d the Pnell:s ofGod be but in the Temple I Whether for attion or over-fight. Thci£ very pre!Cnte keeps Gods houfe in order, and the prcfence of God keeps their hearts in order. It IS oft found, that thofenrhich are themfelves confcio"ablc:, are too forward to the cenfuringoforhcrs:goodelt,becaufe he marks the lipsof Anna to move without ooyfe, chides heras drunken, and unchantab!y mifconflrues her devotion:Itwas a weak ground whereon to build fo heavy a fentence. If lhe had fpoken too loud, and incompofedly, hemight have had fome JUll: colour for his conceit; but nOIT to accufc her lil<nce(notwitnll:andingall herteares which he faw) ofdt unkenncffe,it was a zealous breachof charity. · Some fpint would have been enraged wtdt fo ralh a ccnfurc : When anger E meetswith griefe, both turne into fury ; But this good woman had been inurecfto reproaches, and befides, didwell fee the reproof e. arofe from mifprilion, and the mifpri!ion from zea!e; and therefore anf>vers meekly, as one that had rather fatiffie, than expoll:ulare; Nay, my Lord, but I am a woman troubledin[pirit. elimay now !came charity of .Anna : If lhe had been in that diflemper, whereof he accufed her, his jull: repr~ofe had not beene fo eali!y diaell:ed: Gui!tineffeis commonly clamorousavd impatient, whereas innocence is lilent,and careleffeofmif-rep<)rts. It is natura I! to all men,towipe off from their name all afperlions ofevi!,butnone doe irwith fuch violence as they which are fa1:1lry. It is a lignetltchorfe is ga1!ed th•t ll:irs too muchwhen he is touched. ' She
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