L1 a.XI I. S A M u E L s conteflation. A joy the fl'uit ofour finne, till we f~e~e pafl the dang~r, either ofconfcience or pu-. nifl1ment; then (even when we begm to be pafl the feehng ofour fin) we fl>all beginto fee le his difpleafure for our fins:Thisisonly where he loves,where he would both for giveand reclaime;he hath now to doe with his Ifi·ael:But where he meancs utter vel tgeance, he lets men harden chemfelves to a reprobate fenflefneffe, and make up their owne me:tfure w~rhout comradiClion, Jli purpoling eo reckon with them bur once for ever. Samutl had diffwaded them before,he reproves them not, untill now: Ifhe had thus bent himfelf againfl them,erethe fetling ofthe eleClion,he had troubled Hi·atl inthar,, which God rook occafion by their fin to eflabh01 ; His oppofition would have fotvoured of re~JeCls to himfelfe, whom the wrong of this innovation chiefly' B concemed: Now tl~erefore when they are fure oftheir King, and their King of chem,when he hath kreaven termes bccwixrrhem murually,he lers them fee, how they were at oddes with God: We mufl everdiflikefins,we may not ever fltew it; Difcretion in thechoy.ce e>ffeafons for reproving, is no leffe commendable and neceffary,then zeak and f,tithfulnelfe in reproving; Good Phyfitians ufe not to evacu, ate the body in extremiti,$1 ofheat or cold; Wife Mariners doe nor l10ife f.1yles in every winde. · 1 Firft cloth S4muel begit'l to cleare his owne innocence, ere he dare ch:trge them with their fin: He that will call a!lone at an offender, mull be free himfelfe,mherwife he condemnes,and executes himfe!fe in another perfon : The confcience !lops themourhofrheguilty man, and chokes him with that fin, whichl~es in his own C bre!l, and having nor come forth by a penitent confdlion,cannot find the way our in a reproofe,or if he doe reprove, he cloth more fltame himfdfe, then reforme another. He that was theJudge oflfrad,would not now judge himfelfe,but would be judgedbylfrad; who[< Oxe have !taken? who[< A(fihave I taken? or to ..homh4ve 1dllntwrong? No d?ubr, Samml fo~nd himfelfgwfty before God ofmany private infirmities,but for hts pubhquecarnage heappeales tomen: A mans heart can bell judgeot himfelfe; others can bell judgeofhis aClions. As anothermans confciepce and approbationcannot beare us out before God; fo cannot our owne beforemen : For oft-times that aClion is cenfured by thebehc;>lders,as wrongfult,wherein we•Pplaud our own ju!lice. Happy IS that man, that cmbe acquitted by himfdfe in private,~n publike by others,by God mborh;flanders by may fee more: It is very fafe D for aman to look imo himfelfe by others eyes; in vaine !hall amans heart abfolve him,rhat is conder"ned by his ac1ions. IOjl It was not fo much the rryall ofhis catriage,that Sam11el appealed for,os his juflification; not for his owne comfort,fo much astheir conviCtion:His innocence bath not done him fervice enough,unleffe it !hame them,and make them confeffe themfelves faulty.In fo mzny yeares wherein Sam11tl judged Jfrad, it cannot be,but many thoufand caufespaffed hishands,whereinboth patties could not poflibly be plea. fed; yet foclear doth h,~ find his hea<t?and hands,that he daremake the grieved part judgesofhis judgment:A good confClence will make a man undauntedlyconfident, and dare put him uponanytriall; wherehisownheart !lrikes him not, it bids him - challenge all the world,and take up all comrners.How happy athing is it fora man E to be his own friend,and patron~ He needs notto feare famine broyles, that is at peace at home: Contrarily, he that hath a falfe and foule heart, lies at every mans mercy; lives flavifltly,and.is f:tine to dawb up a rotten peace with the bafe!l conditions.Truthis not;tfraid ofany light,and therefore dare fulfer her wares to be caried from a dim fltop-board unto the flreet doore: Perfect gold will be but the purer with trying,whereas falfhood beinga wotkofdarkneffe, lovesdarkneffe,and therefore leekswhere it maywor·k clofe!l. This v<ry appellationclearedSamRel,butthe peoples atte!lation cleared himmo·te: Innocencyand uprightneffebecomesevery man well,but moll publike perfons,who fhall be elfe c;>bnoxiousto every offender.The Throne and the Pulpit(ofa)l places) eallfor holineffe,no more fc;>r exampleofgood,rhen for lib,ny ofconrrofllitji evill: All ~bgiflrates!weare to doe thar, wh.icb SAml<ll prote!led he bath dooe ; Iftheir · oath
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