Contemplations. L1a.XIV. ~~~----------- Sin is nor atted alone; ifbur oneparty be wife,both efcape. It is no excufe to fav I A I was tempted, though by the great, though by the holy and learned ; Almoll a11 !inners are mif-kd by thar transformed Angel! oflight; The allion is that wemull regard,not the perfon; Let the mo1'cr he never fo glorious,ifhe llirre us to euill,hel' mull be entertained wirh defiance. The G 0 D that knowes how to raife good out ofevill,blell'es :\11 adulterous copulation with that encreafc, which he denies to the cha!le imbracementsofhonell Wedlock: Bathjbeb• hath conwvcd by David; :1nd nowat once conceives afar- . row and care how eo fmother the lhame ofher Conception; He that did thefact, ' mullh•delt. Oh naviil, where is thy Repentance~ Where is thy tendernell'e and compun. ction of heart ~ Where are thofe l.10ly Meditations, which had wont to take •p B thy Sou le~ Alas, in !leadofclearing thy finne, thou labourell to cloake it; and fpendeft thofe thoughts in the concealing of thy wickedne!l'e, which thou lbouldell m her have bellowed in preventing it: The bdl of Gods children may not only be drenched in the wa1·es offio,but lye in them forrhe time,and perhaps finke twice to the boltome ; What hypocrite could ha~•e done worfe, then lludy how to cover the face ofhis fin from the eyes ofmen, whiles he regarded not the fling of fin in his Souk~ As thereare fome ails,wherein theHypocrite is a Sainr,Co there are fame,wherein the greatel1 Saint upon Earth may be an Hypocrite; Sa11i did'thus goe about to colour his fin, and is curled; Thevelfels ofMercy and Wrath,are nor e1·er dillinguilbable by their adion;. He makes the difference that will have mercy onwbom C hewill,andwhom he will,he hardeneth. It is rare and hard w commit a fingle finne; Da'!Jid hathabufed theWifeof Yriah, now hce would abufe his perfon in caufing him to father a falfe feed : That worthy Hittite is fent for from the Wars; and now after fame cunning, andfurrt fetcht<lll_ellions, isdifmill'ed ro hishoufe, not without a prefent of favour; Da. vid could not but imagine, thlt the beauty of his Bathfoeha, mull needs bee attractive enough ro an Husband, whom long abfence in Warres, had with-held all that while from fo pleafing a Bed ; neithe< could he<think, that fince that face, and thofebrealls had power to allure himfelfe to an unlawful! lull, it could be poffible,rhat rriah fl10uld not be inuited by them,to an allowed and warrantable frmtion. D That Davids heart might now the rather llrike him, in comparing the challe refolutions ofhis Se•vanr, with his owne light incontinenl'$; good rriah fleeps ar the doore of the Kings Palace, making choyce of a ilooie Pil101v, under the Ca, nopy ofHeaven, rather then the delicate Bed ofher, whom he thought as honefr, as he lnew fa ire. The Arke (faith he) andIfrael,andIudah,dwellits Tems,andmy Lord Joah;andthe Servants ofmy Lord,ahidein the •pm Fieldt; {ball I then go into my ho•ft 11 eau, and drink,andlyewith myWife? hy thy lsfl,andhy thelifl•fihy fo•le,l ,.illnOI "" thUthing. Who canbut be allonifl1ed at this change,to fee a Souldier au!lere,ancl.a Prophet wanton• pn Ahowd oth that Souldiers aullerity,fhame the Prophers wamonne!l'e? Oh zealous and mortified Soul,worthyofa more faithful! Wife,ofamore jullMa- E ller, how didll thou over-look all bafe fenfuality, and hated!! to be happy alone .~ Warre and Lull had wont eo be reputed friends J thy brei\ is nor 111or< full ofcou- ' rage then challity, and is fa far from wandring after forbidden pleafuces, char it reI fufethb·wfu There is a tin:e to laugh and tt time to m~urnu ; a timt t~ tmbract, and 4 tim!...J to hee farre ftom err.hraci•g ; even the bell actions are not alwaies feafonable, I mnch lelfe the indifferent : Hee that ever r•kes liberty io doe what hee may, fl1all offend no lelfe, then he that fom<tim~s takes liberty to doe what he may nor. If any thing, the Arkeof G 0 D is fittel1 to leade our tunes; accordin~; as that E ;eyeher dillrell'ed, or profpe•eth, fl1ould we frame ourmirth or mourmng. To dwell
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