[on~em;'iations. LIB. XIX. ---------------- from an Ifraelite~ Is this the ilfue both ofmy journey,and the Letters ofmy Kino~ A Could this Prophet find no man to playup6n,bur Naaman ~ Had hemeant ferio.:'fly,whydidhethinkhimfelftoogoodto come forth unrome ~ w'hydidhenO< touch me with his hand,& bleffeme wit!) his prayers,&cure me with his blefling~ Is my mifery fir for his derilion? Ifwater could doe ir, what needed I to come fo farre for this remedy~ Have I nor oft done rhus invain?Havewe not benedlreams at home,then any Ifrael can afford~ Arenot Abanaand Pharphar,RiversofDamA[<r« betterthen a/Jthe WAters of Ifr.ei? Follyand Pride !hive for place in a naturallhcart: anq it is hord ro fay whether is more predominant. Folly in meafuring the power ofGods ordinances by the rul~ ofhumane difcourfe andordinary event: pride, in a fcornefull valuationofrhe infiitutions ofGod, in comparilon ofour own devices. Abana •nd Pharphar, rwo for one: Rivers, nor waters; of Dama[e11s, a !lately B City, and incomparable: ;'\retheYlnor ~ Whodares deny it~ Better, nor as good; then the warers,not the R1vers1 all the waters,Iordan,and al the refi;of lfrael, a beggerly Region to Dama(tlls. No where lhallwe find a truer patterne of the difpofition ofNature;how !lie is altogether led by fenfe,& reafon;how lhe fondly judges ofall objel\ls by the appearance; how lhe acquaints her felfonly with the common rode ofGods proceedings; howlhe!licks to her own principles, how lhe mifconfirues the intentions ofGod, how lhe over-conceits her own, how lhc dildaines the mean conditions oforhers,ho1v lhe upbraids heroppofiteswiththeproudcomparifon ofher own priviledges. Nature is never bur like herfclfe: No marvel ifcarnall minds defpife the foolilhnelleofpreaching,the fimpliciry ofSacramenrs,the homelineffeofceremonies,rbe C feeming inefficacy ofcenfures: Thefe men Iooke upon l~rdan with Syrianeyes; Onedropofwhofe water fer apart bydivine ordination,hath more vmue,thenall the ftr~oroes of Ahana,and Pharphar. It is a good matter for a man robe attended withwife& faithful followers:Many a one barhhad better counfellfrom his heeles,then from hiselbowes:Naamans fervants were his bell friends: they came tohim,and fpake to him,and faid, M7 FAther, !{theProphet hadbidthtt doeJomegreat thing,wo•ldft thou not hawdone it ? How m•ehratherthen,rohm hefaith tothee~Wajh,andhe eleane~ Thefe menwere fervants• not ofthe humour, bur of the profit oftheir mafler: Some fervile Spirits would have cared onely to footh up, not to benefit their Governour,and would have encouraged his rage,by their own:Sir,will you take thisat the hand ofabafe fellow~ was ever manthus Aoured~Will you ler himcarie jt away thus~ Is any harmeleffe D anger fufficient revenge for fuchan infolence~ Give us leave at leaf! to pul himour by the eares,and force him to doe that by violence, which he would notdoe our of goodmannets.Letour fingers reach this fawcy Prophet what iris roofferanaffrot to a Prince of Syria:But thefe men loved more theirmaflers health,then his pafli6; & had rather therefore roadvife,rhen Aatrer:ro draw him rogood,then follow him roevil:Since it was a Prophet from whom he received this prefcription, theyperfwade him not to defpife it;intimating there could be no fault in the lleightne!Ieof the receit,fo long as there was nodefea ofpower in the commader;that the venue of the cure lhould be in hisobedience,notin rhe nature ofthe remedy : They perfwade, and prevai!e. Next to the Prophet Naa..an m,ay thank his fervants that he is nor a Leper. He goes down (upon their entreaty)and dipsfeventimes in Jordan, E his Aelh rifeth.his Leprofyvanifberh:Not the unjufi fury and rechinelfe ofthe patient lhall croffethe cure :left whiles God is fevere,the Prophetlhould be difcredited.Long tnough might Naaman have walhcd there in vaine, if E lifoa had not fent him:Many a Leper hath bathed in that fiream, &bath co)Tie forth no lelfe impure: I r~ is the word,the ordinanceofthe Almighty which pats efficacy into thofe means which ofthemfelvs are both impotent and improbable: What can our Fonr doe to rlle walhing awayof fin~ IfGods inflitution thal put venue inro our Jordan it lhall [c( •m·e offthe fpirituallleprofies ofour hearts; and lhall more cure the foule,then clea.1fe the face. H()W joyfull is Naamanto fee this change ofhis skin,in this renovatioofhisAefh, · of ---'----
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