Lu.XX. Hezekiahjick,&c. · 1 1295 t\ for his deliverance,or too much lifted up with glory offo miflculous afavour;were - an injurious mif.con(hutlion of the hand ofGod; and an uncharitablecenfure of an holy Print<: For,though no fldh and blood can avoid the jull defert ofbodily pcnifhment,yet God doth not alwayes llrike with an intuition of fin; fometimes he regards the benefit ofour triall;fometimes the glory of his mercy inour cure. It was no Oeight dillemper,that fdzed upon Htztki•!J,but a difeafe both painfull and fierce,and in nature deadly. 0 God,how thou lalhdl e•cn thofe whom thou lo: vdll Had(\ thou ever any fuch dearling in the throne of I•tl•h as fltt}ki•h f Yet he no foon<r breathcth from a mifcrable fiege, then he pantcth under a mortal! fidcnelf<: when as yet he had notfo much as the comfort of a child to fucceed him, thy Prophet is fentto him with the heavyme!fage ofhis death, S<1 thi"' houft ;, orJcr, B for th•, fo•lt dit •ntlnil livt. lt is no [mall mercy ofGod that he gives us warning of ourend;we /hall make an ill ufc ol fo gracious a premonition, ifwemake not a meet preparation for ourpalfagc. Even thofc that have not an houfe,yet have afoulc; no foul can wane important affairs tobe ordered fora final dilfolution1the neglctl ofthis be(\ thrift is defperate.Sct thy foul in order,O man,for thou /halt die and not live; IfGod had !liven Htt}ki.sh a fon,nature had bequeathed hisellate; now, he mull tludy to find helfs : Even thefe outward things, (though in thcmfelvrs worthletfe) require our carefulldifpofirion,to thofe wcleave hchinde us, and ifwe have delay. ed rhefe thoughts, till then, our lick beds may notcomplainofthdr importunity; We cannot leave to our families a better legacy,rhenPeace, Never was the Prophet EfoJ unwelcome-to.this good King,untill now: Even fad c tidings mull be caried by thofe melfcngers, which would be faithft!ll: neither may we regard fo much how they will betakcn,as by whom they are fenr. It was a bold and harfh word ro fay to a King, rh.. fo•lt di•,•wd ,,., livt,l doenot hcare Ht~cki•h rage,and fret atthc melfage, or threat the bearer 1 but bee meekly turnes his facc'rothe wall,aad weeps, and prayes : Why tothewall! Was it for the greater fecrecy ofhis devotion! wasit for the more ftcedome frotn all dillra<51ion! was it that the paffion which accompanied his prayer,might have nowitnefi'<S ~Or, was it for that this walllookt towards the Temple, which his heart and eyes llilmo. ved unto, though his feet could not~ Howfoeverithe patient foule of good Ht:uki.h tumcs it felfe to that holy God, from whom he fmarrs,and blecds,and pouresout itfclfe into afervent deprecation, D 1 ~t{tuhthtt,O Lml,rtmtmbtr n~W h.., I hA<JtiVAlktJbtfort thte in truth, •nd with• 1" fill hmt;•ntl hAvt tl••• th.r which ;. gDidin thJ fight. Couldll thou fcare, 0 H tt}ki••, thatGod had forgotten thine integritY ! The gracethatwasinthcc,washisownwork1could he inthcc neglett himfclfe fOr do(\ thou therefore doubt of his remembranceofthy faithfulnetfe, becJufe he rummons thee to re c<ive the crown ofthy faithfulnelfe, glory, and immortality!wherein canll thou be remembred,ifthis be to forget thee! What challenge is this~ Is God a debtee to thy perfoffion!Hath thine holy cariage merited any thing from that infinite juaice!Far,far were thefe prefumpruousconceits from that humble and mortified foul< :Thou hadft hatrd thine own brdl, if it could once have harboured fo proud a thought.This perfetlionofthine was noother, then an hone(\ foundnelfe E ofhearr, and life, which thou knowe!l God had promifed to reward: It was tbo mercy of the covenant thatthou plcadedft, not the merit ofthine obedience. Everyone ofthefewords were ftecpcd in reares: But what meant thefe words, theft tcares~ I hear not of any fuit moved by Htt}kl•h1only he wifh.s to beremcm• bred, in that which could never be forgotten,though helhould have irltreated for an .oblivion. Speakout Ile:uki•h, \Yhat is it that thy teares crave, whil<s thy lips expre[e not! 0 /tt mt livt,And IJh•O prAi{i thtt 0 Gld. · In anaturall man none could wonder at this paffion11e rcquell ; \Vbo can but wond<r at it,in a S>int!whofe happinetfe doth but tben beginne, when hi~ life_ceafeth: whofc mifery doth but then end,when his death enters:the word of fatth, ' '• oh ltt mt dit, th•t I "''1 •~i'1 thtt. How then doth the King cry at the newcs of
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