Meditations and Yowes. Cent. J. 5 A Satan would feem to bemannetly and reafonable: making, as i£ he would be con. tentwith one balfe ofthe hearr, whereas God challengeth all or none: as (indeed)he bath moft reafon to claimall,thatmadeall. But this is nothing but a crafty fetch of Satan·for he knowes,thatifhc have any part,God will havenone: fo, thewhole fal - leth t~ his lharealone.Mybeart (when ftis both whole,and at the beft)is but a ftrait and unworthy lodging for God:ifit were bigger and better,I would rderve it all for him.Satan may look in at mydoores bya tentarion: but he lhalljnot have fo much as one chamber-room fet apart for him to fojourn in. 6 I fee that in naturall mGtions, theneereraoy thing comes ro his end, the fwifter it movcth.I have fcen great rivers,which at their firft rilingout offome hits fide,might B be covered with a bulhell; whicb,after many miks, fill a very broad channell 1 and drawin" neerto theSea, doe even make a little Sea in their own banks: So the wind at the fi~ft rifing,as a little vapour from thecrannies ofthe earth, and palling forward ' 1 about the earth, the further it goes more bluftering and violent it waxeth. A Chriftians motion (after he is regenerate)is made narurall to God-ward:& therforethe neerer h.comes to heaven, the more zealous he is. A good manmuft not be lilie Htze· ki.u Sun,that went backward;nor like Iofh••hs Sun, that ftood I! ill; but D•vids Sun;' that(like a Bridegroom)comes out ofhis chamber, and as a Champion rejoyceth to run his race: only herein is the difference, that when he comes to his high noon, he decline h nor. How ever therefore the mind(in hernaturall faculties) followes the temperdture of the body,yet inthefe fupernaturall things lhequite crolfes ir.For with C t.ecoldeft complexion ofage,is joyned in thofethat are rruly religious,theferventell >.<ale and atkClion ro good things: which is therefore the more reverenced, and bet· er acknowkdged, becaufe it cannot be afcribed, to the hot fpirits ofyouth. The Devill himfelf devifed that old fianderofearly holine!fe;A young S•int,•nold Devil/: SometiQJes you~g Devils haveproved old Saints;never the contrary: bur true Saints in youth, doe ahvayesprove Angels in their age. I willllriveto be ever good; but if I fiwuld not finde my fdf bcft at la!l,I fi10uld fear I was never good at all. 7 Confent harteneth fin;whicha little difiike would have daunted at firii.As we fay, There would beno theeves, ifno receivers : fo would there not be fo many open mouths todetraCl and fiandor,ifthere were not fo many open ears to entertain them. D If I cannot !lopanother mans mouth from fpeaking ill,! will either open my mouth m reprove it,or elfe I will ftop mineearesfrom hearing it1and let him fee in my face, that he bath no room in my heart. ~ . 8 I have oft wondered how fifhes can retain their frefi1 talle,& yet live in fait waters; fince I fee that every other thing participates ofthe osture of the place wherein it abides. So,the waters palling thorow the channels ofthlir.earth,vary the favour with the veiQes offoile,thorow which they,fiide.So,brutc.t!lEarures,tranfported from one region to.aoother,alter their former quality, and de~enerate bylittle and little. The like danger I have feen in the manners ofmen, .c<;Jriyerling with evill companions in ~orrupt places: For,be~destha~itblcm~ ·our'iepu~ati~n, aa~ makes us thought E 1\l,though we be good;1tbreedsm us an tnf~ble declination to 1ll;and works in us, ifnot an approbation, yet a Ieffe difiike oftiiOie·tins, to which our earesand eyes are fo continually inured. I may have a !Dad acquaintance: I will never have a wicked companion. • /1 9 I? E<peClation,in aweak minde,makes an evill greater; and a good, le!fe: bUJ,oifi'a refolved mind,it digefts an evill,before it.come :and makes a future good,long before pre!ht.Iwill expeCl the worft,becaufe ltmaycome: the beft , becaufel know it will come. 10 f Some promife 1•hat they cannot doe,as Satan to C_hrift1fome,what they could,bur moan not todoe,as the fons of l•e~b to the Stc.bt.,ilts;fome,what they meant forrhe time,
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