c MEDITATIONS d :!(__V V 0 VV E S. T H !i. sEc 0 N D cENT V RI E. I I Man under Gods affiitlion, is like a bird ina ,net; the more he frriveth, the more he is intanglcd.Gods !lee Re canno~ be !eluded with impatience.What I cannot avoid,l willlearne to beare. ""'·· • 2 I finde,tbat all worldly things require a long time in gettiog,and afford athortpteafure inenjoying them.I will dotcaremuch,for what I 1\ave;oothing,forwhat I have onot. 3 ,' I fee naturallbodies forfak:e theirown place and condition, for the prefervation of the whole;but ofall other creatures, Man;and ofaUother Men, Cbrifrians have the leafr interefr in themfclves.I willlive,as giventoothers,leatooly to my felfe. 4 That which is faid ofthe Elephant, that being guiltie ofhis deformitie, he cannot abide to look onhis owne face in thewater(but feel<s' for troubled and muddy cban. nels)we fee well morallized,in men ofevillconfcience,who know their foules are fo filthy,that they dare not fo much as view them;but lhift of all checksoftheir former iniquity,withvaine excufesofgood-fellewlhip.Whence it is,that cvdry fmall repre. henfion fo galls them;becaufcit callHhe eye ofthe foule home to it felft, and makes E them fee :t glimpfe ofwhat they would.not.Sohave I feen a foolifh and timorous Patient,which knowing hiswound vetydce'p,would not onduretheChirurgionto fearch it·whereon what can enfue,butafefreriligoftheparr, &11 dang~rofthe-whole body~ So I have feen many prodigall wafrers run fo farre in books,thatthey cannot abide to heare of reckoning. It bath bcenean old and true Proverbe , Oft and even reckoningsmake long friends: I will oft fum my efrato with God, that I may know what 1have to expetl,and anfwer for.Neithcl Chall my fcote tun on fo long with Goil, 'that llhall not know my debts, o~ feare an Audit,or defpaire ofpardon. , · . 5' t I ,>, ' .I account this body,nothing,but a clofc prifon to my fable:; add the earth alarger pnfon tOil_IY_body. I may notbreakprifon,till I be loofed bydeath: butlwillleave tt,not unw1lltngly,when I am loofed. . I · 6 T.he
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