3~0 V EGA'D: IV. will not alter ir. Alas, how wife we are to wrong our fdves ! Becaufe Death will I A over-take us,fuall we run and meet him! Becaufe Gods decree is fure,{hall we he deft><rate! Shall we prefume, becaufe God changeth not! Why doe we nor rry every knife and cord, fince our time is neither capable of prevention nor delay : our end is fct, not without our meanes. In matter of danger where the end is not knowne, the meanesmu!lbefufpcticd; inmattcrofhope where the end is not knowne, meanes mull be ufed, Ufe then freely the mcanes ofyour Bight, fufpca the danger ofyour !lay1 and fince there is no particular ncccffity ofyour prcfence, Jinow that God bids youdepart and live. You urge the in!lance ofyour Miniller: How uncqually~There is not more lawfulndfe in your flight, then finoe in ours : you are your owne; we our pc{f:les: you are cliarged with abodywhkh you may notwillingly leefe,not hazard by aying; we with all their foules:whieh to hazard by abfence, is to lo(e our owne: B I we mull love our lives; but not when theyare rivals with our foules, or with others. How much better is it to be cad; then nef,ligent, then fairhle!fe ! lffome bodies be contagiou!ly fick,fuallall foules be wilful y negleQtcd!There canbe no time wherein good co~nfell is fo feafonable, (o ncedfull. Every threatning finds impreflion, where the mind is prepared by (enfible judgements.When will rhe iron hearts ofmen bow, I if not when they are heatio the flame ofGods 4ffiiaion!nowthcnto runaway from a necc!fary and publike good, to avoyd adoubtfull and private evill, is to run into a worfe evill then wewould avoyd.He that will thus run fromNinive toTharlis,fuall find a tempc!l, and a whale in hisway.Not that I dare be anauthor to any,of the privatc vifitation ofinfeaed beds: I dare not without better warrant. Who ever faid we were bound to clofe up the dying eies ofeverydeparting Chrifiian ~ and upon what- c ever conditions, to heare their !all grones; If we had aword, I would not debateof the fucce!fe. Then that were cowardline!fe, which now is wifdome. Is it no fervicc, that we publikely teach and exhott! that we privately prepare menfor death, and armc them again!l it! that our comfortable letters and llldfagcs!lir ub their fainting hearts~ that our loud voices pierce their cares afarre; unle!fe we fcclc t 1cir pulfes,and leane upon theirpillowes, and whifperintheir cares! D•niel is in the lions den; Is it nothing that DAriiH fpeakes comfort to himthorow the ~rate, unle!fc hegoe in ro falute him among thofe fierce companions! A•goodMini er isthe Common goods : he cannot make hislifepeculiartoonc, without injury to many. In the common caufeof the Church, he mull be no niggard ofbis life;in the private caufe ofaneighbours bodily ficknc!fe, he may foone be prodigal!. Agood father may aot fpend his D fub!lancc on one child, and leave the reil beggers. Ifany man he refolute in thecontrary, I had rathcrpraife his courage,thea imitate hispraaice. I confc!fe, Ifeare; not fo much death, as want ofwarrant for death. . I ToM.1\:_13. E p . X. A '""fl•lnuf tht lniqoity •f tht Tinm; with • pt{criptiiM•ftht m,..,.,,,. tlrtjft it. "\\ VHilesl accufed theTimes, you undertook their patronage. 1 commend E your chari~, not your caufe. It is true : There was never any Age not complaioe ofi never any that was not cenfured,as wor!l.What is, we fee;what was,,ye neither en'luirenor care.Thatwhich is oot offight and ufe,is foone. out ofmind,and ere long out ofmemory. Yet the ioiquiry ofothers, cannot cxcu(e ours. Andifyou will be.but as ju!l as charitable, you fhall coofe!fe, that both fome times exceed others in evil!; and thcfr, all. Thisrarthly Moooe the Church bath her fuls andwaoings, and fometimes bereclipfes; whiles the fuadow ofthis linfull malfe hidcsherbeauryfromtbeworld. So long asfuc wadethio this planetary world,ir lhould he vaine to cxpcc!l hcrtcr : it is enoughwhen {he is fixed abOve, to be free from all change. This y<>u yeeld : but nothing can pcrfwade you, that fuc is not now in thr full ofher glory. Truc: or clfe fuewerc not fubjcc!l to this darkPing. There was never .. • ~ .... ~ •· · ·~- - ··· ·- · · ··- .. · · - .. J!lore '
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=