EPIST. X. more light of knowledge ; never more darkocffc of impiety: and there c~uld not be fuch darkneffe ifthere werenot fuch light. Goodneffc repulfed, giVes herght to fin: therefore arc \~c worfc then our prcdeccffors, becaufe we might be better. By how much our meancs are greater by fo much arc our defdls.Turneover all records1and parallel fuch helps, fuch care:luch coft,fuch expeCtation,with fuch fruit,! ycdd: Wc fee but our owne times: There was never but one N,.h (whom the Heathen cele. brate under another name)rhar with two faces faw both before and behind him : But loe that Ancient ofdayes, to whom all times arc prefcnr, bath told us,rhatrhefe !aft lluil be worft: Our experience jufiifies him,with all but the wilfu\1. This ceofure(left you fhould condemne my rigour, as unnaturally partiall) is nor coofined to our fcas; but free and common;hath the fame bounds with the earth.! joy not in this large foB cier'y. Would God we wcrC'evill lone. flow few are thofe, whofe cariage doth nor fay,that profeffion ofaoy confcience is pulillonimity~How fc that care fo much, as ro l11cw well~ And yet ofthofe few,howmany care only to fee me~ whofcwords dif. agree from their atlions, and their hearts from their words ! Where fhall ammmew up himfelfc,thar he may not be awitQcffe ofwhat he would not! What can he fee, or hearc, and not be either fad or guilty! Oathcs ftrive for number with words, fcoffes with oathes,vainc fpcoches with both. They are rare hand<,that arc freecither from afpcrlions ofblood,or fpots offilthinc!fe. Let me.be at once(as I ufe)bold and plainc: Wanton cxcdfe,cxceffivc pride,clofc Atheifme,impudent profancoeffe, unmerciful! ·oppreffion, ovcr-mercifull connivence, greedy covetoufncffc, loofe prodigality, Si· mooiacall facrilegc, unbridled luxury, bea(l]ydrunkenncffc, bloody trcachery,cunC oiog fraud, llaoderous detraCtion, envious underminings, fccrct idolatry, hypocritica\1 fafhionablencffe, have fprcad thcmfelvcs all ovcrth~ world.The Sunne ofpeaet looking upon our oncleane heaps, bath bred thcfc monftcrs, and bath given light to this brood ofdarkneffe. Lookc about you; and fee if three great ldols,Honout, Plea. fure, Gaine, have not fhared the earth amongft them, and left himlcaft, whofcall is. Your denial! drives me to paniculm. I urge no further. If anyadverfary infult in my confcffion, tell him, rhar I a~couot them the greatc!l part ofthis evill; nei· ther could thus complaine, ifthey were nor. Who knowes not, that as the earth is the dregs ofrhc world, fo TIAIJ is tbedreg~ of the earth, R•me of Italy~ Jtis no won, der ro find Satan in his Hell; burro find him in Paradife, is uncouth and grievous. Let them alone that will dyeand hate to be cured. For us : 0 that remedies were as D ealic as complaints! That we could be as foonc clecrcd, as convinced ! That thetaking of the medicine were but fo difficult as the prefcription ! And yet nothing hinders us from hcalth,bur our will: neither Gofpdl, DQr Grace, nor Glory,are fhutup; only our hearts are nor open, Let me turne my ftile from you, to the fccurc, to the pcrverlc; thoughwhy doe I hope they will heare me, that arc deafc to God~ they will regard words, that care not for judgements ~ Let me tell them yet (ifin vaine) they muft breake, if they bow not : That if mercy may be refufcd, yet vengeant< cannot be roliftcd : that God can fervc himfelfe of them perforce, neither to their thank nor eafc: that the prefent plagues doe but threaten worfe. Laftly, that ifthey rdent not, hell wasoot made for nothing. Whatfhould be done then~ Except we wo_uld fainelmart,each ~an amend one,&wealllivc.How commonlydo men comE plame, and yet adde to thiS heape ~ Redreffe ftands nor in words. Let every man pull but one brand out ofthtS fire, and the flame will goc out alone. What is amultitude ~ut an ~cap ofunitiestThe m0~c we deduce, the fewer we leave. 0 how happy wer~ 1t then,tfcvery man would begm at home,and take his owneheart to task,and at once be his ownc Accufer, and Judge; to condemnc his private errors, yea romulCl them With death!Tlll then alas,what availes irro talke~ While every manccnfures,and no man ar_ncnds, what is it but bufie trifling~ But though our care muft begin ar our felves,rt may not end there. Who bur a Caine is not his brothers kecper!Publike pcrfoos are not fo much their ownc, as others are theirs. Who fits at the common ftcrn cannot difiinguifh betwixt the careofhis owne fafcry, and his vc!fels : borhdrown.; once,orat once falute the haven. Ye magitlrates(forin youftand all our lower hopes) whom God bath on purpofe, in awife forrogation, fer upon earth to correCt her diforders,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=