71. Heaven upon Earth. ---------------------~~~~~~----------~ Only Chri!lianity haththis power;which with ourfecond birth giv~s us a new na· A The fccond. main mtnty loPeace, Cro!Tes. ture:f0 that now,ifexcdfeofpaffions be naruralltous asJII.Oit, {he order of therrHs natural! to us as Chri!lians. Reafon bids the angryJ!la!l'l!iY.over his Alphabet ere he give his anfwer; hopingby this intermilliof1 .~J7 to gai~ the mitig~tion. of his ragc. He was nevcr rhroughly angry,t~s,tti£".dcitifo !he recnall of fo many 1dle letters.Chrillianitygivcs not rulcs,butpower to avoid thisiliorc madnelfe.It was awifc lpcechthat is reported ofoarbeft and laft Gardinall (I hope) that this !Uand cirher 1 did or lball fee;who when a skilful! Aftrologer,upon the calcplation ofhis nativity, I ; 1 had foretold him fome fpecialties, concerning his futute eftare,anfwered, Such p<r· bapsI was born, bur lince that timc, I have been born again, and my f<cond na. tiviryharhcroffcd my firft. The power of nature is agood plca forthofetharacknowlcdge nothinjl above naturc.But for aChrillian toexcufehis inrempcratcnelfe, B by his 11Jiturall inchnation,and to fay, I am born cholerick, fullcn, amorous, is an Apology warfe then the fault. Whereforc ferves Religion, bur to fubdue orgovern namre~ We arefo much Chri!lians,as we canrule our fdves, the reil is but forme and fpccularion. Yca, the veryrho~ghrof our profeflion is !o powerful!, that (like unto that precious llone)being caftinro this Sea, itaffwageth thofe inward tcmpdls that were raifed by the affcctions. The unregenerate mind is not capable of this power; and rhereforcthrough rhecontinuall mutinies ofhis paflions, cannot bur be fubjeelropcrperuallunquiernelfe, Thereisneirhcr remedy nor hopdn this ellare. But the Chrillian foule, that bath inurtd it fclf to the awe of God , and the txcrcifes oftrue mortification, by thc only looking up at his holy proldlion, cureth the burning venome ofthefe fiery ferpcnrs that lurk within him. Hall thou nothing but na· C rure~ Refolve to look for no pcace. God is not prodigal! to call away his bell blef. lings on fo unworthy fubjeels. Artthou a Chrillian~ Doe but remember thou art fo1 and then ifthou dar•ft, ifthou canll,yeeld totheexce!fe ofpaflions. SECT. VIIT. Hlth<rro the moft inward and dang<rous enemy ofour peace: which if we have once mallered, the other field fhalbe fought and won with !ciTebloud. Cro!fes difquier useither in their prcfenr feeling, or their expectation: both 1 ofrhem,whenthey meet with wcak minds, fo cxtremely dillempering them, thlt the patientlorthe time is nor himfdf. Howmany have we known, which through. D alingringdifcafe, wearyofrheirpain, wearyoftheirlives, have madt their own hands their executioners~ How many meetingwirh a head-llrong grief, which they could not manage, have by theviolence of it bcen carried quitc horn their' wits~How many millions,what for incorablemoladies,whar forloffes,what for defamations,what for fad accidents to their children, rub our their lives in perpctuall dif. contcnrment,therefore living, becaufe they cannot yet die , nor for that they like ro live~ Iftherccould be any humane receipt prefcribed to avoid evils, it would be purchafedat an high rate: but both it is Impoflible that earth fhould rcdrcffe that which is fent from Heaven 1 and if it could bedone, even the want of miferies would prove miferable: for the mind cloyed with continual! felicity,would grow a burden to it felf, loathing rhntat lall, which intermiflionwould have made pleafant. E Givea free horfe the full reynes, and hewill foon tire. Summer is the fwectell fea· fon by all confenrs, wherein thecartb is both moft rich with iacreafe, and moft gor· geous for ornament; yct if it were not received with interchanges ofcold frolls and piercing winds,whocould live~ Summcrwould be no Summer, if Winter did nor both lead it in,and follow it: we may nor rhcrefore either hopc or llrive ro efcapc all croffes;fome we may: whnr thou canll, Aielrom; what thou canll not, allay and mi. tigare; in crolfes nmverfally let this bG thyrule, Make thy felfnone, efcape fome, bear the rdt,!iveeten all. . ....
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