It is not enough therefore to say the thing is in it self better, but is it better in all the references I have, and it hath? is it better in regard of others, in regard of the public, for the helping me in all my relations? May it not help one way, and hinder many ways? If a Physician should come to a man, and see his disease is hot, and should therefore presently cool him by giving him water, the man may like it for the present; ⟨p. 87⟩why is it not better to be cool, then so burning hot? but thus the Physician discovers his folly, and the Patient loses his life. A Physician in prescribing some physic had need have forty considerations in his head at once, how one part stands affected to the other, of what years the man is, of what complexion, how long the disease bath been upon him, what was last done to him, &c. So it should be in the duties of Religion, a Christian who desires to walk orderly, to beautify and honour his profession to enjoy communion with God, & peace in his own soul, and be useful to the public, had need have his wits about him, not presently to fall upon a work, because it is now presented as good to him in a single consideration; he must compare one thing with another, and see what it is in all its references; or otherwise he will but interfere, he will but hack and hew, and bungle, and disturb himself and others in the ways of Religion, he will make Religion tiresome to himself and others, he will be in danger in time to cast off strictness, and to grow so much the more loose then others, by how much more straitened he hath been in a disorderly way then others. I believe some of you have known those who in their young time have been very strict and tender; whatsoever they have conceived to be better then other, they have presently followed it with all eagerness, never considering circumstances, references, or consequences, but the thing is good, it must be done; yet being wearied with this, they have after grown loose, in as great an excess, the other way; yea, it may be have vanished and come to nothing.
It is not enough therefore to say the thing is in it selfe better, but is it better in all the references I have, and it hath? is it better in regard of others, in regard of the publique, for the helping me in all my relations? May it not help one way, and hinder many ways? If a Physitian should come to a man, and see his disease is hot, and sho•ld therefore presently cool him by giving him water, the man may like it for the present; ⟨p. 87⟩why is it not better to be cool, then so burning hot? but thus the Physitian discovers his folly, and the Patient loses his life. A Physitian in prescribing some physick had need have forty considerations in his head at once, how one part stands affected to the other, of what yeers the man is, of what complexion, how long the disease bath been upon him, what was last done to him, &c. So it should be in the duties of Religion, a Christian who desires to walk orderly, to beautifie and honour his profession to enjoy communion with God, & peace in his own soul, and be useful to the publique, had need have his wits about him, not presently to fall upon a work, because it is now presented as good to him in a single consideration; he must compare one thing with another, and see what it is in all its references; or otherwise he will but enterfeir, hee will but hack and hew, and bungle, and disturb himselfe and others in the ways of Religion, he will make Religion tiresome to himselfe and others, he will be in danger in time to cast off strictnesse, and to grow so much the more loose then others, by how much more streightned he hath been in a disorderly way then others. I believe some of you have known those who in their young time have been very strict and tender; whatsoever they have conceived to be better then other, they have presently followed it with all eagernesse, never considering circumstances, references, or consequences, but the thing is good, it must be done; yet being wearied with this, they have after grown loose, in as great an excesse, the other way; yea, it may be have vanished and come to nothing.
