§. 4. But what? Am I Describing one of them whose Dwelling is not with Flesh? I don't pretend unto it. Sr. Henry Wotton, when he mentioned his Father commonly did it in those Terms, That Best of Men my Father. None Faulted him. And yet I durst not come up to those Terms. Let us then hear of all his Humane Frailties. Nay, No occasion for That neither! But some tell me, That a Life which only flourishes on the Virtues and Praises of the Person Written of, and shows only the Bright side of the Object, is not so Edifying or so Acceptable, or so Comfortable, as a more Impartial Story, and a fair Confession of Infirmities. Well, Then, you shall have something of it, and as much as tis fit for me to give you of it. An Hundred witty Speeches of ⟨p. 187⟩our Celebrated Ward, who called himself, The Simple Cobbler of Agawam, [and over whose Mantle-piece in his House, by the way, I have seen those three words Engraved, SOBRIE, JUST, PIE, and a Fourth added, which was, LAETE:] have been reported; But he had one Godly Speech, that was worth 'em all: which was, I have only Two Comforts to Live upon; The one is, in, The perfections of CHRIST; The other is in The Imperfections of all CHRISTIANS. And verily, There is Abundance in the latter as well as in the Former Article. If then it will be at all Comfortable to you, I will tell you; Dr. Mather had his Imperfections. But must I Exhibit them, and Represent them, and Amplify upon them? Suppose, I did not see them, as another might. Or, If I did, am not I very finely Circumstanced for the Relation of them? I Pray, which among the Sons of Noah, would afford me a Name, if I should Proceed unto it? And yet, that other Servants of GOD, Mourning under their Deficiencies and their Miscarriages, may be Comforted, you shall be Informed, That I find this Good Man in his Diaries, often taxing himself, as Guilty of Indiscretion; and of sad Mispence of Time; and of not keeping his Heart under such a Government as he should have done. And when his Days of Humiliation arrived, he constantly noted with his Pen, Grounds of Humiliation before the Lord. Here, he still deeply Charges himself with, Remaining Iniquities. Among these he still Bewails, Great Unfruitfulness. It Occurs Times without Number. Sometimes ⟨p. 188⟩tis; How Unfruitful am I; Alas, How do I even Cumber the Ground? He often Laments?
§. 4. But what? Am I Describing one of them whose Dwelling is not with Flesh? I don't pretend unto it. Sr. Henry Wotton, when he mention'd his Father commonly did it in those Terms, That Best of Men my Father. None Faulted him. And yet I durst not come up to those Terms. Let us then hear of all his Humane Frailties. Nay, No occasion for That neither! But some tell me, That a Life which only flourishes on the Vertues and Praises of the Person Written of, and shows only the Bright side of the Object, is not so Edifying or so Acceptable, or so Comfortable, as a more Impartial Story, and a fair Confession of Infirmities. Well, Then, you shall have something of it, and as much as tis fit for me to give you of it. An Hundred witty Speeches of ⟨p. 187⟩our Celebrated Ward, who called himself, The Simple Cobler of Agawam, [and over whose Mantle-piece in his House, by the way, I have seen those three words Engraved, SOBRIE, JUSTE, PIE, and a Fourth added, which was, LAETE:] have been reported; But he had one Godly Speech, that was worth 'em all: which was, I have only Two Comforts to Live upon; The one is, in, The perfections of CHRIST; The other is in The Imperfections of all CHRISTIANS. And verily, There is Abundance in the latter as well as in the Former Article. If then it will be at all Comfortable to you, I will tell you; Dr. Mather had his Imperfections. But must I Exhibit them, and Represent them, and Amplify upon them? Suppose, I did not see them, as another might. Or, If I did, am not I very finely Circumstanced for the Relation of them? I Pray, which among the Sons of Noah, would afford me a Name, if I should Proceed unto it? And yet, that other Servants of GOD, Mourning under their Deficiencies and their Miscarriages, may be Comforted, you shall be Informed, That I find this Good Man in his Diaries, often taxing himself, as Guilty of Indiscretion; and of sad Mispence of Time; and of not keeping his Heart under such a Government as he should have done. And when his Days of Humiliation arrived, he constantly noted with his Pen, Grounds of Humiliation before the Lord. Here, he still deeply Charges himself with, Remaining Iniquities. Among these he still Bewails, Great Unfruitfulness. It Occurs Times without Number. Sometimes ⟨p. 188⟩tis; How Unfruitful am I; Alas, How do I even Cumber the Ground? He often Laments?
