[ 1190] The Churches sad condition to be laid to heart.
IT is reported of Alexander,* 1.1 that being in extream thirst, when a draught of water was offered unto him, he thought it a hard thing, and no way suit∣able to the dignity of a Prince, that he alone should que••ch his thirst, when others in his Army had not wherewithall to abate theirs, wherefore he returns the cup with this speech, Nec solus bibere sus••ineo, &c. I cannot endure to drink alone, and here's not enough for every one to wet their lips: Thus Uriah, while the Ark and his Lord Ioab was in the Field, will not go down to his house,* 1.2 no not so much as to refresh himself. And what sayes old Anchises, when Aeneas would have saved his life,* 1.3 Absit ut, excisa, possim supervivere, Troia, Far be it from me, that I should desire to live when Troy suffers that it does; And thus, Far let it be from any true-hearted Christian to live deliciously, when not Troy, but the Church of God is under a clowd of sorrow and affliction, so that what betwixt the Popish and the peevish party, She is ready to be overwhelmed; too too blame then are all they, that with those Iewish Priests at the taking of Ierusalem by Titus the Roman Emperour,* 1.4 have not onely a desire to live, but to live in pomp, in bravery, in giving liberty to themselves in all sensuall delights, in abating nothing of their carnal contentments, when they see and hear of the Church of God suffering grievous things, and brought unto lamentable streights, under the burthen of sore and most heavy pressures.