REFLEXION.
THIS Pagan Fable will bear a Chriſtian Moral, for more People Worſhip for Fear, and for Tntereſt, then for Love and Devotion. As the Indians do the Devils, That they may not Hurt ‘em. It Teaches us farther, that we are not to take Pet, or Deſpond, under any Croſs or Calamity that the Almighty is pleaſed to lay upon us. The Judgments of Heaven are Juſt, and let them fall never ſo Heavy, they are yet leſs then we deſerve. The Devil Himſelf, when he was let looſe upon Job, could not Tranſport That Patient, Good Man beyond his Temper, or make him Quit his Hold. Reſignation and Perſeverance are All that a Man has to Truſt to in This Extremity. There's no Good to be done by Struggling, nor any way left us to make our Peace with, but to try by Faith, Prayer, a New Life, if we can make our Offended Maſter Once again our Friend. So that upon the Upſhot, Afflictions are but the Methods of a Merciful Providence, to Force us upon the only Means of ſetting Matters Right, betwixt Divine Juſtice and Humane Frailty.
Fab. CLXXX.
A Raven and a Snake.
AS a Snake lay Lazing at his Length, in the Gleam of the Sun, a Raven Took him up, and Flew away with him. The Snake kept a Twiſting and Turning, till he Bit the Raven, and made him Curſe himſelf for being ſuch a Fool, as to Meddle with a Purchace that had coſt him his Life.
The MORAL.
REFLEXION.