p. 27 | Unnecessary Chains by Jeremy Taylor

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 21, 1864

Unnecessary Chains.

By Jeremy Taylor

AN Egyptian, who acknowledged Fire for his god, one day doing his devotions kissed his god, after the manner of worshipers, and burnt his lips. It was not in the power of that false and imaginary deity to cure the real hurt done to his devoutest worshiper. Just such a fool is he that kisses a danger, though with a design of virtue, and hugs an opportunity of sin, for an advantage of piety. He burns himself in the neighborhood of the flame, and twenty to one that he may perish in its embraces: and he that looks out a danger, that he may overcome it, does as did the Persian who worshiped the sun, looked upon him when he prayed him to cure his weak eyes. The sun may as well cure a bad eye, or a great burden knit a broken arm, as a danger can do him advantage that seeks such a combat, which may ruin him; and after which, he rarely may have this reward, that it may be said of him, he had the good fortune not to perish in his folly. It is easier to prevent a mischief than to cure it, and besides the pain of the wound, it is far more full of difficulty to cure a broken leg, which a little care and observation would have preserved whole. To recover from a sin is none of the easiest labors that concern the sons of men; and therefore it concerns them rather not to enter into such a narrow strait, from which they can never draw back their head, without leaving their hair and skin and ears behind —Jeremy Taylor.