This way of Consulting a Bodies Ease, makes a Man Accessory to his own
Ruin. There’s an Attempt design’d for the Purpose, upon the Person of a
Man; and he shuts his Ears against any Intelligence, or Notice of it,
till the Dagger is at his Heart. He that will not hear the Worst of
things Betimes, must expect afterward to feel the Effect of the Bad
News that he would not Hear. First, he loses the Means of Preventing
Mischiefs, by not suffering himself to be Inform’d whereabouts the Danger
lies. Secondly, He lives in a continual Dread of all Accidents that
may befall him in general, though of Nothing in particular, and leaves
himself no Place for the Exercise of Prudence and Precaution. This sort
of People Jog on in the World, (for I cannot call it Living) without any
Thought for to Morrow. Talk to them of Poverty, Persecutions, Torments,
Slavery, Sickness, nay, Death it self at a Distance, they’ll put it off
to the last Moment, and venture the Surprisal, when it comes indeed,
rather then abide but so much as the Hearing on’t Before-hand.