No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea Europe is the less as well as if a promontory were.
Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee.
Neither can we call this a borrowing of misery, as though we were not miserable enough of ourselves but must fetch in more from the next house, taking upon us the misery of our neighbours.
Truly it were an excusable covetousness if we did. Affliction is a treasure and scarce any man has enough of it. Affliction matures & ripens a man & makes him fit for God.
If a man carries treasure in bullion or in a wedge of gold not coined into current monies his treasure will not defray him as he travels.
Tribulation is treasure, but it is not current money until we get nearer and nearer our home, heaven.
Another man may be sick too, and sick to death. His affliction may lie in his bowels as gold in a mine and be of no use to him.
But this bell that tells me of his affliction digs out and applies that gold to me. By thinking about his danger I take mine own into contemplation and so secure myself by making my recourse to my God, who is our only security
