ti 6 Chap. 3 3. An ExpoStion upon the Bsck,of J o 8._ Verf. x it fhall alfoprovease permfa. he.affirmes the general! 'viciotífnzife ofnature, he mull needs imply his owne ( Chap. is. i4.. ) Khat is man that he fhould be cleane ? andhewhich itborne ofa woman, that he f mild be rightcous ? Behold he putteth no teuft in his Saints, yea the hea"tens arenot cleanè in,hìsfight, how much moreabominable and filthy is man ?, In this univeriall conclufion, he included) himeife, therefore fobwas far from being righteous inhis owne eyes in any,proud opinion of his owne righteoufneffe or freedome from any thineoffin. Somuch for the opening of 'thole words,containing the reafon why his friends ceased to an - t ter; Ilecaufé he was righteous inhis owne eyes. It was the delgnc of thefe three men not only to convince fob that he wasa firmer, but to bringhim-upon iris knees as a no- torious tanner ; And yet all their allegations and arguments could not bring him to it ; My right eoufneffi (laid he,.Chapt. 27.6. ) I holdfait, Iwill not`'let it goe. Now, when they law him thus re folved and flie in maintaining the goodneffe of his caufe, and the integrity of his fpirir, theyquitted thebofinefle, or as the text faith, seated toanfeer. Hence note We caufe to doe whenWe cannot attaine our end ix doing. Imp bit :'um When we'fee it is in vaine to perfwade, we give over perfwa- nuÜus eß co- ding, Defpayre of working our end, puts an end to ourworking. of Indutlry is at a fiand, yea withdraweth when inipoffibilities-ap- peare. And though nothing be impollïble unto God, yet we find Godhimfelfe "giving overboth fpeaking and fmiting when he feeth he isliketo doe no good by eyther. Thus he expreffeth `his purpofe ( Ifa. r. 's. ) when he had fpent many rods of fore Judgements`& afflictions upon that people, when hehad flricken them till, from the crowne of the head, to the foie of the feete, they Were nothing but acontinued wound, and yet they received 'not.corredion ; he prefently reafonsthus,t'hy fhoraldye befricken any more, yewill revolt moreandmore. As if he had faid, The end. why I(moteyou was to amendyou, to bring you home: to my felfe, to caufe you to turne back, or returne fromyour evill wayes, but 1 fie 1 have loft my labour, and fpent not only my rods but myfor- pions in vairrenponyou, therefore Iwill caufe from this kind of work, why !boldye be ftricl en any more, ye will revolt more and ore.
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