ChaR. 36. anExpfitionuon the Bookof J o B. Verf. g. s29 luFt. As the devil leads forte, fo lufis and corruptions leadothers captive at their will, they are at the beck and command of fin. Thus fin exceeds in the wicked,who either knownot God,or who walk daily contrary to their knowledge. Secondly, That man doth exceed in his tranfgreffion, or his tranfgrefiìonBoth exceed, who fins with, or bath a very ill frame of heart in finning. Many agood man falls into fin, andyet he bath not, as I may fay, a bale or wicked frame of heart in finning, but his very finning is,upon the matter,againfl his own heart, and the bent of his fpirir, his heart goeth not with it. The more of the heart or will is mingled with any fin, themore exceeding finfuli it is. I may fay of tome men (I would not be miflaken) That they do evill with a- better frame of heart than others do rood ; there are farce that do good with very bad, yea with bate hearts; The facrifice ofthe wickd is an abomination ;how muchmore when he brings it with a wickedmind, or (as we put in the Margin) with wickednefs, ( Pro. 2 r. 27. ) that is, either for applaufe,to be fees of men, or for profit, to gain bymen, or in malice, the better to compafs revenge upon any man, or fort of men ; under all which covers, wicked men have brought theirfacrifices,that is,have ap- peared in the outwardworfhip ofGod, or have taken up the form of godlinefs. And whofoever doth thus, path a far worfe frame of heart in doing good, than a good man bath in doing evil : who though he doth evil, yet he delights not in ir, and clofes not with. is . By how inuch anymans heart is more taken with fin , by fo much the more finfull it is. Thirdly, The exceedingnefs of a finmay be meafuredby the circumfiances offinning ; then a man may be faid to tranfgrefs,and exceed in tranfgreflion, when he finneth, Firfi, gainfi light, a- gainff; the Checks of his own confcience within; as alto, Secondly, when he fins againF reproofs, warnings, and admonitions from without ; that man exceeds in fin, who bath been cold of ir, and yet goeth on. Thirdly, that man exceeds in fin , who fins in the midli of much mercy, and daily received or renewed favours ; as alto he, Fourthly, who fins in the midf# of many affliaions and judgements, whether upon his perfon and family, or upon the Nationwherehe liveth : filch as there not only fin or tranfgrefs, but exceed in tranfgreflion. Now the Lord in times of ffli&ion fheweth men there and die like exceedingsof their tranfgreflion, arid,
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