y:v Chap. 3 5. tanExpofrtion upon the Book.f J 011. Nerf. S. Hence note . 411 men are alike. Though the faces of men are very differenr, and we know one man from another, becaufe they are unlike in face, yet as to their confiìtatìonand natural condition, theyare alike;he that isgreat- eft , is fuch a man as the leaf,; and the firongeft is fuch a man as the weakeft, the richefi as the pooreh,the learnedeft as the moll ignorant, and the godliefi man is as the wickedeft man, as to his natural compcfition. All men are alike in thefe foure things Firli, all men-need that which is good.Secondly, all menare Ten- sible of that which is hurtful and afliielive to them. Thirdly, all men are apt to take hurr,, and to run into danger by the finand ill Examples of others, or to receivegood by their good deeds,,and profitable examples,áll menbeing ailociated in the famecommon- nature, and familiar each to other. Fourthly, allmen are alike in this, that they arc not felf- fufñcient, but fiand in need of the help of one another He that is helpful to a man like himfelf, helpeth himfelf , and doth acknowledge that (confideringhumane frail- ty) he may have occafion to call for and delre the help of ano- ther ; and therefore ( fay fore )man bath two hands,two armes, that he may underhand himfelfborn as much to need and receive help,as to give it. Thus every man is a man as thou arc;and upon thefe and many other Confiderations thou mayefi hurt a man as thou art. There is an excellent paradox, handled by fome of the A-mopotefl 1, Ancients No man is !not ,biot byhimfelf ;. for unlefs a mans foul olio l edi nifïa be hurt, he is not hurt; which is much confirmed by,and appear- feipfo,nifrenixr eh clearly inthe exam example of yob. For the devil planted all thofe gxrnitísrura- en and made all thole aifaults upon and againfi him not be- ntmo, Wort læ- a , caufe hehad a deign to makehim poor,,childlefs, and difeafed, ( all which, he knew, could not hurt him) but tomake him im- patienr,.and to extort one evil and blafphemous word againftGod from him. But though it be true, that no man is hurt but by him- fell, yet it is true alfo, that the fin of one man may hurt another. Oppreflion hurts other men, (as to civils) whether they will or no ; but no fin canhurt another ( as to morals ) unlefs he will ; no- man is infected byvice,if himfelf refufe,and be againfi it yea the oppreflions and affl'aions which other men thruh violently upon u;;cannot hurt us,,unlefs we by our impatience under them bring hurt
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