5 28 Chap. is. An Expofition upon the Bookvf j oB. Verf. 2 g, thereby may be defiled ; that is, left force fcandalous perfons only trouble the peaceof the wholeChurch, but alfo vitiate the purity of tome particular members of the Church, by the con- tagion of their evil example : now, though thefeScriptures do rather call perfons, then the tin in a perfon, a root of bit- ternefs, yet thofe perlons am therefore called fo, becaufe of their lin, and their lin is a which as it defiles others, fo it deitroies themfelves. When theApoftle Peter taw he was de- ceived in Simon Magus,he faith, Now Ipe, ceive that Clan art inthe gallof bitternefr, and to the lewdof in:ginty. In thegallofbitternefs (Al-.8.z3.) that is, in a (tare of fin and impenitency, which will at laft bring forth the bitternefs of punithment. In that fence allo the Prophet threatens, Ifa. 24.9. 7heylhall not drink wine with a fang, ftrong drinkfhall be bitter to them that drink`it ;that is,it Thall he turned into bitternefs; we have a common Paying amongft us, tweet meat bathfowrfence; fo here, prong drink, which goes down merrily, ¡hall be turned into bitternefs, they (hall not drinkit with a Fong. Voluptuous men mingle their drinkwith finging, but thefe forrowful men íhould mingle their drinkwith . weeping,this would make it bitter to thofe that drank it. Solemon defcribing the harlot (Pro. 5, 4) with the contentments which the offers, concludes, her end is .bitter as worm -wood, that is, the end which ¡he brings others to. That's herend in which the caufeth others to end, as well as that wherein Theends her fell: her end both waies is the fame, bitter as wormwood, The Pro- phet feremy ¡huts up monition ( chap, 2. 19.) with ÍCnosv _therefore and fee, the ova evil thingand abitter,that than haft forfal¿en the Lord thy.God,&t. Sin is like that book (leev. 10.9.) Tweet in the mouth,but bitter in the belly. Or, as Abner faid topal', (2 Sam. 2. 26.) Shallthefword devour for ever ? k.noweft thou not that it willbe bitternefs in the latter end ? yea, wemay call every 2on mirum eft fin a bitter thing, not only in reference to the future effeets ofit, Peccata qua but in reference to the prefent tale of i t. Sin is often bitter, videnen dei/cia not only in thebelly, but in themouth; it is bitternefs not only a entur ama. ricudites voce_ in the end, but in the beginning, yea, theveryfweecnefs which i, cum duicia. is in finpromotes the bitrernels ofít.Foras,¡n nature,fweetmears omniainama_ liberally fed upon, beget choler, and beget bitternefs in the rorem er bilem ftomack : fo thefe fweet models of fin, upon which the foul facia comma- feeds, caufe bitter tartes and fowr humours, difaffeeting. both Canter. Pined, foul and body,and troubling the whole man, Secondly,.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=