Chap. 14. .An Expojtionupon the Boohof Jos, Verfe4. Nowas all men becaufe unclean, bring forth an unclean per- fonal iiiae ; ( which rifeth from the fecond Expofition) So be- caufe every perfon is unclean, the actions which he brings forth are unclean too. Whatfoever fnful man doth, is finful,: Confider mankind under, two ranks , Regenerate and Unregenerate ; The Unregenerate are fo unclean , that whatfoever they do is alto- gether,unclean. Do men gather Grapes of thorns, and figs of thi- flles ? Make the tree good and the fruit good, while the tree is evil the fruit cannot be good. 'Tis becaufe the heart is evil , thatas (God complains Gen. 6. 5. ) All the imaginations of the thoughts of the heart are onely evil continually. The imagination gives fhape to every thingwhich the mind works upon, all that man frames and fafhions, all the Creatures he makes within him are unclean. The works of a natural man are uuclean for the molt part in the very matter, but all that he dóth is .unclean for the manner ; his Hands areunclean, and( by his handling) he. makes all unclean. The mind and confciente ofa wicked man being defiled, he is abominable , difobedient, and to every good zronl, reprobate, (Tit. I.15.) that is, he knows not how to do a good work, he is not' handfome_handed, or rather not "hand fome-hearted at anygood work : Heknows neither how tocon- trive, nor a&,much leffe to delight in any thing that is good.; hthat's the meaningofbeing Reprobate to everygoodwork: though. e may fet about many goodworks,yet at beft theydo but bungle at them all. Somegoodwork] are fogoodthat no man can do th n¢.all, they cannot be done finfully, though they may be done itnper- fectly. Such are, to love God, to fear, to believe, to truft, to rejoice in him, and to hope for his mercy. Thefe works are fo good; that, as no wicked man can do themat all, fo, no good man can fin in doing them. Thefe works are fo good, that the leaf} degree of them is good, and therefore though they are acted often weakly yet they are neveracted wickedly. But there are good works which a carnal man will be dealing in , as to pray, tohear the Word, d-c, Thefe he will be doing, but he is -reprobate to the doingof them,he defiles and fpoils them in the doing. The cafe is put, Hag. 2.14. ifa man that is unclean cary holy left ; Jbba/l it not beunclean ?The Prophets fates it affirmative- ly, ceremonially holy flefh isdefiled with our fpirituaIly unholy fiefh, Theuncleanneffe ofthe giver renders his gift unclean, The facrceof the wicked oo abomination to the Lord : their prayers are
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