3 c6 Chap. i 9. !inExpofttion upon the Book of J OB. Verf. 22. ture ofprideand malice which appeared in Haman was mon- ftrous and inhumane, Who thought (corne to lay hands on Morde- cai alone,but fought to drflroy allthe ?ewes who were throughout the whole kingdome ofAhafueruo even thepeopleof Mordecai ( Heft.3. 6. ) Perfonall revenge wouldnot ferve his turne, it muff be nati- onall ; yet the malice and cruelty of thofe exceeds that of Ha- man, who think fcorne to lay hands upon the body ofaman alone, they muff reach at his foul, and doe their urmoft to make him i o e moment univerfally and eternally miferableá Vieth is to groffe a morfell for their revenge, they muft feed upon the fpirit. Such cannot live like Canibals or favage Beafts, upon the carkaffes ofmen, they muft like the Devill ( that roaringLyon who goes about feekingwhom he may de- voure) lay waft their confciences, and prey upon their foules, And force there have alwayes been who though they arrive not at this degree of wickedneffe to delire the damnation of the foules of others, yet they are very hungry after and active in thevexationof their foules, thinking they doe not enough, unleffe they doe that, which is a torture to their.minds, a griefe unto their fpiríts. Of fuch alto, we may fay, They are not fatif- fled withflefh. The cruelty ofDavidsenemies extended only to his flefh ( 'Pfal, 27.2. ) When the wicked even mineenemies and foes cameupon me to eat upmy f efh;, &c. (That is, to deftroy, to make an end ofme) theyflumbledand fell. Toeat flefh is a pro- verbial' fpeech, noting extreameft crúelty fo (Zach. i 1.9. ) They jZall eau every one the f efh ofanother ; That is, they (hall ex- ercife utmoft cruelty one againft another; yet this cruelty in eating flefh, in fpoyling the lives and eftates ofmen, is a kinde of mercy in comparifon of theirs who devonre foules. The wickedneffe of the Adultereffe is expreffed by Solomon ( Pro. 16. 26.) That the huntechfor theprecious life the life of the body is a precious commoditie, but the life of the foule is farre more precious. The whorifh Woman may beffaid to hunt for both, and chiefely for the larter; The taking away of that life is fometime the end which the Adultereffe aimesat, and it is al.. wayes the end and iffue ofher Adulteries, unleffe the Lordgive repentanceand pardon. Old 7acob faith ofhis Tonnes, Simeon- andLevi, Curfedbe their anger, for it wasfeirce, and their wrath, . forit we crud);, We may fayoftheAdultereffe, Curfed be her love;
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