396Cliop. 23. AnExpoftion upon the Book of J O E °Jeri, t r fo fooldh, as when they will be wirer then God. Againe, Declining or turning to the left hand, implyeth a fin in defe6t, when we doe lea.: then Godcommands,when we Thor- ten, and (heighten the will ofGod in our obedience to it. Every natural!man thinks a little much, yea he thinks much to doe a little ; and may therefore be raid to turn to the left hand,becaufe that is the unworkinghand,or the handweh doth the leaft worke. A natural) maneither makes the LawofGod.void by doing that which is agaiidt it, or he lets it lye void by not doing k, and would be glad that this talent committed to him might forever be wraps up in a napkin, . or be buryed in the earth. Both there turnings, whether to the right hand, or to the left, are evils. The way of holiness, the good way lieth ftreight forward, right on; It bath no turning either to the right hand=nor to the left.All the wayes of florae are called crooked wayer, and they are our ovine. wayes. (rnfa1,125, 5.) As forfuck as turne afide to their crooked . w..ayer, the Lard(hall lead themforth with the mor. ers of iniquity. The Pfaltrtift calls them, Their crooked wayes ; that is, wayes of. their own devifìng; whereas the way of holines is the Lords way. To exceed or todoe more, to be deficient or to doe Leff: :hen. God requires, both thefe ate crooked wages the way of Lord lycs fireight forward, right before us.(Tro.28. t 8:) Who %o walk etk`uprightly!hall be raved, but he that ie perverje C, crooked) is his wayes f allfall at once. The motion ofa godlyman io like that of the kine that ctrryed the Arke (1 sana. 6. 1z.) Who Cooke the freight way to the w.apof Bethfht,neJh,and went along the high way, lowing. they went,and they turnednot ujide to the right hand,or .to the loft. But youwill fay,D'o not good men,even the heft ofgood men, decline fometimes, and gocafide? or Both it argue every man to be wicked who declines at any time? I anfwer ; N fpeakes of what he had not dore, not ofwhat it was impoffìble for him to doe ; he had not declined, yet he might have declined; We find many declinings among the godly; howmany are there.that decline in degrees, who are godly in the maine; They. love )fill, but they have not the fame warmthof love, the fame beate of af- fe&ion; They obey {till, but theyhave not the fame ftrength of obedience. There may be a declineing alto not onely in theway, but from the way, to the right hand fometimes,and fometimes to the
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