Chap. 3o. An &pefition upon the Rook of J o$. Verl:- t3 123 verle in that Pfalme intimates. Some teare the names of men in high places, and not a few the names oftheir brethren or equalls (as the hypocrite is charged(Pfaf.50.20.) Thoufttefit andPak- againft thy brother, thouflandereft thine own mothersfan , thou fitteft at it, as if it were thy trade andoccupation, thoudoff not make a tranfient worke, or a by-bwfinesof it, thou fitteft dole at it) But what doe they get? The tongue indeed will fpeake often in thefe caufes gratis, or without a fee, but it never doth without danger and damage to the fpeaker. As Inch fpeakers, (boote ar- rows, like the arrows ofthe mightie, and as they fcatter coales, like the coales ofJuniper, fo they ufually get an arrow in their own fides, and not only burne their fingers, but heape coales of fire upon their own heads. Ungodlymen will doe mifchiefe to other men, purely for mifchiefes fake, yet when once mifchiefe is done,it proves molt rnifchievous to the doers of it ; And while they hold their brethrensheavines a profit, though they are ne- ver the better,they (hall (idle and find themfelves in a (bort time much the worfe. Secondly , As thefe words imply the event or fruitlefneffe of thofe adings. Obferve. When a man bath café tap his accounts, be (hall beforced to con- feffe, that he bath gainednothing by finne, or by doing any thing that u evil!, either in itfelfe or unto ethers. TheApoftles were flanderoufly reported, and fome affirmed that they faid, Lee,oudoe evil( thatgood may come ofit, (Rom.3. 8. ) Now as it is an abomination todoe the leaft fnfull evill for the good ofothers ( though the goodwe propofe be the laving of their foules, yea though we (hould propofe to our felves a higher good in the doing of any finfull evil(, then the laving a whole world offoules,The Glory of goddyet(I fay) to doe it were an abctnination,as t'na Apoftles conclufion even againft Inch pre- tenders doth fullyevince, when he faith, whofedamnation isjug) So it is both an high abomination, and the higheft folly, for any man todoe evill that good may come to himfelfe. I call thisan high abomination, becaufe it is extreamly finfull to leekour own good in an evil) way; and I call it thehigheft folly, becaufe how earneflly foeverwe feekeour own good inan evill way, we (hall R 2 never
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