Chap. 3®. do Expolition upon the Beoke of J® s. Verf. 2. 5 is bellowed on us to profit withal!. Therefore let us not be fl iathfull in bufines, as the Apoftle counfels us ( Rom. ia. t t. ) Strength is a Trutt, and if fo, firft, take heed, ye be not found makingno ufe of it ; the diligence of the hand is under a pro - mile, The diligent band makes rich (Pre. to. 4.) Many have ftrength enough, but they doe no good with it, they are Idle, they are fluggards, their hands are in their pockets, or warme in their gloves, not warme at worke. They have hand ftrength enough, but they have no heart-ftrength ; wherefore is there a price in the hand of afoule toget wifdome, feting he bath no heart to it ? That wL ich the Prophet advifeth in a good fence (Ifa. 30. y. ) they follow in a bad, Their ftrength id to fit fill. They fit {till, though they are prong. Ephraim is called a filly dove with. out a heart ( Hof. 7. i Y.) Ephraim was not without a hand, but he had not a heart to a& and doe , either for God or for him- felfe to purpofe, he had no courage, noa&ivity of fpirit to the flrength ofhis hand. Secondly, above all take heed that you be not fundmaking an ill ufe ofit ; doe not employyour f rengt'a to your own dffervice and deftrutlion ; fo all they doe who ferve the will ofthe fl:fh, and the will ofSatan, or who walke according to the courte of the world which lyes in wickedneffe ; the ftrength of molt men run's out all thefe way es, and only in thefe They are tirong to doe mifchiefe, they do evil/ with both hands ( that is, with all their working abilities ) earnefftly (as the Prophet fpeakes, Mich. 7. 3. ) yea if they had( as the Heathen Poets feigned théir Briarena ) an hundred hands, they fhould all be employed and buffed in doing evil!. 'Tis bad enough to let the ftrength ofyour bodyes run waft, but 'cis worfe when it runs to evil! ufes and purpofes. Naturalifts call the Hand, the Organ ofOrgans, or the chiefe inftrument of a&ion. Great things are done by it, when duely let aworke. The Apoftle faith of evil) men ( Tit. t . 16.) They areabominable, difobedient, and to every good worke Reprobate. Ifa good worke be not chofen it cannot be done, where the heart clefts not, thehandalts not. whereto fhould theftrength oftheir hands profit ? What this unprofitable ftrengthwas will appeare yet further in the next Claufe. In whom eld age was peri/bed, &c. This formeof (peaking is oftenufed in Scripture, That which E fayles
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