Chap. at. f1n Expofttion upon the Beo%e of Jo R. Veri. II. 413 whichare in Babylon,flying The Lordmake thee like Zedek.iab and like Ahab, whom the king cfBabylon roefled in thefire, becault theycommittedvillany inYfrael,andhave committedadultery with theirneighbours wives, &c. Thus the fire oflutt was punifhed by fire, even among thofe who had no light to fee the heinoufreffe of this crime by but that of Nature. And though few offenders in that kind have fallen under this punif iment, yet Solomon tells us they are all lyable to that or fotneother grievous punifhment ( Pro. 6.2; &c.) Can a man take fire in his bofome, and hisclothes not be burnt ? Can one goe upon hot cuales, and hisfeet not burnt ? So is be that gueth in to his neighbours wife, whofsever toucheth her jia¢ not be innocent That is, he (hall be greatly guilde; And what is guilt but an obligationto pur,ifhment. WhenDavid fell into this heinous crime, he found to his ftnart that he was farre from being innocent; He tatted, yea was filled with the bitter fruites of it all his dayes. For though Nathan upon his repen- tance and the humbleconfeffion of his fin , had declared his par- don (2 Sam. t 2. t 3.) And fayd untohim , The Lord bathpat away thy fin, thou /bolt not dy; that is, thou (halt not dy eyther pi lèntly (as this thy fin according to lawdeferves) nor eter- nally, asevery fin by the law deferves (though I fay) David was thus pardoned as tocondemnation ; yet he was threatned ( even in the fame breath) with fore and grievous chaf#ifements. God would let him know, and others in him, that his owne children (hall payBeare for it ( not at all in a way of fatisfaetion to Ju- llice) if they venture to provokehis fatherly difpleafure by that or any other heinous crime. The Mofaicall lawmade Adultery death ( Lev. 2o. to.) And the death to which that law adjudged Adulterers was ftoning (Dent. 22. 23. 24.) When Chrift was captioufly queftionedby the Jewes about the woman taken in adultery, they urged this law ( 7oh. 8. 3, 4.) eArnd the Scribesand'harifees brought un- tohim a woman taken inadultery, andwhen theyhadfet her in the ossidfl, they fayd unto hisu,Mafler, this woman was taken in adulte- ry in the veryaft. 2wMofes in the law commanded tae thatfuck, fhould be floned ; but what fayefl thou ? This they fayd tempting him, that they might have to accufe him. But 7efus !hopeddowns, and with his finger wrooteon theground, as though he heardthem, not : So when they continssedasking him,he lift up himfilfe andlaidd unto
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