67o Chap. 31. An Expoftion upon the Book of J o a. Verf.33. b.) Take a third in the woman ofBahurim who ufed a notable invention to fecure the meffengers that went to carry tideings to David,caufing them to goe downe into a well (a Sam. 17. IS ) a4'td the woman Cooke and /read a covering over the wasmouth, and fpread ground corne thereon, and the thing was not knowne: And indeed fufpition it felfe could hardly fufpeet that well, which had fuch a covering. I mention thefe, to thewwhat ftrange in- ventions have been tiled tocover things, perforas, and defignes. Yet thefe were but groffe, courfe, and dull pieces of invention compared with thofe which the heart of man dayly finds out to cover his tranfgrefhions. Oh how cunning are finners growne to cover their fin f What falfe doores ? what trap doores ? what turnings and windings? what labyrinths and meanders:what fha- dows and vailes, bath the heart of man invented and made to keepe conveigh or cover fin out of fight ? The heart of man is ftrangely engaged in thefe devices, yet of them all we may fay as the Prophet 1faiahdoth of their attempts and devifes who would hide themfelves from the judgements of God (1fa.2S.zo. ) The bed1r/horter then that a man canfErerch himfelfe on it, and the covering narrower then that he can wrap himfelfe in ir. When fin- ners have ftretcht their wilts upon the very tenrers todevife new covers and cloakes for fin, both they and their fins Rand naked in the fight of God, or ( as we fay) they doe all the while but . dance in a net ; yea they lay themfelves the more open to the ju- hice ofGod, by howmuch they thinke themfelves more concea- led from his knowledge. And therefore as the fame Prophet de nounced za fevere threatning againft the Jewes,for Peeking to (hel- ter themfelves from thofe ttormes which hung over their heads and were ready to fall upon them by going to Egypt or any for- raigne nation for fuccour. (Ifa. 30. a.) Woo to the'ribellious children,faith the Lord, that take ccunfel but not of rne, and that cover with a covering, but not ofmy Spirit, that they may adde fin to fin or thereby adding fin to fin, that is, adding this fin of trufting in thecreature, particularly in the fhadow of Egypt, in a day ofdiftreffe, to all their other fins ; Now, I fay, as the Jewes were threatned for feeking fuch a cover from troubles , fo their cafe is as dangerous, who feeke or make vaine coverings for their fin. TheSpirit ofGod bath provided a covering for all our fins, yet few have an heart to makeufe of it. But how mad are the molt
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