_708 Chap. 31. An Expofition upon the look! of J e D. erf.33, doe to be feeofmen ; they let every wheel a going to draw a re- putation upon themelves. And thus all the Inordinate cares which a covetous man takes, all the wrongs and oppreffìons with which hee affliás others,and the frauds by which hecircumvents them, are only for the farisfyingof ( though it be impoffible to fatisfie it ) his covetoufneffe. And thus allo if ambition be a mans beloved fin, all that he doth is to afcend the topof the ftaires, to get into the ladle, or (as the Prophet peakes, per. 49. a6.) to hold the bight ofthe kill. Ever} fi centers it felfe in the baoved As ifikie b,dy ¡Lave a wou:,d or bruife, all the humours ruta to that dileafed part ; So a beloved fi , ( which is our wound and difeafe) drawes all thehumours of the foule to it. . Secondly That's amans beloved or bofome fin which his thoughts are moft upon : David faith, O how I love thyLaw, 'tie my meditationnight andday, ( Pfal. 519. 97. ) I cannot keep my thoughts off from it, becaufe I love it. So that fin which bath molt ofour thoughts, hash molt ofour love;and that which bath our chiefe thoughts is our chiefely beloved fin. Thirdly That's a fin in the bofome which wee cannot en- dure fhould be touch t, reproved, or fpoken againft. David had a dal ling Son,wbssu behad not difpleafedat any time,by /aging why haft tbru done fo ? (1 Kings i. 6.) He that bath a darling fin will be difpleafed if it be fayd to him, why doe you fo ? He cannot, love thofe who finite the fin which he loveth. The reafon why the Phari`'ees were fo angry with Chrift and fought his death, was becau`é hee fmote them in this tender part, and alwayes hit at the fin in their bofome, or was alwayes poynting at their bo- fome fin. Herod had a beloved fin ; and he could not beare the I3aptilì who warned him of it. Herod raft 7obn intoprifon when he told himof Herodias, and checkt his incettuous love. Fourthly , That's a fin in the bofome which a man $ands up for, and will maintaine by argument. Wee defend that which is inour bofome ; what lyeth neere the heart, the fenteof life, wee proteFt as our lives : fanners will ttraine all the wit and reafon they have to jufifie their beloved fin. How ftrongly are they enraged in their affections toa fin, who sppeare as Patrons and Advocates for it. Laftly , That's a beloved fin which wee would bide and cover, which wee would keepe dole and fecret. To juf#ifie fin, when it is
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