23z That bribery' ispernicious to the briber himfelfe. CHAP. VI. That thefinne of bribing is mollpernicious to the briberhim- felfe 4,SeE1.r Bribers de- prime them. [clues of a nsarkeofGods cbildren. P(a1.t5.5. Pro.i7.a3, Pfal.2.6.io. §.SeEt.2. Bribes blind the ele of the mande and corrupt the iud«ement.' Exod.z3,8. Deuc.t6.s 9. Bribes make menbafe and fordidous. Nd thus it appeareth that the finneofbribing is per- nicious both vnto Church and Common- wealth. Now in the lati place it follow eth, that I View and proouc that as bribers are bad vnto all others , fo they arc worn of all to thernfelues , in refpe& of the manifold culls which they bring vpon their owne heads :for fit (I , as they deprive thcmfelues of a notable figne of the child of God, who (hall dwell inhis holy mountains, and be an in- heritour of the kin,gdome of heaucn , which is , not to re- ceive rewards againfl the innocent; fo they takevpon them themarke of deltruaion and condemnation; and carryask aerevpon their flecue, the badgeofa wicked man. So it is Paid Prou. 17. 23. Awickedman takethagift out of the bo- forne, to wrefl the waies ofiudgement. And the fe are the pro- perties whereby 'Daviddefcrtbeth a bloody or hainous (in- ner : PfaI. z 6. I I. Inwhofe hands is wic%ednefe andtheir hands isfull of bribes Secondly, whcras men chiefly excell the brutith creatures in the light of reafon, and in thevfe of thevnder(landing, andofa found iudgement ; gifts and rewards blind theeye ofthe mind , and the affe6ions being therewith corrupted, doe fo corrupt the judgement alfo,that they cannot difccrne betweenc right and wrong, truth and falihood ; but like beans follow their fenfe, lulls , and paffions,rather then the dire&ion of their reafon and vnderf}anding . And this argu- ment the Lord himfelfe vfeth to inforce his prohibition, concerning takingofbribes, Exod.23.8. Thoufhalt taleno gift,forthegift blindeth thewife, andperuerteth thewords of the righteou..So Deut. r 6.19. Thirdly,ifa man fuller himfelre to be corrupted andouet- fwaiedwich gifts and rewards; though in his own nature hec be ofneuer fo generous and free a fpirit ,yet in (port time it will
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