3/6 Exctr s alleage'Jforvainefivearifrig,anfivered. cced one the other . For,maynot any other firmer after the Circe mancr plead poffefíionof their fìnne as well as thou? may not the murtherer fay,I cannot leaue,munccring ofmy neighbor,becaufe I have bin fo often flefhed by killing and flaying ? may not the adulterer with as good rcafo.i and moreneccl}itie, excufe his adulteries , becaufe by longcu- flomehe hat, gotten filch an habit ofwhoredome, that hee cannot leaue it ? may not a theefe when he is arraigned be- fore a Iudge as well excufe his theft , by al legging that hee hath fo long continued in his rapine and robbery , that he hathno power to reclaiine himfelfe from flealing ?Now if in thee cafes euery one would condemne fuch excufes as ri- diculous,and theexcufers asoutragioufly impious; bccau(è cuflomable lining in fin exceedingly agórauateth the wic- kednefle ofthe firmer; thenwhy fhouldwe not condemne this excufeoffwearcrsoflike folly and impicty,when as be- ing reprooued for fwearing at Come times , they plead for themfelues, that it is their ordinary cuflome , and therefore they cannotIcauc it.Forif it be a fin to fwcareonce ortwice, then is it out ofmeaCure finfull, to makean ordinarypra&ife ofit,andCo to bring upon our (-clues an habit offwearing. §.Setf.3. Others excufe themfelues, that though they fweare,yet Theirexemfe they thinke no harme, and therefore they hope God will taken away haue them excufed. To theft l aniwere withour Sauiour, wind, fay they th:ßk tro harm that out of theabundance oftheheart the mouthßiezketh & Mat.' 2,,34,35 therefore ifthewords beprophanc,wcmay rarely conclude, that the heart alto is polluted . litheheart were a good trea- fury,they would,as Chri f} Caith,bringout of it good things, euen Inch pure goldenCpeeehes as would indure the touch and triall of Gods word ; and not vent foorth nothingelfe but droffe and filth . Ifpiety and the truefeareofGod were Mat. 7, 16,:o rooted in their hearts,theywould not from thee good trees Iam.3,1o,II bring foorth lluch cull' fruits; if theywere pure fountaincs feaConed withGods grace,they wouldneuer fend forth fuch bitter and polluted flreamcs, neither would they blalpfierne Godwith their mouth,iftheyblcll"edhim in their hearts. In aword,ifthey had anydrammcoftrue religion feated in the &eart,it would bridle the tongue, and reflraine it from vaine (wearing:
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