The deceit frslne!e of mars heart. j 147 but wee our felves in our firft Parents defiled and corrupted this holy nature. And therefore David when in that p enetential Pfalm his repenting heart even fludied with it felfe, how to make his fin out ofineafure finful,and to raife it up to the higheft de- ;ree of rebellion; he bringeth in the mention of corrupt nature, as an amplification thereof, I t fnve rya, I conceived, artd in iniquity brought fort b. And left it might be thought that he did cunningly al- edge it to leffen his finne,he addeth,thou lov Tithe truth, no fach deceitful! cloaking. The fecoedcloa(,are the examples of the faults,of holy and godly men, efpecially chofe in the Scrip- ture; as Davids adultery, Peters denial!, Lots incefr, Noah: drunkenneffe, &c. How many are there that upon thefe examples doe beare and boulfl;er them - Celves out in the fame,or the -like finnes? But what a ftrange deceit is this,that that which encreafeth fin, fhould be tiled as a diminution thereof ? for by how much the perfon that finneth is greater, by Co much alfo is the finne it Celle. Adultery by David: exam- ple was made fo much the viler, by how much Da- vids holineffe exceeded others.Again,what a groífe delufion is this, that that which indeed is an argu- ment of feare, fhould be made an argument of bold- nef in finning ? for who in his right minde would not reafon thus with himfelf ? Did David, Peter, & other Inch worthies fall fo dangeroufly, that had fo -xceIlent a meafure of the fpirit? oh then it ftandeth m ; in hand to look co my felfe, whore feet are farre more feeble,and ftand in far more fl eery ground. Surely, if the Saints were alive again; and here L 2 with l'ta1.5i, í. a.Exanaples of the godly fits. fling. /ladiatrt qui non cecideriìt ne ca. dont, qui ceci -1, daunt ut gant;non cadcn. di exemp'um pro ponirur fed fi cecideris, re- f urge ndi, Aug. inPfal.Sx.
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