fThe deceit fulneffe of mans heart. 3 Vpon provocations of others, who injure, grieve, and exafperate us, either by word or deed. As ih chafing and (wearing it is ufuall : Why what fhouldone doe, when he is thus abufed I fuch dea- ling as this would anger a very Saint : So faith the quarrellous and contentious man ; if it were not for my ill neighbours I fhould live more quietly and peaceably. True , if it were not for one ill neighbour of thine , that is, an evil) and naughty heart, full of gall and bitterneffe. Whence, faith lames notably meeting with this deceit, areJfrifes and contentions? O,fayes the deceitful) heart of the wrangler, not from mee but from fuch and fuch as provoke mee by their injuries. No, faith lames they are from the tuffs that fight inyo,r members. Thou haft a troublefome heart , diftempered with many inordinate pallions; and that is the caute of' thy rage and fury : For many men have recei- ved farce greater injuries with farre 1effe 4doe. If the Sea fhould afcribe her raging to the Winds, it might eafily bee convinced, becaufe the fame winds blow upon the Rivers, and yet they are quiet : The reaCon then is not in the winds, but the vaftneffe that is in the fea it felfe, which the little rivers wanting, are not diCquieted in like manner with the winds. if thy heart were not fo vat} and great as it is , it would be nothing fo turbulent nor boyfterous, though the winds raged farre more fiercely than now they doe. Shake cleare water in the gaffe, and jogge it as much as you will, íti!I it retaineth its cleareneffe and puritie:but let Cuçh wa ter wherein there is mud at the bottome, beft:r- re1 I57 ; Provocati- ons. lames 4. r.
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