The deceitfulnef o f Mens heart. 307 that head,thatit will be incurable. Look what skill , and dexterity is required to tame a wild beaft,which had need bee gone about very earely, whiles is is but a little whelp,the fame, nay farre greater , is re- quired to tame and meeken this wilde, this wolvifh, and lionifh nature of ours, that it may become tras &able to Gods hand. IV.This ferves to takeaway the excufe which is fo rife in the mouths ofmany, that when they fweare, fpeak vainely, or do otherwife amiffe,yet they have as good hearts as the belt. What is the reafon then they have fo bad tongues ? out of the abundance of the heart the mouthfpea eth, When I fee the fmoak comming out of the top ofthe chimney, lure I am there isfome fire on the hearth. When the flouds of corruption come gufhing out at thy eyes , cares, hands, mouth, there muff needs bee a fountaine within in thy heart. For it is the heart that is ori- ginally evil]. And therefore excellently Solorrron , having defcribed the wickedneffe of fome mens eyes, mouches, feet, hands, at laft,giving the reafon thereof, fayes, Lerod things are in thy heart. And in another place, having faid,the thoughts of the wicked Pro. 6. s: 13, are abhomination to the Lord, hee addeth by way pro, 17. Z6. ofoppofition, but the words ofthe pure arepleafant. The oppofition feemed rather to require that he fhould have faid,But thethoughts ; But by this kinde ofoppofition Solonaon'would teach, that the words ofour mouthes are according to the thoughts ofour hearts, And therefore it is idle to talk of a cleane hearr,when thou haft a foule mouth, V. This teacheth us a right method in the pra- &ife
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