10 g VERS.I4• AnExpojition, 'WithNotes CHAP.t~ From this Verfe obferve : 0/Jfervat. 1 • 1. That the caufe of evil is in a mans[elf, in his own lulls, -r'ii~ iJ'Ect.. ~9vp.Ect.., the Ev.th in our own bofoms: Corrupt nature i:; not capable of an excufe; Sin knoweth no mother but your own hearts: every mans heart may fay to him, as the heart of Ap()llo- "' Plttt. de [mt dorm in the Kettle, * ~Y"' rro'i T~1(()v tit1lct.., 'TiJ I have been the Num. vi,:ditt. caufe ofthis: Other things may roncur, but the root of all is in your felves: Aman is never truly _hu~ble~ till h~ fmi:e upon his own thigh, and doth exprefs mofi mdtgnatton aga10fi htmfelf: Do not fay 'twM God, he gave a pure Soul, onely it met with vic::iouOy difpofed matter: 'Tis not the light, but the putrid m.ttter that . . made the Torch fiink, though;'tis true, it did not fiink till it was "'. f?tt~b(olt v;: lighted: You cannot altogether blame the Devil, * fuggeflion can ~;~';:t~ ~:mi~ do ~?t~£19 with~ut ,...'ufl ;, I remember N ~~~an~en faith, T.~ ?Tugo nu con[entien- 7tct..p liP.(" V nJl~ rpil.o~ '7'd 'iT,~vp.ct..1@-, The fire IS m rmr Wood, though tis voluntas. it -be the Devils flame: You cannot blame the "World, there are Aug~ ~e pec, allurements abroad, but ·cis your fault to fwallow the ba·it ;_ifyou cat. ong. lib would have refilled embraces, as Tamar did Amnons. the ~ld 1 " cap. 37 ' could not force you: Do not cry out of examples, there is fom'ewhat in thee that made thee clofe with the evil before thee ; ex– amples provoke abhorrency from the fin, if there be nothing in the man to fuit with it: Lot was the more righteous for living in So- . dom, and Anacharjis the more temperate for living in Scythia; ungodly examples are permitted to encreafe deteflati(Jn, not to en-. cour~tge imitation. Do not cry out ofoccajions, David faw Bath– foeba naked, but he faith, I have.Jinned and done this evil, Pfol. 'I. 4· Do not cafr all the blame upon the iniquity of the times, Good men are befi in worfl times, ·moft gloriovu when the genera– tion is mofl cro~ksd, Phi!. z. I). mofi ~areful of duty when the age is mofi dillolute, redeeming the time, for the days are evil, ephef. 5• I 6. like fire that fcortcheth mofi in the £harpefi froft, or Stars that lhine brightdl: in the dark nights : Th> not blame the pleafantnefs ofthe creatures, you may as well fay you will rebel againfr the Prince becaufe he bath befrowed power upon you, and by his bounty you are able to make war againfi him ; ~tis true, there . is much in thefe things, but there is more in your hearts ; "cis you~; venomous nature that turneth all to poyfon. Obferv . ~. z. Thllt,abovealltbings,4matJfoou/d look.,tohisdefires: All fin is called) 6m9vp.lrt.) lufi or defire ; Godcalleth for thehe11ri, MJ · . . • - S111
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