oll[trvat. Vsas.8. An ExpDjition, with Notes are good ; Is there no evil in the han~ i' ~he heart muft bepure, and the \\1~} undefiled,that we may neither mcnr blame from with- , in, nor fhame froin without; and when fin is once committed, the handmu!l: be deanfed aswell as the heart : 'Tis in nin to pretend repentance and wafhing the heart, when the hand is full of bribes, ' or ill-gotten goods, and no refiicution is made. ' YeJinners,] In this fir!l: daufe he fpeaketh to men openly vi– tious, fuch as were tainted with the guilt of outward and manifeO: fins; [o the wordjinmrs is ufed in this place, aselfewhere, where 'ds put indefinitely: So J()h, 9• 3r. The Lord heareth notjinners; that is,men of a corrupt life : So Mary Magdalen is calleda finner , Luk.:7·37· that is, openly prophane: So, Heeateth aHd drink,ph with Jinners, Mat.r 1·9· and Luk.; I 5. 2. Now the chief work of open !inners is fo Clean/~ the hands, or reform the life, that by fuch rtprefenrations they may be beaten off' from the fond prefumption ofagood heart whilefr the life is fcandalous. Purifte1our heartJ] He fpeaketh this,pardy becaufe in this latter claufe he dealeth with hypocrites,whofe life is plaufible enough,their main care iliould be about their hearts; p~rdy becaufe all cometh oi.tt of the heart• . Obferve,if;ouwo11/d have t~n holy life,JoHmuft get a clea11 heart: ~rue C~mverfion beginneth there; JP~ritual life,as well asn..ztural,tsfir!l: m the heart: See 1 Pet•l·l 1,1 2. Ab– {llflin from jl~fhl]· l~(h, ~having )OUt Conver{atioJ~s honeft. Fir!l: mortifie the tufts, then the deeds of the body of fin: If you would cure. the difeafe, purge away theficlt"!a!~r, not only ftop the flux of the hnmours; lefi fin return -again, caft fait into the· fpting. Ifai.; 5,7.Let the 'Wick!d forfaks hi& WaJ,and the unrighte~ qmman hi& thoughts,&c. Mark, not only hisway or courfe oflife, but his thoughts, the frame of his heart; the-heart is the womb of thoughts, and thoughts are the firft itfues and out-goings ofcorrup– tion: Mat. I 5. 19. Out of the heart come evil-thoughts, murthers, adulterzn,&c. Firfi the thoughts, then thepraClife:r. Wdlthen, they are foolilh and vain men, that are over-indufl:rious about the outward man; walb~ng the out-fide of cup5and platters, Mar. 7• altQgether .for drdling up a garb, and prete~ce of Religion : That which God looketh afi:er;an9 )oveth" is _truth in the inward part.r, 'Ff!!l·5 r~.6. God will ~afily find us out under ou~ difguize•, ~s the Prophet did '/erobqams wife. Be not careful meerly of honour be-. f9r~ the people, bu_t of your hearts before God; and let (onftienb~
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