AS for those usual imprecations,1 direful and hateful imprecations, such as my hart abhorreth to think of, & my tong is ashamed to name, which profane & wicked men make against their neighbours, upon every petty wrong and slight occasion, they can neither stand with any true fear of God, nor love to man. For to call upon God who ise A God of long suffering, and great forbearance, ffull of compassion and slow to anger, to be a revenger⟨p. 398⟩ of every little injury, argueth little respect of his greatness and goodness. To wish Gods heavy vengeance to fall upon the body, soul, goods, or any other things which belong unto our neighbour, discovereth much malice, no love. Such were those of whom David thus speaketh.g Their throat is an open sepulchre, hThe poison of Asps is under their lips, iTheir mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Many mens tongues are so poisonous and fiery (beingk set on fire of hell) that like mad dogs they spare none, but curse and ban the most innocent and harmless that be: yea, (which is horrible to hear) some curse their wives, children, servants, friends, the nearest and dearest unto them that be, not for any wrong or evil, but because they are, as they term them, Puritans; but in truth honest and upright hearted, fearful to commit the least evil, conscionable in doing all duty (so near as they can) to God and man.
AS for those vsuall imprecations,1 direfull and hatefull imprecatiōs, such as my hart abhorreth to think of, & my tong is ashamed to name, which prophane & wicked men make against their neighbours, vpon euery petty wrong and slight occasion, they can neither stand with any true feare of God, nor loue to man. For to call vpon God who ise A God of long suffering, and great forbearance, ffull of compassion and slow to anger, to be a reuenger⟨p. 398⟩ of euery little iniury, argueth little respect of his greatnesse and goodnesse. To wish Gods heauy vengeance to fall vpon the body, soule, goods, or any other things which belong vnto our neighbour, discouereth much malice, no loue. Such were those of whom Dauid thus speaketh.g Their throate is an open sepulcher, hThe poyson of Aspes is vnder their lips, iTheir mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse. Many mens tongues are so poysonous and fiery (beingk set on fire of hell) that like madde dogs they spare none, but curse and ban the most innocent and harmelesse that be: yea, (which is horrible to heare) some curse their wiues, children, seruants, friends, the nearest and dearest vnto them that be, not for any wrong or euill, but because they are, as they terme them, Puritans; but in truth honest and vpright hearted, fearefull to commit the least euill, conscionable in doing all duty (so neere as they can) to God and man.
- 1Use. Reproof of usual imprecations.Vse. Reproofe of vsuall imprecations.
- eNeh. 9. 17.
- fPsal. 103. 8.
- gPsal. 5. 9.
- h& 140. 3.
- i& 10. 7.
- kJam. 3. 6.Iam. 3. 6.
