IT was the Psalmist's complaint of that Age he lived in, That there was no faithfulness in their mouths, that while they flattered with their tongue, their throat was an open Sepulchre, Psal. 5.9, 10. equally devouring, and insatiable. In these words we may take up as mournful a complaint of our own Age, or in the words of the Psal. 12.1. The faithful fail from among the Children of men: whilst Lying Tongues first afflict the Innocent, and then hate those they afflict, which is the Method that opener Enemies do observe, and is the subject of the former part of the Verse: Among these men Truth and Justice have no place, nor bear sway, but is it any whit better among pretended Friendships? Flattering mouths work Ruin, such smooth and Oily tongues, do more slyly, and yet not less surely undo us: The former ruin us by others, the latter ruin us by our selves, and these the more dangerous and cruel, because they do destroy under the Covert of abused friendship, making that which should be sacred among men, a means to effect the most barbarous Tragedies: of this the latter part of the Verse speaketh, which doth present us with a Picture, that in different positions sets forth the counterfeit of the greatest and most amiable beauty: the counterfeit of Friendship appears in the face, and at first view; but if you change your place, and view it at nearer distance, it presents to your view a secret, dangerous and destructive Enemy, one that worketh ruin: With this I must entertain you, who either hear or read me, and make it (as I suppose Solomon designed it) a Preservative against the ruin which ⟨p. 183⟩Loved and affected flattery draws upon men. There are few, (I think none,) but have been sometime or other, more or less wounded with the sting of this Scorpion; I beg you will patiently suffer me to bruise the head, on the wound the Sting hath made, that you may be healed, at least the deadliness of the Venom may be prevented. This I am to endeavour while I state this Case, How may we best Cure the Love of being flattered?
IT was the Psalmist's complaint of that Age he lived in, That there was no faithfulness in their mouths, that while they flatter'd with their tongue, their throat was an open Sepulcher, Psal. 5.9, 10. equally devouring, and insatiable. In these words we may take up as mournful a complaint of our own Age, or in the words of the Psal. 12.1. The faithful fail from among the Children of men: whilst Lying Tongues first afflict the Innocent, and then hate those they afflict, which is the Method that opener Enemies do observe, and is the subject of the former part of the Verse: Among these men Truth and Justice have no place, nor bear sway, but is it any whit better among pretended Friendships? Flattering mouths work Ruine, such smooth and Oily tongues, do more slily, and yet not less surely undo us: The former ruine us by others, the latter ruine us by our selves, and these the more dangerous and cruel, because they do destroy under the Covert of abused friendship, making that which should be sacred among men, a means to effect the most barbarous Tragedies: of this the latter part of the Verse speaketh, which doth present us with a Picture, that in different positions sets forth the counterfeit of the greatest and most amiable beauty: the counterfeit of Friendship appears in the face, and at first view; but if you change your place, and view it at nearer distance, it presents to your view a secret, dangerous and destructive Enemy, one that worketh ruine: With this I must entertain you, who either hear or read me, and make it (as I suppose Solomon designed it) a Preservative against the ruine which ⟨p. 183⟩Loved and affected flattery draws upon men. There are few, (I think none,) but have been sometime or other, more or less wounded with the sting of this Scorpion; I begg you will patiently suffer me to bruise the head, on the wound the Sting hath made, that you may be heal'd, at least the deadlyness of the Venom may be prevented. This I am to endeavour while I state this Case, How may we best Cure the Love of being flatter'd?
