An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters…

Then for the terms, innocent and righteous. The word we ⟨p. 37⟩translate innocent, signifieth empty. And it is therefore applied to an innocent person, because innocent persons are emptied of malice and wickedness, their hearts are swept and cleansed, purged and washed; there is in some sense a vacuum, a holy vacuum in the hearts of holy persons: they are freed from that fullness of evil which lies in their hearts by nature, that filth is cast out. Every mans heart by nature is brim full, top full of wickedness, as the Apostle describes the Gentiles, Rom. 1. 29. being filled with all unrighteousness; and it is a truth of every mans heart, it is a Cage full of unclean Birds, a stable full of filthy dung, he hath in him a throng of sinful thoughts, a multitude of profane guests lodging in him. Now a person converted, is emptied of these, these guests are turned out of their lodgings, the rooms are swept and emptied, therefore an holy person is called an empty person: Emptied; not absolutely emptied of all sin, but comparatively, there is abundance cast out; so that considering how full of sin he was, he may be said to be emptied of sin, and that his malice is cast out. In the fourth of Amos, the Prophet threatens cleanness of ¹teeth it is a suitable judgement, that unclean hearts and lives should be punished with clean teeth) or innocency of teeth; for it is the word of the Text. Famine is elegantly so called. Want of bread makes empty or clean teeth.

Then for the termes, innocent and righteous. The word we ⟨p. 37⟩translate innocent, signifieth empty. And it is therefore applyed to an innocent person, because innocent persons are emptied of malice and wickednesse, their hearts are swept and cleansed, purged and washed; there is in some sense a vacuum, a holy vacuum in the hearts of holy persons: they are freed from that fulnesse of evill which lyes in their hearts by nature, that filth is cast out. Every mans heart by nature is brim full, top full of wickednesse, as the Apostle describes the Gentiles, Rom. 1. 29. being filled with all unrighteousnesse; and it is a truth of every mans heart, it is a Cage full of uncleane Birds, a stable full of filthy dung, he hath in him a throng of sinfull thoughts, a multitude of prophane ghests lodging in him. Now a person converted, is emptied of these, these ghests are turned out of their lodgings, the roomes are swept and emptied, therefore an holy person is called an empty person: Emptied; not absolutely emptied of all sinne, but comparatively, there is abundance cast out; so that considering how full of sin he was, he may be said to be emptied of sinne, and that his malice is cast out. In the fourth of Amos, the Prophet threatens cleannesse of