But rather in general, Mine own clothes shall abhor me, notes extreme pollution. If I justify my self before God,1 I shall be so unclean, that my clothes will be loth to touch me. We say of one that is very filthy, A man would not touch him with a pair of tongs. And it is usual in Scripture (to give you that rule for the understanding of this, and other the like forms of speaking) when a matter is spoken of in a way of excess, that things insensible have sense, yea reason and understanding ascribed to them: abhorring,2 is an act beyond sense, it hath a mixture of reason and understanding; now to note his exceeding loathsomeness to God and man, who attempts to justify himself before God, the text saith, His clothes (which have neither life nor sense) shall abhor him. When the Pharisees, envying the acclamations which the multitude of Christs Disciples gave him at his entrance into Jerusalem, desired that he would rebuke and silence them: Christ answered, I tell you, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out, importing how just an occasion there was, why his Name and glory should be lifted up; Do ye think much that reasonable men speak? If these should hold their peace, the stones that have neither life nor sense would speak. Thus (Gen. 4.10.) to note the foulness of Cains sin, and his cruelty toward his brother, God saith, The earth hath opened her mouth to receive thy brothers blood from thy hand, as if the earth had been sensibly affected with the cruelty of Cain towards his brother; thou wouldst not let his blood stay in his body, therefore the earth in kindness opened her mouth, and took in his blood from thy hand, and that cries up unto me. So here, I shall be so foul, that if my clothes had sense, life ⟨p. 372⟩and reason, and could dispose of their own actings, and set themselves upon what body and limbs they pleased,3 surely they would put themselves off from my body, and never come on again, they would abhor me, I should be as filthy before God in soul, as he is in body, who must be washed before he is fit to have his clothes put on him: As to be clothed with shame; so to have our clothes ashamed of us, notes the greatest dishonour.
But rather in generall, Mine own clothes shall abhor me, notes extreme pollution. If I justifie my self before God,1 I shall be so unclean, that my clothes will be loth to touch me. We say of one that is very filthy, A man would not touch him with a pair of tongs. And it is usuall in Scripture (to give you that rule for the understanding of this, and other the like forms of speaking) when a matter is spoken of in a way of excesse, that things insensible have sense, yea reason and understanding ascribed to them: abhorring,2 is an act beyond sense, it hath a mixture of reason and understanding; now to note his exceeding lothsomenesse to God and man, who attempts to justifie himself before God, the text saith, His clothes (which have neither life nor sense) shall abhor him. When the Pharisees, envying the acclamations which the multitude of Christs Disciples gave him at his entrance into Jerusalem, desired that he would rebuke and silence them: Christ answered, I tell you, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out, importing how just an occasion there was, why his Name and glory should be lifted up; Do ye think much that reasonable men speak? If these should hold their peace, the stones that have neither life nor sense would speak. Thus (Gen. 4.10.) to note the foulnesse of Cains sinne, and his cruelty toward his brother, God saith, The earth hath opened her mouth to receive thy brothers bloud from thy hand, as if the earth had been sensibly affected with the cruelty of Cain towards his brother; thou wouldst not let his bloud stay in his body, therefore the earth in kindnesse opened her mouth, and took in his bloud from thy hand, and that cries up unto me. So here, I shall be so foul, that if my clothes had sense, life ⟨p. 372⟩and reason, and could dispose of their own actings, and set themselves upon what body and limbs they pleased,3 surely they would put themselves off from my body, and never come on again, they would abhor me, I should be as filthy before God in soul, as he is in body, who must be washed before he is fit to have his clothes put on him: As to be clothed with shame; so to have our clothes ashamed of us, notes the greatest dishonour.
- 1Tam squalidus ero ut ea quibus nullus est se•su•, tantum squalorem sentiri & abominari videantur.
- 2Ubi aliquarum rerum ex•essus est, dicuntur aliquando in Scripturis sentire insensibilia. Sanct.Ʋbi aliquarum rerum ex•essus est, dicuntur aliquando in Scripturis sentire insensibilia. Sanct.
- 3Job summam foeditatem animae per summā foeditatem corporis indigitat. Tam foedus à judicio tuo discederem, ut is corpore est sordidus quem vests suae horrent. Coc. Quamvis ego mundus sum à culpa, tamen paenis atque dolorum, & aegritudinum sordibus & squalor obsolescam.Iob summam foeditatem animae per summā foeditatem corporis indigitat. Tam foedus à judicio tuo discederem, ut is corpore est sordidus quem vestes suae horrent. Coc. Quamvis ego mundus sum à culpa, tamen paenis atque dolorum, & aegritudinum sordibus & squalore obsolescam.
