An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…

Thirdly, It may have respect to lepers, whose clothes did abhor them, because they wore some mark of difference upon their garments, showing that they were to be shunned, and their company avoided.

Thirdly, It may have respect to lepers, whose clothes did abhor them, because they wore some mark of difference upon their garments, shewing that they were to be shunned, and their company avoided.

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