An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…

But why saith he a man as thou art? What, a man just of thy Complexion, or just of thy height, stature, and pitch? what, a man of thy State and Degree, a man just of thy eminency in the world? certainly no; but when he saith, A man as thou art, his meaning is, any man, because all men are in many things alike, they are all mortal, and sinful, and weak, and apt to receive hurt by the sins of others. Thus every man is a man as thou art.

Hence no•e All men are alike.

Though the faces of men are very different, and we know one man from another, because they are unlike in face, yet as to their constitution and natural condition, they are alike; he that is greatest, is such a man as the least; and the strongest is such a man as the weakest, the richest as the poorest, the learnedest as the most ignorant, and the godliest man is as the wickedest man, as to his natural composition. All men are alike in these four things: First, all men need that which is good. Secondly, all men are sensible of that which is hurtful and afflictive to them. Thirdly, all men are apt to take hurt, and to run into danger by the sin and ill Examples of others, or to receive good by their good deeds, and profitable examples, all men being associated in the same common nature, and familiar each to other. Fourthly, all men are alike in this, that they are not self-sufficient, but stand in need of the help of one another; He that is helpful to a man like himself, helpeth himself, and doth acknowledge that (considering humane frailty) he may have occasion to call for and desire the help of another; and therefore (say some) man hath two hands, two arms, that he may understand himself born as much to need and receive help, as to give it. Thus every man is a man as thou art; and upon these and many other Considerations thou mayest hurt a man as thou art. There is an excellent paradox, handled by some of the Ancients;