And as they usually, and naturally, (for that's their natural Language) speak evil, so they always mar the good they speak, either by their ill manner of speaking it, or by their ill meaning in speaking it. As the Devil when he made a confession of Christ, and said, he was the Son of the most high God, it was a confession like that of St. Peter, which Christ calls the Rock upon which the Church is built; the Devil spake it out of a base intent, and therefore Christ threw it away, and rebuked him for it. So evil men, they spoil good speaking with their ill manner of speaking, or their ill meaning in speaking; and therefore ⟨p. 22⟩Solomon hath that expression, in Prov. 26. 7. As the legs of the lame are not equal: so is a Parable in the mouth of fools. A Parable there, notes a Divine saying, a ruling word, a commanding word, that's a Parable, a word that should reign over us, so saith he, a Parable, a divine saying, in the mouth of a fool, are like the legs of the lame. Good words do (as it were) lisp in the mouth of a bad man, and his heart never keeps pace with his Tongue. Thus you see, Christ saith, evil men cannot speak that which is good, they cannot speak to the purpose fully; now as they that are evil, cannot speak, so neither can they do good things answerable to the rule, or pleasing unto God. I do not say, they cannot do good things, but they cannot do good things, answerable to the rule, or pleasing unto God. And that's the Apostles conclusion, Rom. 8. 8. after a further discourse, he comes with his so the• ⟨p. 23⟩here's the conclusion, so then, they that are in the flesh, they cannot please God, every action which comes up to the fulfilling of the Commandment, is pleasing to God, but saith he, they that are in the flesh, they cannot please God;—they that are in the flesh—what's that? surely not that which two Popes (as Infallible as they Judge themselves to be,) thought to be the meaning; they thought, that by being in the flesh, was meant being in a marriage State. But by being in the flesh, the Apostle means, being in a natural, that is, being in an unregenerate State, they cannot please God, and such do not only not please God when they do that which is evil, but they do not please God when they do that which is good, for the very Sacrifices of the wicked are an abomination to him, Prov. 15. 8.
And as they usually, and naturally, (for that's their natural Language) speak evil, so they always mar the good they speak, either by their ill manner of speaking it, or by their ill meaning in speaking it. As the Devil when he made a confession of Christ, and said, he was the Son of the most high God, it was a confession like that of St. Peter, which Christ calls the Rock upon which the Church is built; the Devil spake it out of a base intent, and therefore Christ threw it away, and rebuked him for it. So evil men, they spoil good speaking with their ill manner of speaking, or their ill meaning in speaking; and therefore ⟨p. 22⟩Solomon hath that expression, in Prov. 26. 7. As the leggs of the lame are not equal: so is a Parable in the mouth of fools. A Parable there, notes a Divine saying, a ruling word, a commanding word, that's a Parable, a word that should reign over us, so saith he, a Parable, a divine saying, in the mouth of a fool, are like the leggs of the lame. Good words do (as it were) lisp in the mouth of a bad man, and his heart never keeps pace with his Tongue. Thus you see, Christ saith, evil men cannot speak that which is good, they cannot speak to the purpose fully; now as they that are evil, cannot speak, so neither can they do good things answerable to the rule, or pleasing unto God. I do not say, they cannot do good things, but they cannot do good things, answerable to the rule, or pleasing unto God. And that's the Apostles conclusion, Rom. 8. 8. after a further discourse, he comes with his so the• ⟨p. 23⟩here's the conclusion, so then, they that are in the flesh, they cannot please God, every action which comes up to the fulfilling of the Commandment, is pleasing to God, but saith he, they that are in the flesh, they cannot please God;—they that are in the flesh—what's that? surely not that which two Popes (as Infallible as they Judge themselves to be,) thought to be the meaning; they thought, that by being in the flesh, was meant being in a marriage State. But by being in the flesh, the Apostle means, being in a natural, that is, being in an unregenerate State, they cannot please God, and such do not only not please God when they do that which is evil, but they do not please God when they do that which is good, for the very Sacrifices of the wicked are an abomination to him, Prov. 15. 8.
