it signifieth the thick skin that covereth the palms of the hands of hard labourers, that they can handle nettles, and in that part of their hand have no feeling of the stingings, as others are sensible of. There is a thick skin hath over grown the hearts of some sinners, that they are (4) past *feeling, unsensible as a stone, who are said to have their consciences feared as with an hot Iron. But though they feel not their sin here, they shall feel the torments due for sin in the life to come. The hideous howlings, and gnashings of teeth amongst the damned, speak plainly that they feel the punishment of sin. (5) Have given themselves over to lasciviousness, sometime sinners are said to sell themselves to work wickedness, as Ahab, 1 King. 21.2•. sometimes are said to give themselves to wickedness, ⟨p. 10⟩which denotes their constancy, and complacency in working wickedness, as when St. Paul commanded Timothy to give himself to reading, he saith, Give thy self wholly to them, 1 Tim. 4.15. [Greek or Hebrew]. Be thou in these things, a mans heart is in those things he is given to, a Scholar that is given to his Book, a drunkard that is given to drinking, when his cup is in his hand, his heart is in the cup. He is in drink is our proverb, when the drink is in him. God and Christ should dwell in their heart, but their heart is in their sin, and sin is in their heart. (6) To *work, They work at sin as for gain, when it is the loss of the soul, that will be the issue. Sin indeed is a hard labour, and greatest drudgery: sinners work and damnation will be their wages; they should be working out their salvation; but they are working out their damnation, they are Labouring for hell, and taking pains to undo themselves; and what is it they are so much employed in; (7) In uncleanness, in the extent and latitude of it, working all manner of uncleanness, and that (8) with greediness, or with *covetousness. Wicked men are as eager after sin, as a covetous man is after a good bargain, they are covetous to commit sin. But Beza, renders it Certatim, contending and striving who may sin most, as if they could not get to damnation soon enough, or sure enough.
it signifieth the thick skin that covereth the palmes of the hands of hard labourers, that they can handle nettles, and in that part of their hand have no feeling of the stingings, as others are sensible of. There is a thick skin hath over grown the hearts of some sinners, that they are (4) past *feeling, unsensible as a stone, who are said to have their consciences feared as with an hot Iron. But though they feel not their sin here, they shall feel the torments due for sin in the life to come. The hideous howlings, and gnashings of teeth amongst the damned, speak plainly that they feel the punishment of sin. (5) Have given themselves over to lasciviousness, sometime sinners are said to sell themselves to work wickedness, as Ahab, 1 King. 21.2•. sometimes are said to give themselves to wickedness, ⟨p. 10⟩which denotes their constancy, and complacency in working wickedness, as when St. Paul commanded Timothy to give himself to reading, he saith, Give thy self wholly to them, 1 Tim. 4.15. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Be thou in these things, a mans heart is in those things he is given to, a Schollar that is given to his Book, a drunkard that is given to drinking, when his cup is in his hand, his heart is in the cup. He is in drink is our proverb, when the drink is in him. God and Christ should dwell in their heart, but their heart is in their sin, and sin is in their heart. (6) To *work, They work at sin as for gain, when it is the loss of the soul, that will be the issue. Sin indeed is a hard labour, and greatest drudgery: sinners work and damnation will be their wages; they should be working out their salvation; but they are working out their damnation, they are Labouring for hell, and taking pains to undoe themselves; and what is it they are so much imployed in; (7) In uncleanness, in the extent and latitude of it, working all manner of uncleanness, and that (8) with greediness, or with *covetousness. Wicked men are as eager after sin, as a covetous man is after a good bargain, they are covetous to commit sin. But Beza, renders it Certatim, contending and striving who may sin most, as if they could not get to damnation soone enough, or sure enough.
- *[Greek or Hebrew].〈non-Latin alphabet〉.
- *[Greek or Hebrew], is opera quaestus.〈non-Latin alphabet〉, is opera quaestus.
- *[Greek or Hebrew]. i. e. quasi agatur de lu••n ita ut •liu• alium superare contendst. Beza in loc.〈non-Latin alphabet〉. i. e. quasi agatur de lu••n ita ut •liu• alium superare conte•d•t. Beza in loc.
