A plain and familiar exposition of the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth chapters of the…A plaine and familiar exposition of the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth chapters of the…

Divers Weights,] one heavier, another lighter, and divers measures, one greater, another less, to buy with the greater weight, and greater measure, and to sell by the less or lighter, or with a just weight and measure to sell to the wiser sort, and with the unjust to the simpler, whom they may easily deceive, both these, and all such kind of crafty and covetous dealing, are abomination to the Lord, such abominable iniquity as the Lord will surely and sharply revenge, and punish. See cap. 11. ver. 1.

DIuers Waights,] one heauier, another lighter, and diuers measures, one greater, another lesse, to buy with the greater weight, and greater measure, and to sell by the lesse or lighter, or with a iust weight and measure to sell to the wiser sort, and with the vniust to the simpler, whome they may easily deceiue, both these, and all such kinde of craftie and couetous dealing, are abhomination to the Lord, such abhominable iniquity as the Lord will surely and sharpely reuenge, and punish. See cap. 11. ver. 1.

Verse 11. Even a child will make known by his conversation, whether he be pure, and whether his work be right.

Verse 11. Euen a childe will make knowne by his conuersation, whether he be pure, and whether his worke be right.

Neither young, nor old can so lie hid, but that they will by one means or other, at one time or other, bewray what manner of persons they are, and what manner of deeds they do. If any may be unknown, and not made manifest in both those respects, surely those of younger years are most likely to be they, who are not tried in such dealings, nor in so many matters as men of riper age, and yet here it is taught, that even a child, a youngling, being yet tender, and not grown to mans estate, will make himself known by his conversation, by his behaviour, by his gestures, by his speech, by the course of his practises, whether he be pure, whether there be uprightness, and plain meaning in him, without dissimulation, or gross and professed lewdness, and whether his work be right, whether that which he presently doth, be with an honest mind performed, and whether he be like to take a good course in the rest of his life to come. For even young Plants declare by their growing and budding, what trees they will prove to be, and what fruit they will bear hereafter; so little ones often show betimes, what expectation is to be had of them: they minister matter of hope, or fear to them that converse with them, and desire to see grace and piety in them. This is a duty laid upon every child, so soon as he is of any discretion, and capable of instruction, that he should enter forthwith into the good way, and walk constantly therein, howbeit we confess that many fail therein, either through want of good education, and bringing up, or yielding afterwards to the lusts of youth, decline and fall away from this towardliness, which at the first appeared in them.