and commanded to be kept holy,
as our profaning of repentance and absolution, by casting such pearls to
swine, and for our own advantage, making a cloak of them to bring in
wicked men, contrary to the very nature and institution of the ordinance,
also our prostituting of our covenant and cause, most holy things to
maintain unholy or common interests,--our committing his holy things to
them that will devour them. "And after vows to make inquiry," to dispute
now, that we did not bind ourselves in the case of necessity, not to
employ wicked men, whereas the ground is perpetual and holds in all cases,
shows either temerity, in swearing,--or impiety, in inquiring afterward and
changing. See Deut. xxiii. 21. Then ver. 26. "A wise king scattereth the
wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them." O that our magistrates were so
wise! Is the act of levy a scattering of the wicked? Is the act of
indemnity a bringing the wheel over them? Psal. ci. 8. "I will early
destroy," &c.

In Chap. xxi. 10. "The soul of the wicked desireth evil, his neighbour
findeth no favour in his eyes." The wicked's principles can carry nowhere
but to evil, and to do evil to good men. Ver. 8. His way and life is full
of horrible and tragical chances. But a good man's work is easy and
pleasant, directs to a good and peaceable end, Isa. xxvi. 7. Ver. 12. A
righteous man should have his wit about him, to consider ungodly houses
and families, and persons that God hath visible controversies with, that
he may not communicate with them in their judgments. Ver. 16. It is a sad
wandering out of the way, when a man leaves the congregation of the living
to abide among the dead,--dead in sins and appointed to death. It is a
great judgment as well as sin. Ver. 27, with the 4, and places before
cited, show how abominable the external professions and pretences of
wicked men are, when contradicted by their practice, especially if they do
it but out of a wicked mind, when they intend to effect some mischief,
under the colour of repentance and being reconciled to the church, as
Absalom's vow at Hebron, as Balaam and Balak and the Pharisees, who under
pretence of long prayers devoured widows' houses, as Jezebel's fast, and
as the people, (Isa. lviii. 4.) who fasted for strife and debate, and to
strike with the fist of wickedness. All men know that the church is the
ladder to step up upon to go to preferment, and repentance the door to
enter to places of trust.

Chap. xxii. 3.