Verse 3 And why beholdest thou]
Here's the true method of preaching, by doctrine and vse, explication and application. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 must (as our Saviour in this text) bring hammers with their nails, Jer. 23. 29. and drive them into the very head, yea goad men to the quick, 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 12. 11. that the peoples hearts may either break, as theirs, Act. 2. 37. or burst, as theirs, Act. 7. 54. A generall doctrine, not applyed, is as a sword without an edge, not in it selfe, but to us, through our singular sencelesnes: or, as a whole loaf set before children, that will do them no good: the bellows will be burnt in the fire, but the drosse remains still. A garment fitted for all bodyes, is fit for no body: and that which is* 1.1 spoken to all, is taken as spoken to none.
The mote or straw: The word (beam) seems rather to have 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to a straw, then to a mote; And this is an evill desease that I have seen under the Sunne, that men (and those of the better sort sometimes) here nothing, talke of nothing so willingly, as they do of other mens* 1.2 faults, Psal. 50. 20. thou sittest and speakest against thy brother, &c. There is no discourse that men will sit so long at, and be so taken with as this. The words of the tale-bearer are as 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and they go down to the bowels of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉: Many are never well, lon∣ger* 1.3 then they are holding their fingers in other 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉, ampli∣fying and aggravating their 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and failings, not onely most 〈◊〉〈◊〉, but almost tragically; not once mentioning their good parts and practises. These are like crows, that fasten onely upon carrion,* 1.4 or the Horse-fly, that if he happen into a field that is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 so full of sweet flowers, yet if there be but a little filthy dung in it, his eye and sent is onely to that, and upon that onely will he light.* 1.5 David compareth such as these to the Aspe, that is quick of hear∣ing but very ill sighted (having his eyes not in his forehead, but in his 〈◊〉〈◊〉) weak but full of poison. Herein onely is the diffe∣rence. That poison that Aspes vent to the hurt of others, they keep within them, without hurt unto themselves. But the mali∣cious* 1.6 censurer is his own worst enemy: for as he sets his mouth a∣gainst heaven, and his tongue walketh thorow the earth Psal 73. 9. so by misjudging, (out of an inward hatred of another) all 〈◊〉〈◊〉 actions and intentions, he pulls upon himself, the hatred both of heaven and earth; for his trampling upon Gods jewels, because a little 〈◊〉〈◊〉. God doth unwillingly see the faults of his children,