sons outwardly, but under that spiritual decoration were a real Devil, wolf, an enemy of the Church and a blasphemer who would tread under foot, curse and condemn both the Gospel and the Ten Commandments: O what a wonderful saint that would be before God.
Or if in this world a beautiful woman were to parade in a wreath (token of virginity) and follow all manners, rights and behavior of maidenly modesty and virginity, but underneath were nothing but a nasty, shameful whore transgressing the Ten Commandments, what would her fine obedience help her if outwardly she observed the rights and ways of virginity? This it would do to her, that people would despise her seven times more than a free, public whore! Thus God always chided Israel a mean whore through His prophets, because they practiced all manner of idolatry and wickedness under the show of outward commandments and sanctity. As Hosea especially laments Chapter 2:4,5: “I will not have mercy upon her children; for they be the children of whoredoms. For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceiveth them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.” It is nice indeed to find a maiden or woman who is
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