Corn. 9. The words expounded. Chap. f r 49 their confciences fpcak unto them and tell them, this they ought not; todo,and they will not hearken unto it, then they detain the truth in unrighteoufnefs,for they fup- preis and keepdown the truth asa prifoner,whichwould fhine forth in their hearts : For as the Heathen man faid, the foundation of Gods juffice begins here, when-he . fpealts in the hearts and confciences of men, and they will notwithflanding do the contrary, for this moves God to leave them to themfelves ; andas St.Paul faith, to 2 Thefts. is give them over to ftrong delufions, that they may believe lies. And though this witnefs begreat, yet God agreater than ourconfliences,as St.Paul r Cor 4.4 and St.Jobn fay and therefore St.Paul faith, that though our hearts acquit us, yet 3 John. 3. 20 are we not thereby juflified : Mendo often dream orange things of themfelves, and are deceived in their judgment and purpofes, for theheart of man (as the Prophet fpeaks) is deceitful above alhthings, and therefore when our conferencescotme to be ript up, coram magno judice, before that great Judge, it will appear, that in many things we have been miftaken,which made St.Paitl fay,That though heknew nothing r Cor. 4. 4 by himfelf,yet was he not thereby juJfified, i eivier v µi xtite& Ivor, Forbe thatjudg- etb me (faithhe)is the Lord. Thereforewe give to Confcience the fecond place. 3. Becaufe God loth not now fpeak from heaven, anda mans confcience may be feared, that it will not fpeak, and when it fpeaks, itfpeaks only to a mans felt, and cannot be heard byothers: therefOre a thirdwitnefs is-requifite, which is, that one man bearwitnefs to another. Vos effis milvi relies,; faith Jofhua to "the people, Te are mywitnetles, thatye have cbofen the Lord toferve him, and theyPaid, Sumas tees, we arewitneffes. And concerning this kind of teftimony is this Commandment fpecially 6 given, that the truth maybe eftablifhed by witneffes; concerningwhich this order John 8, 17 was made, that in the mouthof twoor three witneffes, every truthfhouldbe elbabliJhed ; z Cor. ig. r he that is worthyof death mullbe convict by two orthree witneffes,but at the mouth lieb, o, zß ofone witnefs he (hall not die. And the hands ofthewitneffes mull be firfl upon him Jur. 24.27 to put him to death.. 4. Betides all theft, there isa fourth witnefs,viz. the dumband livelefs creature: 4.T he f nÍeltl, When Jofhxa had made a covenant with the people,he took a great(lone and pitch- creatural. ed it under an Oak, flying, Behold thisJfonefhall4be awitnefs unto us,tl"c. there is the witnefs ofa ftone : and the Prophet Habakkukfaith, lbaí the/lone in thewall{hall cry Hab. ez: II out,andthe beam outof the timberfháll anfrver it,and (hall te4lifie again(l men for their covetoufnefs and oppretlion > here is thewitnefs ofa piece ofwood. St.James faith, James 5. 3 The ruff and canker of their gold and Flver(hall be a witnefs againfi the rich men of thofe' times : Here goldand (ilver bear witnefs. All which [hew, that becaufe man is unfaithful,thereforerecourfe muff be had to othercreatures to be witneffes again(} him. Thus Mofes begins his Song, and Efay his Prophefie, with Hear 0 Heavens, and Deur. 32.1 give ear O Earth,zl'c. And the Prophet Micah, his plea with the people, Hear O Efay. 12 mountains the Lords controverJie; and this courfe was taken, either becaufe no men Mich. 6.2 were left who were fit to be Judges of the matter, and therefore he fpeaks to the mountains ; no man was free from prevarication, and therefore none was fit. Or elfe becaufe this is teffimoniumfatli ; as when mens aâions do teftihe for or againfl them, as the ruft of their gold andftiver, did teftifie their covetoufnefs in hoarding it up. There is notonly vox lingue,a voiceor teftimonyof the tougue,but allo vox opera, a voiceand teftimonyof the work : lob faith, That the wrinkles ofbis face, andhis Job. t6.8 leannef did bear withfs againffhim. And fo there is Falfum teffimoniumfah i, a false teftimony in fad, as in Hypocritìe s as wellasfalfum tefimonium dilli, afalfeteflimo- ny in word. Nowof thefe four witneffes the two former belong to the fielt Tablet, the two latter to this Commandment. The third word tobe explained is (Fall) Thou limit not bearfalfewitnefs, &c. Th thirdrco. Theword in the Originalhaw hath three frgnifications,whereof the Latineword (Falle) (Falfum)will bear but one, for it lignifies, r.FalJiem, a falfehood. z.Mendacium, a lye. 3.Vanum, a vain thing. n. Falfum, falfehood, is to fpeak, aliter gnawfe res babel, otherwife than the thing it felt is, whenfermo non eft adequatus rebus, when the fpeech is not agreeable and confonant to the truth of the things. a.. Mentiri
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