Verf. to An Expofition upon the Bookof J OB. Chap. 2. and he fpake excellently in all this; So then, thefe words carry the fenfe not only ofa bare acquittal, but of a high approbation : In all this Jobfinned not with his lips.. With his lips. Some of thejews infer fromhence,that he finned in his heart ; becaufe it ís Paid, he did not fin in words, they con- ceit there was Tome irregularity in his thoughts. Surely ifhis heart had been difordered, his tongue wouldhave been difordered too.; for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth fpeaketh; therefore it is rather an argument thathis heart was freefrom fin, becaufe his tongue was. In all this Job finnednot with his lips. That is, he did not mur- mur, or repine, or blafpheme ; thefe are the fins of the lips. Obferve firft, Not tofin, is the higheff and trueff, the moff honour- able and laffing vi¿Ioryofall. This vió ory God himfelfapplauds, theHoly Ghoft will cry youup for ftrength and valour, when you come off from a temptation untoucht ; you thall be recorded for it among Chrifts worthies : In all this Job finned not. And fecondly, To govern the tongue under great and fore. a li- bions, is a high ac`l ofGrace r It is fpoken as a matter of wonder In all this Job finnednot with his lips. Mofes, you know, wasa. meek man, yet he was fo put to it, that he fpake únadvifedly with his lips ; He opened-his Iips fo unadvifedly, that God Phut him out of the temporal Canaan for it : rafh words coJf, him dear. David was a very holy man,andvery careful'over-his tongue, Pfal.39,1. I. faidlwill take heed to my wayes, that I ftn not with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a Bridle : And knowing (though as the Apofile fames teacheth us, weput bits into the Harfés mouths that. they moy obey us, we can turn about their whole body, Jam. 3. 3.) thatno bridleofhisputting could keephis mouth;he puts thiswork" into the . hand of God, praying with all earneftnefs; Set a watch 0Lord) before my mouth : keep the door ofmy lips. Notwithftand- ing all this, we find him finning with his lips more then once, Pfal. 73ö 13. Verily Ihave cleanfedmy h. eart in vain andwafh'edmy hands in innocency. And again, Pfal. 11.6. 1 1. Ifailinmy haffe, all men are lyars. job had the preheminence in this, hefinnednot with his lips ; no not when he was afiáed and fmitten with bitter words ; Hethat offendeth not in words (faith the Apolle james) is aperfebJ man; .he is a perfea man indeed,who can rule his tongue, acid.,
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