1:16 Chap. 32. An Expofition upon the _Book of J o s. iferf.zo. fpeak without opening his lips : and why didElthu open his lips ? it was to refresh himfelfe.. Hence note. He that fpeab his mink, eafeth his mindé. 'Tis good to fpeak to refreh our felves, but 'cis much better to fpeak for the refrefhing of others ; yea, w.; Mould fpeak,. (though to ouroWn pine) that we may.refrelh others, and fpeak. away their pane ( Ifar 5o. 4.. ) 7hots hall given' me the tongue of she learned, to fpeakaword infeafon.ta him thatis weary ; They area good words indeed which refresh both the fpeaker , arid the hearers; But the defigne of fpeaking is rather for the refrefh ink ofhearers , then cfithe speaker. How. vainly then doe they . fpend their breach in fpeaking, who fpèak without any defigne of good, or of refreshing, either to themfelves or others, who fpeak only to be applauded. and taken notice of, to fie cryed up and commended for eloquent fpeakers. Thefe are fad defignes of fpeaking ; better be a ftammerer, then-fuch an Orator, better be dumb and not able to fpeake, then to fpeak for fuch ends, with greater ability.Unleflè we fpeak, that others maybe in- formed, converted, cornforted,edided, faxed, forceway or other bettered , we were as good hold .our peace and fay nothing;. The. holy Aporle profef fed ( r. Cor: :1q, -. r9..) Ihad ratherfpeak- fivewords with mi under(anding, thatI might teach others alto, then ten thoufandwords in an unknowne tongue. To fpeak ftrange-: words in an unknowne tongue, may gaineus a name among men; But neither are any foules gained, nor doth any foule gaine the worthof one farthing in fpiriruall knowledge by hearing thou- fends and ten thoufands ofwords fpoken in -an unknowne tongue. Wefhould thinke all thòfe words, evenas loft to us, by which we have not, át leaf+, intended the gaine and good of others. But fuppofe, while we lincerely. intend the good of others in eaking, they get no good by what is fpoken yet it (hall- no be without good to. us : for as Elihu here hoped, fo maywe to be refrefhea by it ; for when'aiman loath di,fèharged'his duty to Godand magi, in fpeaking his mad it cannot but be a great eafe to his minde.Elihuhad a great duty_upon him,to moderateand fet- thisbufineffe right between lob' and his friends, to take down that height of fpiric thatwas in 3oh,randto allay, that fharpnefle and
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