Chap.. 3 a. An Expofition upon the Book of J. o B. Verf. 2o. i 17 and bitrernef e of fpirir that was inhis friends. When we have in fincerity discharged our duty to all others, and done that which our Confciences charge upon us, how doth it quiet and refrefh our minds ?. andhow many have beenburdened and dif quieted in their fpirits for n gleCliñg this duty:They (1 fay)who neglecting to fpeake when it was incumbent upon them to (peak,, and the caufe of God required it , have found it-a hardenupon them long after.. WhenMordecai had acquainted Queene Efier with the tad condition of the ewes, ( whole deftruction Hannan had plotted) and advifed the mef3enger to.charge her, that floe fhouldgoe: in unto the King_ to make fupplrcation: untohim, and to males recluefl before_ him for her people ( Ell: q., 8.) She returned him aniwer by the fame meilenger , that the could not doe . this without running the hazzard of her owne life (.v. io, i i . ) yet Mordecai replyed (v._i4. ). If thou Altogether holdfi- thy peace (let the danger be wgat it will ) at this time, thenfhall their enlargement and deliver4,4arife to the f ewes from another place, but thou and thy fathers hòufefhallbe deftrayed': and who knower. whether thou art'come.to the k?ngdomeforfuck a time as this ? As if he had fayd,,lt is 'thy duty to fpeake for thypeople at fuch a time as this, and therefore if thou deft not breake, through all diffi culties to fpeake, thy filence will coil thee, deare, probably thou, wilt loofe thy owne life by it, or if not, then certainly. thyconfci ence will trouble and vex thee for it as long as thou livefl.. Many offend in fpeaking, and we may in manycafes offend both God and man, yea our felves too ( when we fee our opportuni.i ties loll ), by negleting to fpeake..
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