2o Chap. 3 x. An Expofition upon the Book, of J o B. Verf.ar. onof Come externall glory. Let me not accept theface ofany man, or perfon, let him be who he will. The originall -word ifh, molt properly fignilieth an eminent, or honourable man, a learned or wile man. As if Elihte had fayd,I will notaccept or lift up the face of a man, thoughhe be ( ifh) a nunneverfo much lifted up, and 'exalted above his brethren. To accept the perfon of a man, is not a fault in it felfe ; for as our perlons are accepted of God, fn ought our perlons to be accepted with oneanother; yea, ìc i.a a duty to accept the perfonof a man ; that is, to give him favour, .honour, and due refpec &, Not onlycivilityand humanity,but reli- gion it felfe calls us to give outward reverence tothemwho ex- cell, and are fuperior, either to others of our (elves. Godhim- -felfe isfayd ro accept the perlons of his,people firf}, and then their facrifices or fervices. -And we-ought to accept the perlons olmenaccording ro their,differences in place and power, elpeci- ally according to thofe gifts and Graces, which Lhìne in them. Therefore whenElihu faith, Let me not, I pray you, -accept any mansperfon, his meaning is, let me not doe it inprejudice to the cattle or truth that is before us-. Thenwe are properly and aria- ly fayd to accept perfon, when in anymatter, bufineffe, or poynt of controverfie, our eyes are fo (Ind(' or blinded by external appearances, that we have .refpeo} rather to the perfon of the -man, then ro the matter, or the truth of the caufe inhand. So hen,shis fin ofaccepting perfons,isalwayescommittedwhen we are more fwayedby,or when there is more attributed to perlons then to things , that is, when the mans worth is more looked to then the wo.ch or merit of his caufe;or further, when fornething in a perfon which bath no refpee`} to the goodnes,or badnes of his caufe, moves us togive him more or lefle then is meete, this-is ,finfully to accept or refpec} a perfon. This El,'hu acquits him- felfe from all thole bonds and blinds whichhis relpeeí to tho'e -worthy perlons before him, might layupon him. They were.an- cient and grave men, they were wife and goodmen, he had a great, refpe& for them , he 'owed much reverence to them, c-on- 'fidering their age and gravity, their degree and dignity ; yet he owed a greater refpe6t toGod, and to the truth, then to their perlons, and was thereupon refolved, ( though he had many and great temptations to doe it, ) not to -accept the perfon of -,Herr, Hence
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