136 Chap. 32. An Expofition upon the Book of J o B. Yerf.22.' tered, is very dangerous, as we fee in the example of Herod ( Arts r z: z 2) 7. 3. ) who havingmade avery eloquent Oration, 7he peoplegave 4 fhout, Paying, it is the voice ofaGod, and not ofis man ; They gave him flattering titles, or(as fome render the for- mer part of this verte) they wonder'd at his perfon.But what was the iflue of it ? Prefently ( faith the text ) the Angel of the Lord finote him, becaufe hegave not god theglory, and he was eaten up with wormer, and gaveup theghoi. Thus his Maker tooke him foone away, for taking that glory to himfelfe. O take heed of entertaining flatteries whengiven,we fhould put themback from us, as we would apoyfonoas cup, High commendations of Ser- mons Given to the Preacher, may have a fad confequence. when Mengive muchglory to men,'tis hard for men togive the glory back againe to God. Herod was fo pleafed and tickledwith the glory which the people gave him, that he could not part with it, and fo loft himfelfe. Becaufe he forgat that he was a worme, he was de- flroyed by wormes. The tranflation given us by the Septuagint of i o- this text in Tob, complyes fully with that dreadfull example in fd`ov?xy et me the AllIs; !know not how to giveflattering titles,fer in fo doing the tines adept. wormes or moths will Bate me up. The words of Elihu thus ren- sept: dred in fob are a threatning affection, That the wormes fhall ease thofe that give flatteries;and the judgement which fell upon He- rod, is anexample threatning all thofe that receive flattering ti- tiles , with that dreadfull doome of being eaten up by wormes. Anddoubtleffe, ifnot that, yet either fome other corporal and -vifible judgement, or ( which is much worfe) forne fpirituall and invifible judgement, will overtake thole who love either to flat- ter others, or to be flattered themfelves. And as that example fhewes how dangerous it is to receive flatteries; fo to give flat- teries, hath in it a double danger. Firft," It is dangerous to others. When Parafites flatter Prin- ces, when Minifters flatter the people, how doth it enfriare their foules ?`'Tis hell and death to flatter finners, and not todeale plainlywith them ; to give lenitives infteadof corolives; to give oyle where vineger fhould be given;toheaee the hurt of the foule deceitfully, is the greateft-hurt and wounding to the foule. Flat- teries are thofe pillows fpoken of in the Prophet (Ex.&13,18.) lowed to the Arme-h.les or:elbowes ofwicked men, upon which many fleepe without feáre, till they dye without hope ; yea thefe flatte-
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