196 Chap. I,. rin Expo ition upon the Book of o s. Verf,8.. the eye is'furefias towhat is done. Secondly, Eare-witnefies, and they are the furefl as to what is fpoken.We fhould not take up ac cularions by heare-fay,but be able tofay, we haveheard the accufeci fay it. Thus Paid Ehhu, I have not taken up this matter by the way, from thole I met with, But I have been upon the place my feite ; I Hood by thee and heard while thefe wordsdropped from thy mouth. Many report what they never heard, they report up- on report ; as thole accufers in the Prophet, (fer: 20. io. ) Re- port ( fay they) andwe will report it. They cannot fay, as'Elihu, You have fpoken it in our hearing, and we have heard the voyce. ofyour words , but we heave you have fpoken it ; or you are fa- med for fpeaking it. How many'trànfgrefs the rules of charity, and break the bonds not only of civili friendfhip, but of Chrifii- an love, uponreports of what others report. 'Tis dangerous to report more of others,then we have heard them fay,till(at leaf+) we are fure the reporters heard them fay it. - Againe , When Ella faith , Thou haft fpoken inmy hearing, andI have heard the voice of thy words He would convince -yob to the utmoi+. Hence note. 7o accufe or condemn any man out of his owne mouth , muff' needsflop his mouth. Or, To be condemned out of oar owne mouth, is an unanfwerabble condemnation. When our owne fayings are brought againft us, what have we to fay ? Chrift told the evill and unprofitable fervant, who would needs put in aplea for his idlenefs, and excufe himfelfe for hide- innhis Lords talent in a napkin(that is,fornot ufing orimproving his gift) (Iuk; 19. 22..) Out of thineowne mouth will I judge thee, thouwickeddfervant; I will goe no further then thy owne words. And we.fee, as that evill fervant had done nothingbefore, fo then he could fay nothing, becaufe judged out of his owne mouth. When the offenders tongue condemneth him, who can acquit him ? (Pfal: 64.8.) So they fhall mak..e their owne tongùe to fall upon themfelves. The tongues of force men have fallen up- on them, and crufht them like amountaine, and they have -been preffed downe, yea irrecoverably oppreffed with the weightof their owne words. The Apofileude tells us what the Lord will dowhen he comes toJudgenient,in that greatand folemne day of his.
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