Chap. 3 3. Au "Expofition upon the Book_ of Jos. Verf. 3s. andheave. 7he moff prudent fpeak,ers,, are alfo patient hearers. Elihuwhen he began to fpeake; ( Chap: 3z. 18, r 9.) compared hirrifelfe to afull bottle, hewas even burdened witty his ównecon- ceptions, 1 amfull ofmatter (fayd, he there) thefpirit within ume confiraineth me ;Behold,mybelly is ds mine which*ath.no vent, it is ready to burff like new bottles. And though he hidnot halfe emp- tied himfelfe, yet he could flop his veffel and containe himfelfe° Anfwer me, I will heare. Though Elihu was warme inhis worke, labouring tooth and nayle to convince and humble fob, and Brew him wherein he had exceeded and offended , though he was teaching himto give glory to God, and to ahhorre himfelfe (as at lafl he did ) repenting induff and allies, yet hewas unwilling to determine till he had heard him fpeake, if hehad any thing tr fpeake, and a minde to fpeake it. Hence note. 'I is but egluall togive him leave to fpeake for himfelfe, with ohms we are unfatisfied. How elfe can we either get fatisfaalion , or give an account why we remain unfatisfied ? We muff not condemne any man itthafl, nor judge him till we have heard him. Neceffary flops are no delays. Theymay procure not only abetter but a fpee- dier itfue of our bufinefs, elpecially in matters of controverfie. Politicians have a rule, rake time and you may doe any thing. To make hafl_flowly is the furefl wayof making haft. Many a journeying manhad rid more miles in a day,if he had not rid too faft. They who will doe all at-once, or in a breath, often Toole theirbreath,'but feldome doe any thing, that's worth the doing. And as haflinefshinders-us indoing, fo it altogether unfits us for cenfuring. Time'brings forth truth a fervent° deferred, may áfterwards'be given,'but when it is once given, it cannot be re- called ; therefore it is good before we cenfure, to heare every than out If this moderationand wel- tempered ingenuity were exercifedin all our controverfies with others, it would be agreat helpe to the ending of controverfies. Andwe fhould either fee no reafon to condemnemany, or condemne themwith more rea- fon,'had we patience to heare them. But when firfl, we will not heare an anfwer, or when fecondly , we fupprefhe our oppofites with power and violence, whom we cannot anfwer or cônvtnce by 49 q 2 argu- 483
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