530 Chap.34` . An Expofition upon the Bookof J o s, Verf. 6. Elihu rebuketh his fpeeches,, not his fpirits; his words though in force refpeeI true, yet were dangerous, and becaufe not well: explained by himfelfe, fcandalous to othets;But his heart was not trecherous, nor thebent of.his mind wrong fer, in uttering them.. Evill men may fpeake good words, but ris with a bad heart;. Good men fometimes 4peake bad and offenfive words, yet with honed hearts ; and when their mindes are ferene , and they red from -thole clouds ofperturbation,which have darkned them, they. (asYob) are ready to recant them, and repent of them. Secorrdlÿ, Note. It is an high offence to intimate any thing which (lath in the leafl intrench upon the juflice, and righteoufnefs of God; Ta fay,God hath taken away our judgement, may call donne judgements; To fay,we are wounded without tranígreflion, is a great tranfgreflìon ; and the reafon,why it is fo,is plaine, becaufe fuck fayings, tell the world, that we futfer,. if not quite without defers, yet more then we deferve.; and what is thisbut tò jufiifie our felves, and lay blame uponGod, thenwhich (as was Chewed at the 2dverfe of the 32d Chapter) nothing ismore derogatôry to God, ox more blame - worthy in man. Thirdly, Note. Ifwefpeak amiffe, or indsféreetly about thedealings of god with eat, we may thinkour felves if we are hardly cenfured, and foundly chidden for it. Though jobs heart was hone%, yet histongue was intempe- rate, and he too bold withGod ; and you feehowGod fiir'd up the fpirit of Elihu to lay it home to him, and bring him upon his knees for it. They who vent unwarrantable fpeeches, mtífl not thinke much if they meet with fharpe reproofes and cutting cm-- fures. Tongue-faults feldome efcape without tongue-lathes And'ris .amercy to meete with them from a faithful! friend ; Their lathing and cutting tongues prove healing tongues , ( Pal I4I. 5. Fourthly, Note. Every fpeaker is atthe mercy ofhis hearers. Noman knows whatgloffehis words may have putu,eon them when
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