8'62 Chap. 34. An Expefition upon the Bookof O B. Verf.37, The bufinefs of Elihu in all this difcourfe , was to hold forth the evill frame of jobs heart, fignified by the intemperance of his language und the dealings of God. God had afidfed and ,chafined b , he had multiplyed wounds upon him , and job in the beate ofhis ipi:is and birterneis of his foule, makingmany complaints about the workings of God with him, is charged with multiplying words againff God,We may fpeak again(( God before we are aware ; yea we may fpeake many words againfl God when we chinke we have not (poke one word againft him. While we fpeake impatientlyof the proceedings of God in the world, and murmur at his difpen(acions to our families or per- lons, what doe we but multiply words againfi God ? we fpeake much for our (elves toGod, yea (Imay fay) we highly commend our felves to God when we fubmit to his doings, and fay no- thing , but in a filent admiration adore his dealings, and waite for a good iflue of them. Aaron proclaimed both his humility and his faith in holding his peace, when the Lord flew his two fops Na- dab and Abihu, ftrangely with fire, for offering ftrange fire before the Lord, whichhe commanded them not ( Lew: to. I, 2) 3. ) But howmany are there who proclaime their pride and unbe- liefe, by not being able to hold their peace under the affli6}ing hand of God, when his hand fcarce toucheth them , or when he doch but lay the weight of his little finger upon them, in compari- fonof that heavy firoake which fell uponAaron. Weare inmuch danger of finning, when at any timewe fpeake manywords, or {as Elihu fpeaketh) multiply words, he is a rare man that fpeaketh many words,and but force amifs, Now,if to multiplywords at any time (even when we are moff compofed )expofeth us to error in our words, howmuch morewhen our tonguesutter manywords in the bitternefs and difcompofure of our [pinks ? And as to (peak amiffe in any matter is roLnagainfi God, fo to fpeak much amitfe of our futferings, or of the fevereff providences of God towards us, is to fpeak much, or tomultiply words ( though not intentio- nally) yet really and indeed again(+ God. O then forbeare this multiplicationof words,lefl you multiply fuas.Speak but little,un- leffe in the praife ofGod ;rake heed how you fpeakofwhat God is doing to others, or doing to your felves. Let your words be few, and let them be weighed, for God will weigh your words ; and you may heare from him in blower , what he heareth from you ira
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