ll i 54 Cha ¡. 36. an Expofition upon the Bookof ] o 3. Verf. 4. others fpeak t rush in the falfenefs of their heart, that is, theyhave fome by ends-in fpeaking it ; from both Chafe .Elihts here clears hi mfelf, and with both thefe jobhad taxedhis Friends, Chap. a 3. 7. Chap. 17. 5. Hence obfe?ve It is the higbeff'Commendationof aSpeaker, tofpeaktruth, tend the higher the Truth,, the higher the Commendation of the Speaker Words can have no greater beauty, nor richer orflamenr, than Truth, and Truth is never more adornad, than by plainnefs of Speech, nor more beautiful, than when ( like our fitfi Parents in innocency) 'cisnaked. To fpeak truly, is much more honourable, than to fpeak elortently ; one plain word of plain truth, is better than a long painted Oration, tin&ured with the leaf+ erreur : What then are long Orations, and large Volumes, which have, upon the'tnatter,as manyerrours as words, as many lyes and flat- teries, asPeriods andSentences ! at bell, fore in putting off' theirwords, doas others in putting offtheir wares, mingle good and bad together.. ' Tis dangerous tomake fuchmedlies. As we mule not put bad for good, darknefs for light, 'bitter for fweer, falfhood for Truth, fo we mull not blend or put bad among the . good, nor mix darknefs with light, nor fal.4iood with Truth. And as 'cis dangerous to mix anyfaltood of Do5rin4with Truth, fo to mix fallliood of Heart, with Truth of Do&rite, or to fpeak Truth, but not in truth. The Apoflle is zealous in pro.etling againfi falthood, and profeffing for the Truth, in both there re- fpe&s ; Firfi, as to the truth of the Dc&:ine, or of the matter fpoken, (e Cor. e. I we are not as many, which corrupt (or deal deceitfully with) ), Word ofGod ; we do not adulterate or mix it with our own imaginations or inventions which hefur- ther confirms (Ckap. 4. x.) We have renounced the hidden things ofdijhon,fly, &e. Secondly, As he fpake truth of Do&rive, fohe fpake it in the truthof his heart, as he alfured the Corinthians, it) both the places tali mentioned we are, not only no corrupters of the Word of God, but as of linèérity (there's truth of heart) as'ofGod,in thefight of God, fpeak we in ChrifI. And again, we nottk soot sn eraftinefr, nor handle the word ofGod deceitfully, but by a oanifeffatianof t e truth, commend. our ¡elves to every mum Con- fcience,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=