Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v12

Clap. 8 virn Expof lion upon theBook.o fJ o e. Verf. 2. . 33 oa k,,nowledge is not good (Troy, 19. 2.) that is , 'cis very bad, (fuch Negatives in Scripture intend their contrary Affimatives) and as it isnot good, or very bad for themfclves, whofcever they are, fo it isnot good for them with refped to others , who are called to declare the Counfels of God to others, Souls without knowledge cannot open, but arc apt to dark:n the Soulcounfels of God. Sixthly , inafmuch as God reproved job for this , Note ; God will not tike it well , if we fpeak improperly , darkly and oan fafely of his Matters and Counfels , though our minds be ho- nett and our meaning good in what wefpealt: We hadneed be cautious what we fay, and not talk at random abeut the things of God. job, a holy and a wife mar,, had a peal rung in his ear, for fpeaking words without knowledge , words not dulypoized andplaced. There are forne who will catch mat, and take hold of every flip of the tongue , they will mall an offenderfor aword, whichhuh no real l ground f make offence man it; (as theProphet fpake,lfa. 29. i i.)God may J y offender for award, which he thought was without offence. Laftly, Confider,when God came to reprove job , hedid not charge him with any ill intentions, but with ill expreffions. He indeed had darkened his Counfel by words without knowledge, but God did not fay he had a purpofe and a mind to do ic; nor did he fay , that job had fpoken falfly , but that he had fpoken truth obfcurely. The Lord did not obje& hypocritïe or impiety againfl him , but imbecility ; as not having handled the Judge- ments of God , nor delivered his own judgement clearly and prudently enough ; but had hudled and put things fo paf1ìonately and confufedly together, that force could not tellhow to diflin- gui(li them from blafphemy. Hence Note ; God will not charge any man beyond hisfault. ?f he did it in a heat of paffion, Godwill not deal with him,as if hehad done it in cold blood (as we fay) or witha felled re- fôlution. The Lord will not call a flip of the tongue an errour of ttrs mind, much lets a mindederror. God knows the intentFnd

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=