Chap. 4o. an Expo(ition upon the Book of J o E. Verf. 3, Some are very hard words ; and hard words wound like hard blows. And (though no blows are given) The Lard will come to execute judgement upon the ungodly, for all their bard beeches, (fnde,verf, s 5,) Many fpeak words as hard as Hones, they throw hard words at the heads and about the ears of others, hard words of thtearning, and hardwords of reviling ; for these the Lord will judge the ungodly, as well as for their ungodlydeeds, Now, as there are hard words, fo foft words. What are they Soft words are words of intreaty, words of meekness, words of love, words of fubmi(lion; these are (*oft words, Will Levia- than make fupplications? or, Wilt he fpeak foft ,vords_? Again, loft words are often flattering words, which are therefore com- pared by the Prophet (Ezek, 13. 143.) To pillowsfewest under the arm - boles. Will Leviathan flatter himfelf into thy favour ? will he lie down like a Spaniel, and fawn upon thee ? no, he is too high- fpiritcd to bow, too (-tiff to hoop , he will fpeakno loft words. A soft anEwer (faith Solomon, Prov, i 5. s.) turnetb away ftrife. 'Tis good when a quehion is put to us, to give a loft an- Aver: And if when we have hard words fpoken to us, we return hard anfwers, they will quickly (Iir up firife.Solomon bath a Eirange exprefliion (Pr,v. x 5, t 5.) Afoft tongue 6reaketh the bones. The tongue naturally, is a loft, fle(hy, fpungy member of the body ; yetthere is nothingpath more hardnefs, I may ray more bones in it than the tongue ; but 'cis the loft tongue which breaketh the bones, not the bones of the body, but of the mind : and the -meaning is this, If the fpirir of a man be as Riff as the bones of hisbodyagainf you, yet if you (peak loft words, you may break him, and bring him ro your delire ; whereas, if yoube high and Riff, if you give hard for hard, it turns to an exafperation. It were nogreat lofs, if they couldspeak nomore than Levieetban,who likeLeviathan, know not bow to fpeak foft words. And ufually, they whoare freel to (peak loft words of flattery, are futthe(l from fpeaking foft words of love or charity, of gentlenefs and true ingenuity. 'Tis good, and our wifdom in two cafes, to fpeak foft words in truth, even to thofe who are none of the ben. Firfl, Toavoid hard dealing, from rhofe whohave us in their power aand they who are afraid of harddealing, will lure enough fpeak foft words; whereas a man that cares not howhardly others deal with him, caresnot to teak loft words, Se.
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