Chap. 5. tlnExpofitien uponthe BookofJ OB. trerG 21. 355 Ertl, We may take it thus ; Thou(halt be hid from the Jcourge of the tongue, that is, the tenour ofthy a6ions ¡hall be fo fa-ire, and probationer d . thy life foblamelefs, thatmalice it fclf (hall not find, where to fa- fui cientia in- ften an accufation. dicie, Cajet. Or fecondly, When other men are slandered and reproached, thou (halt be free. Or thirdly,Thouffialt be hid, that is, though occafion fhould be given tomalice ( and that our nobleft and holieft anions ufe molt tò give ) yet malicious men,(hall not be able to come as thee,thy perfon (hall be fecured in a chamber offecrecy,and covered with a mantle of providential darknefs, while the light of thy good works dazels and troubles the eye of the world. But rather fourthly, Thoufhalt be hid,that is, Thou (halt be pa- troniz'd anddefended,thou (halt bepet right,and vindicated from all calumnies and falfeafper(ons. The Lord will take care of thy credit and reputation, that though many goe about to blemi(h it with lies & ilanders,yet thy honour (hall be faved,or the wounds ofit healed, by caufing thy righteoufnefs to breakforth as the light, and thy juts dealing as the noone day. Some charitablemedicinable tongue (hall lick thee,whole, after all the ftripes of thofe fcourges ofevenomed fcorpion- tongues: Thus, thou shalt be healed if fmitten, or elfe thou (halt not be fmitten, ( Pfal. 31. 20; ) Thou fhalt keep themfecretly in thypavillion, from the ftrife of tongues. The wordsof the Pfalmift,are an allufion toKings,who being re- folved toprotell their Favourites,againftall the clamoursand accu- fations ofinen ; take them, as it were, into their own Pavil- ddfimiliruáti_ lien, into their Bed chamber and bofome,where nonemay touch fe Toren t70;ú them. God alpbath apavillion, a fecret hidingplace for his Fa- rur,quafr. till vóurites,where he preferves their credit and reputation untoucht,quiregibus againft all the blots and caufelefs blemithes of malignant fpirits.ch°ri funs co' Thus they are hidfrom theftrife oftongues. Hence his Saints and 1am'inip[o °u' people are called, His ftored or bidden ones, Pfal. 83. Ob- 7iepenetore- ferve, firft, 3 3: topse fped guaregnfpelJu The tongue h afcourge. veefaneer de. The tongue is a terrible engine :The Scripture gives us variety(nduntur of companions to fet forth the evil, of an ill tongue. It is herefeCUrt viunr.' calleda fcour a and it is a (tour eo*man lafhesor:knotted.cords or rather flinging fcorpioris ; fcolling is,óe,flander a fecond,falfern ejo. accufations a third. Theformer f}ric$ly taken, is a lye told any neighbour, and the latter is a lye told the Magitirate, The tongue Z z 2 (pfal,
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