356 Chap. S. An Expefition upon the Bookof J O B. Verf. 21. (Plat. 52.2. ) is called a fha>p rafor ; Pfal. 57. 4. it is compared tofpeare,r, and arrows, and a(harp Sword; and ifat any time with much ulìng, this Sword beblunted in the edge or point,the Scrip- ture fpeaks ofwhetting the tongue., Pfal. 64. 3. Ìe Is as theThatpe arrowes of the mighty man, and codes of juniper, Pfal. 120. 4, They bendtheir tongues like a bow, Jer, 9. 3. Their tongue it of an arrow (hot out ; ver, 8. tin a word, It is a fire and a world of mifcheife, Jam. 3 6. (7er. i8 .t 8. ) we read of airingwith the tongue, and ofdevouring words, Pfal 52.4. As thereare devouring opinions, opinions, which not only hurt the judgements of men, but devour their confciences; and eat up truth ( as it were ) at a bit; fo there are devouring words,words that eat up a mans repu- tation, and devour his good name, as breed. Slanderous menthes love the whiteft bread, the fineft of the wheat ; A mans credit whichbath not a branne in it, how fweet a morfil is it to fuch mouthes ? Though the truth is, every name, by how much the more pure and 1potlefs it is,by fo much the more deadly will it be in the flomacks of t hefe devourers. .Agood-name frvalloved by an illman, will (as Jonas did the Whale ) make him ( one time or other ) flomach-fick; ifnot confcience frck,and hefhall be forced to vomit it outfafe again. It is a fad thing whenC thus) the people of God are wounded and fcourged by the tongues ofwicked men;but j will tell you of a (adder fcourging, t hat is, when thepeople and Cervants of God fcourge one another with their tongues : I befeech you leave this work to wicked men, take not the fcourge ofthe tongueout of their hands, let us, not only not flauderbut,not (peak hardlyone ofanother. The ancient Chriflians'in the Primitive times, were deeply wounded by the fcourgeofthe tongue,what firange things did ungodly men feigne and then fallen on them? They reported them as black as hell, as if their holy meetings were not to wor- fhip God, but to defile themfelves with íncefl and uncleannefs ; but among Chriflians themfelves, we read not of this fcourge, at that time. No ; Chriflians loved ene another to the amazement of Heathens : They were fo far from this fcourging or wounding of.one another, that they were ready to be fcourged,to be woun- -ded, tobe burned, todie foñoneanother. This caufed their Pa- gan.perfecut«r to cry out, Behold how the Chriftianr love one another ? Weare fcourged by wicked ones, as They, O that we . c.oul.d love one another, as They, ;Sons ofBelial have revived the ancient !
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