294 Chap. t 2. An ExpoPion ztpon the Bookof JOB. Verf.2o. Balaam ? Art not thoú mafer of thy own words ? Icalled thee to carp, and not to blefs, did/t not thou underRandwhat mybufn: f was? I knew Ifrael wasfencedenough and too much withbleffinfrs: Flow a- it that when Ifent for thee toblaft them,that thouhaft foie f- led them altogether, art thou brib.:d on theirfide ? or k oweft 'thou not that Iam abls tó,promote thee to honour ? fpeak, man, thefud- dain fate ofthisnumerous people ,andfear not ? why, halt thouson to contrary to my defign ? VVhat faith Balaam ? Fie anf cred andfaid, Mutt Inot take heed tofpeak,that which the Lordhatls put in my mouth? Balaam feenis to reply from his confcience, fis the duty of every man to take heed to fpeak that which the Lord puts in his mouth. But Balaam was only overpowred ; if God would have fuffered him to fpeak what Balaac had de- fired, his own confcience had never flood in his way : He that opened his Alfes mouth a little before to reprove his madnefs, now 'hut his mouth from uttering that wickednefs. The Lord (faith he) hado blefled them,andIcannot reverfe it : as if he had faid, Thave been tugging at it, and labouring to carte them, but I cannot do it, The Lord retrained his heart, and bound his tongue, that hecould not form a curf , and now he puts it off with this fine language, Muff Inot take heed to fpeakthat which the Lordbath put in my mouth ? Noman ever came with fuller purpofe to curfe the ifrael of God than Balaam did, but his tongue was not his own, he could not. So much upon that rendringof the text,Hebereaves Orator; of their eloquence. . =15 F)I-7 VVe tran'late,Fie removeth'away the fpeechof the trufly: And r.adr ct,t fo the word is derived from a root,which fignthes conftancy, fi- jtue eft con- 'delity, truth, ftability in word or deed : Men fo qualified, are antiafidel.-ras, worthy to be,miffed, and only they. But though it is eafie to ftabitiras an fay who a wally man is, yet it may be doubted ftill who is here, di£fis & pro- ,ipis, meant by thefe trufly men : Yet conlidering Job fcope,wemay digni pat well conclude that lie (peaks of men either atdually trufted, or gntbusfides ha- worthy to trufted with the management of pubhck affairs. beatur. Auth. Some Magifiratesare not on y Governors over the people; but atettue. Feoffees for them. Thus the Free-holders of England in their refpeetive places, chufe the Members ofthe Binge of Commons in Parliament, as their Truiées, and commit the proteelion of their elates and liberties into their hand Of fuch Trufty men, or of men thus Trailed, we may well interpret this text. And as Pf
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