Chap. I I. expofition talon the Tookof J 0 B. Verf.4. Thirdly , The word which we traniate trite , is well rendred firm If I bear witneffe to my (df, my witneffe is not valid or au- thenticall, for another man way bear witneffe to his neighbour, and his witEeffe not be true , but that which rati6eth a teflimony ( fora humano) is when it comes from a fecond, or a third, In the mouth of two or three witneffes ,Jhall everywordbe eflablifhed) ,Dent. 19. 15. But may we 'not bear vvitneffe to our felves ? In Come cafes we may , in moll we may not , efpecially in . theee two. i. Whenwe teflifie for our felves out of an ambition to corn= mend our (elves , to fpread our own plumes , and to grow up in to the applaufe of the world. This is pharifaicall boafling of, ra- ther then witnes-bearing to our felves. 2. Whenwhat we fay or teflifie is untrue. We muff not bear falfe-witnes, either for or againll our felves. Zophar fufpe(ts robs felf witnes of both three errours, as aiming at (elf- applaufe, and that by arrogating more to himfelf, then hewas able to make out. He offends who of :as to blazon himfelf by a worth which is really his; but he that blazons himfelf by a worthwhich is not his, multiplies offences. Some fay theyare fen's, andare not , but are the Synagogueof Satan, (Revel.x.9.) A Jewmay offend , in Paying, he is a Jew, but he that faith he is a Jew, that is, a true believer ( for under thofe old Tellament terms, Gofpel-profec- fours are erprefl in the rvelation) and is not, that is, bath nei- ther the inward power , nor the outward evidenceof a Saint his pretended piety is double iniquity. A Jew ofSatans Synagogue, is the wort} difciple ofhis Synagogue, None arefo bad as they, who only (ecru to begood. They are twice dead who have but a name to be alive. The Apoflle chides thofe bitterly , who were Jews only in the letter and in the flefb (Rem. 2. 17, 19.) Behold, thou are called a Jews, andreflefl in the law , andmalíefl thyboafl ofGod, and art confident that thou thy felfart aguide ofthe blinde , &c. Thou that teachefl another, teachefl thou not thyPelf ? Thou who mal`e1t thyboaft of the law, through the law, difhonourefl,thou God? To fay our dotlrine is pure when it is defiled with errour; to fay our (elves are clean , when we are either openly prophane, or clofely hypocritical) adds to the impurity of our dotrine , and to the uncleannefs ofour lives. Moli appear too too bad, but they are worfl, who would appear better then they are. D 3 Bata
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