Chap. I3. AnExpofition upon the Book of Jos, Verf. S 367 2. When we have an opportunity to vindicate the honourrand truthof God. 3. When we may relieve the credit of a brother that is wronged. 4. When,by fpeaking,we may inftru1or dire 1 thofe faatare ignorant. 5. When we may comfort and fupport thofe that are weak. 6. When we may tefolve and fettle thofe that are indoubt. When ive may duly reproveand convince thofe that do evil. At fuck times as thefewe haveoccafion to freak, and then it is our lin or our weaknefs, nothing at all of wifdom, to be filent. There arealto feven fpecial feafonsoffilence,and then it is our wifdom not to fpeak. Such as thofe : I. It is never in feafon to fpeak, till we have a call. 'Tis as impertinent to be bulie with our tongue?,as withour hands, in other mens matters, unlefs theyor the providence of God, or our prelént duty befpeaks us. z. It is a feafon to be filent, whenweare not rightly informed inor about the Efate of the matter or question to which we mutt fpeak : Such fhall dowell to fpeak their own doubts, butthey areunfit togive others refolution. He muff be a matter of the quellion who makes a determination upon it : and until he hash the comnpafs of it in himfelf, he can never draw it to a good conclufion. 3. Whenwe know the {late of a q:aeftion, yet we muff not (peak without a futablepreparation, either aEtual.or habitual Be not rain to utter a thing before Godor man.. The Apo- - ille lames oids us be fwift to hear, and flow to fpeak; yet we mutt not hear till we are prepared, then much leis may we fpeak. 4. It is a feafon to befilent, when;what we fpeak is like tobe a fnare unto our felves, to-hen they hate him that reboketbin the gate, and abhor him tlat fpeaketb zip-i htly; when theyaffliïl theju f l,and torn afide thepoor an thegate (Amos 5. t o, 12.) Then (verf. t 3.) theprudent (hall keep filsnee,for it It an evil tune. But m ft not evil times, or thewont evils of wort} times befpokcn . again*, let} webring our felves into an coil fnare? Mutt we never.:
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