io Chap. 15. Aie Expofttion upon the Book of J O B. V erf.3 worlt of the bell of mans finful flefh , he doth not onely fay, It is notfubj'ü to the Law of God, but adds, Neither indeed can be ( Rom, 8. 7. ) So here , Words wherewith a man can do no good, how bad are they ? Hence obferve : Frtt, That which can doe nogood,Jhouldnot be fpoken: Before we fpeak a word , we (hould ask this Quettion , to what pur- cni bona. potè, to what profit is it ? (hall he that heares it be made more knowing, or more holy by it ? Obferve fecondly , Vnprofitable talk isfinful, and fpeeches which doe no good , are evil : every idle word that men fhall `peak, they fhall give an account thereof in the day of Judge- ment, Matth, r 2.37. and though a man be very bufie, and take much pains in_fpeaking , yet if his words be unprofitable, andhis fpeeches fuch as can doe no good , they will come un- der account as idle. Now , if unprofitable talk be finful, and fpeeches that can doe no good , then what is pr ophane talk , and fpeeches which doe hurt, ( infeCiion gets quickly, inat the ear) defiling the minde and corrupting the manners of thofe that hear them.The Apottle gives us the rule offpea.. king, both in the negative and in the affirmative ( Ephef. 4. 29.) Let no corrupt communications proceedout ofyour mouths, but that which isgoodto the ufeof edifying, which may admini- Jier Grace to the hearer.. Again ( Co/of. 4 6. ) Let your fpeeches be always with Grace; that is , filch as teltifieth that there is Grace in your heart , never fpeak a word but fuch as may (land with Grace ; yea , fpeak Poch words as may be a witnefs of Grace, wrought inyour felves , and a means of working Grace in others. Let your words befeafedwithfold the fait ofour words, is holinefs , and truth; prudence alibis the fait of words ; good words , and true , fpoken unfeafo- nably, may do hurt Prudence teaches us the time when, and Eelíal e15 themanner hew to anfwer every man. co, i,,, Thirdly obferve, It is matter of ju(l reproofagainfl every man quod inhiplol to be unprofitable,and to do nogood:Every tree which bringeth frgnifrcarpra_ not forth good fruit is hewen down and call into the tire, defe ; ut deno- (Martb. 3. a o.) Some conceive that the word Belial comes ter fromBeli , which in Hebrew fignifies Not, and the word lag- guí nerilói, nee alis pro- nal , which here in the Text fignifies todoe good : Becaufe a Belialilt, or a Sonof Belial is fuch an one as neither doth good
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