222 Chapa6. An ExfiofYtion upon the Bookof J Q$. Verf.3. an evil, whether word or work, is Diabolical , áhd theutmofl; departure from duty. Let not thy mouth open toutter vanity; but if it doth , (hutit quickly : be not heard (peaking that twice, which:fhouldnot be fpoken once. Or what eneboldenetbthee that thouanfwereft ? If thou wilt not make an end, thin tell me why ? Give me a reafon ; what is it that flits thee to reply upon me , What emboldeneth thee toanfwer ? The Hebrew word fignifies, firft, to JIrengthen, to fortifie, or confirm ; he that is firengthened, is E1? r no emboldened,It fignifiesallo to be fharpor bitter(' King,2 8.) £fi,ccoreacrir'tDavid on his death-bed, tells Solomon his Son,and Succeflor in e¡r, the Kingdom, that Shimei had curled him with a grievous curie that is, with a flrong, bitter, and provoking curie, of whichwe read the Story (2 Sam, i 6. g.) ThisQuery isrendred three ways. Firft, as we, What emboldeneth thee that thou anfwereft? As if he had faid, l thought I fhouldhave filenced thee before this time, or that thou wouldeft havefilence upon thyfelf ;' d wonder who, or what it tc, thatPets thee on tofpealffti11 ; doeft thou think by tby renewed onfets to weary me, and make meyieldat laft?Holt thou a hope toprevail uponme by thy importunity , when thou canft not dy thy reafon ? Or haft thou further ftrength of reafon, freJharguments toproduce inconfirmation of thineopinion ? Are thefe but Fore - runners, or thy Fauntguard ? Is the main Battle yet behinde ? Haft thoufome refervesof greater power than thou haft yet led upagainft me? Let mefee them if thou haft? If not, giveover, and holdtbypeace ; for whatfbatl either I or thouget by afurther progrefs ? What emboldneth thee to anfwer ? fob fpeaks,wonderingly , his reafon was at a lofs about the caufe of his Friends boldnefs,& therefore he admires it: There are,two things whichmay embolden aman to anfwer. Firft, The goodnefs and jufliceof that caufe which he un- dertakes. Secondly, The ftrength and aflifiance of God tocarry him through it. Upon thefe grounds , the youngeft Davidmay be bold to enter theLils,and dare the Combate with the ftrongeft Goli- ob. But there are two other things which ufually embolden men to anfwer, Fit t}9 4
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