226 ; Chap.t 6. An Expolitiiíï upon the Book of J O$. Verf.3. Lions, and fome'do but give Gall for Gall, and Wormwood for Wormwood yet it cannot be denied , but that many . fpeak andwrite bitterly, when they have had no provocation ; yea, moil who fpeak bitterly , have been treated gently , and tow'who anfwer angerly will be able to give a good account what bath provoked them thus to anfwer , and how much foever any man hathbeen provoked,the Lord may juitly make him fmart for filch fmartnefs in anfwering. It will not bear us eat inailing orfpeaking befides the rule, becaufeothers die fo. Paul thews us our duty in hisown pradicc (t Cor. 4.,t 2, 13.) Being reviled we beefs, being defamedwe entreat ; We mull not defame them that defame us , we mull not revile our revilers. Then, woe to thole who revile fuch as blefs them; and de- fame fuch as entreat them : O what provvkethfuch to fuch ways of anfwering ? There is yet a third reading of this claufe , which I will tibi mo. but touch, WhenPall vain words have an end? But what trouble leflum eRfi is it to thee if thoufpeak%eff ? Or.:, Is it any, trouble to thee if 'rqaaree.Vul.- thoufpeakeff .? As if he had Paid , I cannot match wonder though thou deeff not end theft vain rufingdifcou>fes,for I amperfwaded they are nogreat trouble to thee, how much foever theyare to o. thers ;fuch words . coif thee little ffudy; thou needeft not beat thy brains,or bite thy nails forfuch matter as tbis.That which corns next, and lies uppermol,is all that "fume men have to fay,when they have laid all. Theythat fpeakmoff to thepain ofotbers,take leaf{pants themfilves. We fay , Good words are cheap , it coile little to fpeak fair ; but ill words arecheaper. Foul language toffs little in the preparation, though it may prove coffly enough in the event. There is a profitable fenfe in . this tranfla tion ,. though I will not give it for the meaningofthe,Text.. I r is our duty to confider before we fpeak., ,as well as be- fore we ad and to put our (elves to fome trouble in prepa- ring what we have to fay , before we give others the trouble of hearing it. When God calls us to speak, either in our own defence , or for theedification of others., on a fudden wemay expel` -( according to thepromife , Mattb, 10.19.) That it (hall be given us in that hour what we Pail fpeak. Ifthe providence of God ttraiten us, the Spirit of God will enlarge us ; that promitè ; will help us , when we have no time to prepare our fives, but it will not, if we negleót the time in which
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