440 Chap.17. AnExpeftion upon the Book of J O B: - Verf,5, be, who fpeaksflattery to God. But, you will fay , How can God be flattered ? There are two wayes offlattering men. Firft, By promifing them more then we intend. Secondly, Byapplauding themmore then they deferve. When we cry up thole for wife men who are little guilty of wifdom; or commend thole as good,who are very guilty of evil ; both thefeare (trainsof flattery : It is impoffible to flat- ter God in this latter fence, for we cannot fpealt of God highs then he is ; his Glory, Wifdome , and Goodnefs , are above., not only our Words, but our thoughts. But we may flatter God in the first fence, by promifing him more then we intend; they on their lick beds do but flatter God, who tell him how good, and holy they will be , when their hearts are not right with him: Yet neither is this the flattery of God which job may be fuppofed to fuggeft againft his friends. The flattery here fuggefled, is their jutlifying the proceedings of God in aflíieting lobby condemning Job ; as if there had been,no way left to clear-up the righteoufnefs of God, but by concluding that Job was unrighteous : This manner of arguing;fob calls, Speaking wickedly for God, and talking deceitfully for him This he allo calls, The acceptingof his perfon, Chap. 13. 7, 8. As if they had been the Patrons and promoters of Gods caufe and honour, while they thus pleaded againft fob, and laid his honour and innocency in the dull. That there is a fin- fulflattery of God in loch a procedure againft man, was (hew- ed more largely inthe place laft mentioned, to which I refer the Reader for his further fatisfadion. He that[peaks flattery to hisfriend,Whatof him? The next words tell us what, The eyes ofhis Childrenfhallfail. But (hall he himfelfefcape ? Shall not he (mart for it ? Saith not the Scripture, W,hatfoever a mans forres, that(hall he reap: the lower (hall be the reaper. This is not fpoken to free the flatterer from punifhment, but to (hew that more then he (hall be punithed for his flat- tery as he hitnfelffhall not efcape, fo he may bring others alto into danger with him: As fin fpreads it felf in the pol- lution of it , fo in the punifhments of it. When but one lins, manymay be defiled; and when but one was a fn, many may be
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