Chap. 18. zs4n ^ b. Verf.2. 7 Froni this Expolkion ( taking the Text as referring, to all his friends,) Ohferve. ’Deliberate confideration mufl got before.fpedking. We fhould firft. mark, and afterward fpeak. Every word fhould flay a while in the heart, before it come at the tongue. So, nature Teenies to dictate; who ( as we fee antheiabrick of the’body,) hath feated the tongue, and the heart at a great di- ftance, that fo we might take time to mould our words in our thoughts , and meditate our felves before we advife others. And leaft the tongue ( as Naturalifh alfo obferve).fhould be too nimble at its work, it hath a double hedge, or wall, one or teeth, another oflips to keepit In.:The Apoftle fames( Ch.i.i9.)gives this counfell; Befwiftto heare, andflowtojpeake-Some flowneffe of fpeaking is no impediment; but the ornament of fpeech. There is an uncomely flowneffe of fpeech, fuch asCMofes complainedof ( Exod. 4 .1o. ) ISome have hearts and heads full of rich and rare commodities, who yet want utterance.. But it is- not onely a duty, but our commendation to have a copy of our' words, fairlywritten In onr hearts, beforewe utter themat our. jmewgisq tongues. Job', hinc-tuif Agaipe, As thefe words are applied to Job, tJWark_, and then refponfmibus memill/peak.; As ifhe had faid; Ofob,weare not at all nonorwe/lattendedbj thee ■, nowdoethy part, andwewill doeonrs. M Ohferve; tms, almdtH It is in vaine to fpeake till men heareandcompofe themfehjes reipotuks. to nnderjlandi , ! • IERH& I Who would fpeak to himtliat. hath no eares, or.to him- that hath not an attentive eare?;While wefpeak ,td fuch, we doe but^ * tell Stories to a deafeman. He that hath an eare, mull have a heartbhis eare; wife he-heareth not. Somefleep; at the Word- with their eyes open, they fleepe with a klndehfattent pn thpughthey heare all, yet they, markdittle, andidoe nothing of that which they have,heard Such; when the Sermon is ended, maytell you fomewhatoftheir owne waking dreame, but they cannot tell you a word, to purpofe, of the moft'working do- drine. The Apoftle exhorts to attend after-we. have heard; ( Heb. 2 .1. ) which (hewes a double attention; fifft,;an attention while we heare ; fecondly,, an: attention to what we .have heard].
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