Chap. zt. t n Expoftrion spot tkt Booltof ,j o s. Vert. 5. 16.) The Nations (hallfee and be confounded at ali their might that is, to fee their owne might confounded and weakned) and !sail lay tbeir hand upon their mouth. The Image ofHarptcrates ( whom the ancient Idolatrous z'Egyptians adored as theGod Hari o.raü e- offilence) was formed and fee up in theTemple of1/ys,with his mi at urubaiur hand !vet uponhis mouth. And this bath longobtained the feu p t tx honour and authoritie ofa proverbial' fpeech, fignifying thus P im bier ab much , that we will fay no more, or that we have no more to Ægypr'jr nr d:- fay. This phrafe is often ufed in Scripture ; For,betidcs that it is girum opprttne. ufed twice more in this booke, Chap. 29.9 Chap. 40: 4.) we bat 14brts car alto read, how the Danites laid to Micah! Prieít,who began to St ve ërx make a battle againít them* to demand,yvhat doe ye fudg,18. contrad:'giro 19.)bold thy peaceday tby handupon thy meuth.,Solornon gives ad- crmpefee' label- vice(Prov.30.3z.)If thou haft done foolilbly in lifting up thyfelf, lum. Juv. Sar, or if thou hag thought evil,lay thy hand upon thy mouth ; That is, if thou haft done evill, doe not defend it, but repent of it; or if thou haft framed evils thoughts in thy heart, yet let not thy mouth fpeake them out in evill words ; fmother thofe finfll conceptions, let them neverfee the Sun, for 'twill encreafe thy fin, and procure the fhame. Among the feverall Dations which the Ifraelites made through the wilderneffe, one was in Punon, Arras de 4z. or Phinon (Nun; 3 3. 42.) which as one ofthe Ancients obier- ¡liorumtfiael,s veth,figniftech, Aliceor fparingneffe offpeech ; uponwhich he maufioníbus. maketh this ufefull application ; Let us becareful! to take up our Avian here fometimes,while we are travailing through the wilder- neffe ofthis world. It may be our wifedom to pitch in thence. Thehand is wel imployed while we flop the mouth with it from broaching and maintaining that which is evill, or from op- pot ng that which is good. As to open the mouth, importeth readinefs to fpeake, and boldneffeoffpeech ; fo to lay the hand upon the mouth notes (thence, and properly tt hence upon con-. vi tion,that is,when a manpath heard fuch reafons as he cannot oppofe or contradict. We ufe an expreffìon neere this, Lay your band uponyour heart ; that is, take the thing deeply to heart, apply it home. As to lay the hand upon the heart,notes internall fpeech; fo, to lay the hand upon the mouth, notes the topping ofexternal' fpeech. Layyour handupon your mouth, is as if fobhad laid;Marlt,me, andyou wouldhave little reafon and lejsforwardnes tofpeakanymore;or, My r;ounfel toyoumyfriends N n n n z ss, 643
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