Chap. 23. An Expofition upon the Bookof J OB. Vert i2. checks him for it (pfal. 5o. 16 )Z1nto the wickedfaithGee' what h4j.L thou to doe to declaremy flame", or that thou lbouldefi take my Covenant in thy msutb.So then,the hypocrite was very bufie with his tongue, and he could (peak muchofthat which he loved ne- ver a whit. But was the hypocritea man ofhis hands alto ? was he bufie in obeying the word which he hadcart behinde his back? The next words of the Pfalme (ver. la, 19,20,2a.) tells uswhat he was bufie about, even this, he was breaking the Law as fait as he could ; when thou fawefl a thiefe,tben thou confentef't with him, . andb.ift 6e:n partaker with Adulterers, &c. The inditement is large, and upon many heads, yet all truc, and is therefore doted with,Theft things ball thou done (ver. 2r.) I the Lord am witnes, and fo is thy own: Conlcience. That Scripture is a cleare glaf e,. whereinwe may feehow all they will ufe the LawofGod, who doe not highly efteeme the words ofhis mouth. We may read `lobs text backward for their chara&er; Their feete have not held his fteps, his wayhave they not kept, but declined, they have gonebackfrom the commandement of his lips. And why fo ?,far they haveefftemed thewords of his month no more then their un- nectfjary food,no more then the (craps thatfall from their Table, no moreIbex (as theR overb faith) their old ¡hoes. Ihave efreemed the word of his mouth more then my neceffary food. When yob faith, Ihave efleemed the word of his mouth,&c.It is, . as if he had laid, this is enough for me that God hath laid it, to snake me efteeme it. Hence obferve. Thirdly, Whatfoever Godfaith, is to be efltemedfor hisown fake, or becaufe he bath Paidit. As God needs not borrow light from any what to fpeake,fo he needs not borrow teilimony or Authority from any to ratifie what he hath fpoken. He is to be beleevedfor himfelf. His words need no fanciion,but (ipfe d,'xit) I the Lordhavefaid it, or thus faith theLord; that is enough to filenceall queryes and difputes both about the truth ofwhat is delivered,and the neceíli ofour obedience to it. As the word ofGods mouth is to be obeyed, fo it is therefore to be obeyed, becaufe it is the wordofhis mouth. That he hash laid it mutt command our faith ; As he is the true God, fo he is the God of truth,Everyword of his mouth is pre- cious,. 4r3
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