48 Chap. 22. An Expofition upon the 7Soek of J o: E. Verf. 5, fhouldnot let the fins ofothers in open light, nor provide cove- rings for our own, yet moft commonly we run the contrary conrfe: we have a favourable opinion, and excufes ready for what we have done, while we have hard thoughts of, and give haifh cenfures uponwhat others doe ; our own fins we can c-,I1 moats, and the fìnne, ofothers beames. The better any man is, the better he judges others, and the worfe of himfelfe . Pan/ fpake no complement, while he laid, that be was l ffe than the leaff ofall Saints, and the chiefof(inners ; ufually they who are the feverefi obfervers and cenfurers ofothers, either flatter, or have not well obferved themfelves. Fourthly. Forafmuch as Eliphaz teeing yob under- great fufferings, faith to him ; Is not thy wickedneffegreat ? The council in it felfe was feafonable. Hence obkrve ; That in timeoftutf"ering, it isgood both to put our[elves and othersupon inquiry about our fsnnes. So the Prophet ( Lam. 3. 39, 40.) why Both a living man complain, amanfor the punifhment ofbit fins ? Let uslurch and try our wayes, and turn again to the Lord ; times of afi&ions fhould be times ofinquifition, when the Lord is fmiting, we fhould be fearching ; when we have received many wounds, it is time for us to be fufpec`tingour feives of many fins ; and the counfell ofothers is not to be re eeted, when feeing us in forrow, they advife us to confider what our Ins are, how great and how many. For though we fhould be tender in preßïng thole who are under the load and burden of affliâion, with the burdenof their fins, yet they who are fo, hull doe well and wisely to preffe it upon themfelves. Fiftly, Whereas Eliphax, faith , Is not thy wickedneffe great, and thine iniquity itfinite ? and in the next verfè, concludes up. it ; Thou&Sii taken a pledgefrom thy brotherfor naught, &c. Ail which werebut corfseturcsand inflations. Obferve ; Thatfuppofftions andconjeaures are nofit ground,, upon which tobuildajudgment concerning thefaultinefs ofothers. We muft not Cenfure upon, Ihear lo, I,'uppojefo, I thinkefo; but upon, I know it ásfo ; many have run into great firnne bay judg >>e
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=