01p.27o An Ex,pofiton npon the Book of L'o B. Verf.4. fromGod ; We may fay our lips Mall not fpeakewickedneffe, norour tongue utter deceit, becaufe the grace of ehe newCove- nant doth enable beleevers in all this. Grace fixeth the heart of a godly man againfi all finco thedeath, though, till he dye, he can- not be freed from all fin. Every godly man can fay he would ne- ver fin, but no godly man may fay, be will never fin. The truth of Grace confifis moppofing every fin,thc tlrength of grace confifls in the mortifying of every fin, but our full conquefi and total! prevalence over every fin is our entrance into glory. Thirdly , From the fpeciall matter about which Job takes u this oath and protefiation, My lips f3oall not fpeake ,vicketinefe, that is,this wickedneffe to betraymy one caufe, ()Verve , We ought to be very refolute in kteping and maintaininj our in- nocency againfl all the world. As our firfi and greateR care fhould be tobe innocent and up- right,fo our next great care fhould be toappeare innocent and upright. He that is not innocent is loti withGod, and he that doth not appeare fo is loft with men. Uprightnefs is filch aJewel, that we cannot let goe the Cabinet of it, reputation, without fin, if byany finleffe endeavors of ours we may preferve it. Whence byway of Corolary, Obferve, Fourthly; ro!peak,, falfely of our felves, or betray our owns innecency, it a great wickpdns fe, and the wort! kindofdeceit. As it is an abhorred wickedneffe to (peak good of our felves beyond what is,(fo the more clofeand refined fort of hypocrites doe, who would have all the world beleive they are godly, when they have no acquaintance with God, or the power ofgodlineffe, and therefore make it their bufineffe and tludy,to paint over their rottennefs with falle &borrowed colours)fo for any mantomake himfelfe worfe than he is,by a Height departing from his own in- tegrity,and uprightnefs,whenmen cati dirt upon it,and darken it with falfhood, is a wickedneffeallo. It iswickedneffe to (petite falfely of another,and it is little lette to let others fpcake falfely ofus, and not labour to right our felves. Every cnatís own credit and honour ought to bedeare to him, as well u the credit Ofano-. 37
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