492 Ch-p, 26. An Expofition tspo.n the Pook, of B. Verf. 9'" the dead and the living, and the Plague was flayed. The plague, that devourer, was ready to flay the whole Congregation, but the Lord flopt and retrained it upon the 'met-cell-ton and fupplication of Aaron for the people, So (t Chron, 21.22.) David coming to the ihrefhing. floor of Ornon, Heoffered facriface, and the Plague. was Pyea, There went a command out fromGod, and a prayer fromDavid to flay ir, and it was Bayed. Here the Princes re- frained talking not by a reflraint from job, but by their own dif cretion. They law it befl to fay nothing, when their Prince (who was every way fo much their better) was in pretence. Hence Note.. It is both oar wifdam and our duty fametimes to forbear fpeak- in,Q. There is a tirne to keep filence , and 4 time to fpeak (Eccl. 3 7.1 (The Prophet (Amos 5. L3. ) fers down one feafon of fclence, Therefore the prudent fhall keepfilence in that time for it is an -evil time. VVhen times are fo evil that they will not bear evil to be fpoken againfl, nor good to be fpoken, 'cis time for the prudent to keep filence;for though in Come cafes we mull bearour te(limony openly for truth and holynefs, whether menwill bear it or no, whe- ther theywill hear or whether they will forbear we muff fpeak, yet we are not,urged with that neceflïty at all times,,- but may (in this fenfe)fave our (elves from an untoward generation, even by re- fraining to fpeak; and ever when men more prudent then our felves are in place, ;nd ready to fpeak, 'cis a fitting time for us to keep filcnce. Ulually theyare moll forward to fpeak, who have leaf} reafon to fpeak, and fpeak leaf} realon ; Scme will be fpeakìng, though they discover nothing but their own inability to fpeak. 'Tis much bettherto refrain talking, then to talk to Ijtclepurpofe, or ro hinder thofe who can talk to better ,purpoa then our felves. David prayeth (Pfal. 141. 3.) Set a watch (c Lord) before mymouth: Keep thedoor of my lips. It is more then man can doe, to govern his tongue, and to hit the due feafon of fpeak- ing. And in another Pfalm, David intimates , that he had as much to doe, to keep his tongue, as tc,rule an head-firong horfe (Pfal 9. a. ) I faid I will take heed t o my ways that ¡ fin not with my tongue ; I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked to before me, As hot metl'd hocks, fo the tongue is apt . to run out
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