74 Ghap.3 o: n Expofition upsn the Bookof J o B. Verf,g, The af}lie`bed fhoúld have comforting tongs lung to them, not fcoffing fongs 'rung at them. There are tongsofpraife, and thankfgiving ; and thereare fongs of abufe and reproach. God wasDavid, fimg,or Davidmade Godhis fong,his praii r.g long. That is, he made fongs ofpraife to God, ( P/al. t 18 14, ) The Lord is m3ffrergth and i og, and is become my /alvaticn. And as Moves made God his long (Exod.i5,z.) What long? his praifingïhis re:joycing, hi triumphing long ; but wicked men make the godly ( even in affliftion) their fccffing, their re- proaching, their abufing king. Tomake abufive longs ofothers, is the wort way ofabate, 'cis the height of derifion, to deride in longs. For it thews that the derider bath it much in his fpirit, and takes high content in it, when he can take time to turne his malice into a long, and poetize in reproaches ; yea it thews that it not only fuzes his fpirit much,but is foakt into and fetled upon his fpirit. That which we fing, linkes deeper and affefts more then that whichwe barely fay or make report of. And as fongs Fnke deepe into the mind ofhim that makes or flogs them, fo they goe deeper or more ro the heart of him in whole difpar- ragement they are made or lung. To be abufed by the loofeft word that fails from the loofeft lips will flickeupon molt mens fpirits s but tobe abufed in a Fong, or compofwe ofwords, to be lung and cried about, flicks much more: there is as it were an IndelibleChorafter of Infamy left upon men, when once they are made fòngs, or fongs are made of them. Therefore among Leg T ETabu- fober Heathens, it was fotbidden under a very great penalty láturo fánc:,e, that any fhould make fcornfull ludibrious fong,,verfes,or poems ldicmcarneap of any, efpecially ofgreat men, And among the Remi,es it was in quenquam death to doe it,becaufe fuch fcurrilitics gave occafion many times jcriberer aural ofverygreat difturbances, and mens blood being heated by fuch sima afcererur abufes to revenge it, might proceed not only to blows, bit flied fupplicio.'rull, dingofblood, And as lome(they are fo pained til delivered of it lib,}. Qua had rather Poole their friend then their\f Yl`= , rothy ft fo others. have loft their life for their jeft ; It is no wonder if that hath fallen under the reftraint ofLaws which endangers life. Befides, Honour i; one of themolt precious things in the world (a good name id better then precious oyntment, Eccl. 7. t.) therefore if Magistrates fhould take care of the goods of men, much - moreof their good names, andof their honour. I will not Ray give further to
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