An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…

And as we should speak nothing against the Truth, so nothing but the Truth, nothing beside the Truth, nothing that may be any blemish, or turn to the least disservice of the Truth; yea, though it should be (as we hope) for the service of that excellent and amiable thing called Peace; a thing so excellent, that we cannot over-bid, nor pay too much for it, unless we part with, and pay away truth for it: and if ever we do so, we over-bid for it, and over-buy it indeed, and shall have cause at last to repent of our bargain, and cry out, we have burnt our Fingers, and it would be well if that were all. Therefore let us remember the Lords admonition by his Prophet (Zech. 8.19.) Love the Truth and Peace: First, Truth, then Peace. Nor was there ever any true Lover of Truth, that was not also a Lover of Peace; nor any true Lover of Peace, but was such a Lover of Truth, that he could lay down, or let go, his Peace for it. One of the Ancients tells us,¹ There ought to be so great a love of Truth in us, that, whatsoever we say to be true, should be as much as if we had sworn it to be true, or had delivered it upon Oath. There is no more goodness in what we say, than there is Truth in what we say. A Lye in report or Discourse, and a Lye in Doctrine or Dispute, are both abominable to God, and should be so to man; therefore Elihu heartily disclaims it, Truly my words shall not be false.

1. 1Tantus sit in te veritatis amor, ut quicquid dixeris, juratum putes. Hieron.

He that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.

This Assertion suits well with the fore-going Protestation: