lpo ! l d~avour ro make ·alt frrious god!intfJ (-eem 'a needltfs •thing. Ther~ ate many that feemOnho– Cox, that are impious a~d m.dlcious oppofers of that Truth · ir'l the appli,ation, which thcmfdvcs do notiona11y hold, and Pofitively prafefs. . · .t ·' ~ 9• 15· 4· Another great fin of the 'Tongue, is the pro'pflane' deriding of [triout Godlinefs, and the mocking, and jcalling, and fc9rning at godly perfons as fubii: or fcorning at [ome of their real or fL1ppofC~ inipcrtC:ctions, for their pifty· ~ake~. t~t n;ake them odiouJ, r.hat _piety th!·ougiJ them might be madeodrous. When men fo fpeak, ·that thc:·:anft and,fcncfency of rhe1r {peech, -ts to draw men to a. d iflike of Truth or holincfs ! and their mocks or fcorps at forne partictrlat opinion, Or practice or n\orc, doth tend ro tf1c contempt ofR,cti'gion ·jn the fedou~'praCtice of it : When they mock ~t a ,Preacher of the Gofpcl ; ' f9r fome exprefllofiS or imperffd:ibns, or for tturh it-felt~ to bring liirn and : his doctrine into col!tcmpt: or at the Prayels and Speeche\ of Religious perfons to tfte injury of Religion. 1 t·. ~- .t. .t·· • · · 9· r6. · 5· Another great Gn of the Tong\.te, is unju!lly td Forbid Chriftt Minijlm to preach his G_ofpel, or fpeak in his. N·alne · or to '!land ·~p ag:lini\ (!\em.and contradict, rcliH and hinder them in the pre'aching ofthe truth: and as Gamaliel calls it, to {igpe ••ainfr God', Atl:s 5'· 39· Yet thus they dld by the Apollle$, v': 4o•. TJ'hrn tfuy bad callrd 'the ApoftJet a,td beawt them, tiny_comnundui that they jhould Hot fPtak.. ;.,· the Name nfJc/M,, a11d let them -gu. So Acts 4· I 8, I 9· A"d they caUed them and commanded them no·~ t.o {pNk.. at a?, nm· teach in tbt" Name of Jt]U1 :'....' Bz~t Petc..r and John a,t[t:Pr!rtd ~nd[aid tfiito tbcm, JYbtther it be rig~t in the fight of God, to' hear~tn Hn*'o·you mote than Hnto God, )udgfye; for we c.mnot but [peak.. tht things which we have [ten and heard. 1Thetr. 2. 15, 16. Tf.ho · hoth ~Wed the Lvr'd Jtjul,and their .lJJVJJ Prophets,and bave per[tcuttd U1: aJtd they plea[t not'God and art comrary to all men: .F~_~:qidding tu tOJPea~ to tiJt GemUts thtJt they might be faved, to fill ttp their finr alwt~.J: for, the wrath U come ttpo~i them to the tettermoff. As Dr. H:zmmond Paraphrafeth it, [And this generaL)' iJ the J,tothti of thti1· quar~ell f() M, that in [pight of thtir proh;hi•ion, we preach •o the Gentiles---] 9· IJ· 6. Another Gn of the Tongue, is Prophane [wearing- either by God or by Creatures: And alfo all light and unrcverent life of. the Name and Attributes of God, of wfiich more afterwards. 1 • ' 9· 18. 7· Much more is Perjury or Forfwearing a moft heinoUs fin, it being an appealing to God, · ,.the author and defender ofTruth, to bear wimcfs to an untruth, and to judge the offender; and fo a craving ofVengeance fromGod. ' 9· I I/· 8. Lying alfo is a great and comtnon fin of the Tongue: ofwhich more anon. 9· 20. 9• Anorher fin of the Tongue, iS hypocritical diffu,nhling, which is worfe than meer rying: when mens tongues agree not with their hearts, but fpeak good words in1pr3yer to God, orconference with men, tO cover evil intentions or affeCtions, and to rePrefent themfdvcs to the heareJs as better than thc:y are. ~~i~i/~~~c 9· 21. 10. Anothtr is OjlentatiM or proud bottfting, ei~her of mens ~if, and learning, or greatnefs, pr:rd~care : or riches, or honour, or firtngrh, or beauty, or parts, or p~ery, or any thmg that men are proud of. As nom fi facm the faithlul do ma~ thrir bhajl in Gad, ( Pf1l. 34• 2· Pfal. 44• 8.) and in the Crofs ofCbriJI, by which 11.r:quiv~ris, tbty aie crucified to the world, ( Gal. 6. 14· ) So che covetous boaji themfelveJ in tbe m•ltitude of tj;eir n4ebe!lS·. t richn, Pfal. 49• 6. and the warker~ of iniquity boaft tbemfelveJ a~tJinjf tbe rfghteour, aHd tht proud do rn~::.:::t:til.. triumph andJPeal{_ bard thiug1, Pfal. .9"4· 2 1 3, 4· Evm ag_ainft the Lord ·do they boaft, in their b()afling again!\ his people, Eze~. 35. 13. So fans Pride prevatle!h with men, they are apt toboaft them[<Ives " be fome body, Atl:s 5• 36. Either openly as the more foolijh do, er cunningly by the help of fair pre· tences, as the more ingenious proud ones do. 9· 22· II· Anoth<rfin of the Tongue, is unfeafaJtable JPea/(ing of common things when holy ehiJtgt 010uld be preferred; as on the Lords day, or at the time of publick worfhip, or when the company, occaGon or opportunity call for holy fpeeches: Worldlings ate talking as Saul of their Alfes, when they fhould talk of a Kingdom, I Sam. 9· & 10· To fpeak about your Callings and common a/fairs is ]awful, fo it be moderately an~ in f!!afon: But when you talk all of the world and vanity, and never have done, and will fcarce have any other talk in your mouths, and even on Gods day will /peak.. jour own wordr, ( !fa. 58. 13· ) this is prophane and linful (peaking. · 9· 23· 12·1\nother common fin of the Tongue, is a tempting and per{w~Sding others ro fin, enticing them to glut(iny, drunkenntfs~ Wantonnefs, fornication, or any· othe.r c.rime: as m~n that not only do the fame, hut have pleaf~trt m •hem that ilo them, Ram. I· 32· Th1s !S to be the mfiruments and f"rvants of the Devil, and moll direiJiyto do his work in the world. The fame I may lay of un– jufr excufing, extenuating or defending the fins of others, or cummandi;rg, oUuring, t~ffrigbti11g or enconraging them thereto. §: 24• 13· Another is, a carnal ma;mer of bandJing the facred things of God ; as when it is done With lightHeji, or with unfuitable curiofi•y of words, or in a ludicrous toyifl1 manner, c~c:cia.lly by· tbe Preachers o( the Gofpel themfdves; and not with a llyle thats grave and ferious, agreeable to the weight and majefly of the truth. 9· 2 5· .1.4- Another is an imprudent, rajh andJlovenly handling of holy thingt: when they are fpokcn Didpms Alex. Of (o ignorantly, unskilfully, di{orderly orpail!onately, ai tc:ndtth .to difhonour them, and fru!irate '::£ {;;:Ji;!g the ddired good fuccefs. tbe To11gue ' · '· faitlt, N:oo putand~m cfi de p:cc:tt~ prohtivi fermonii ; quz fol:rcifmos &. barb.uifmos quidam vacant , hl;!c fuiOC dilb.
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