The Gowrmnmt of the To1\g11e. a finner into prcfiunption and falfe ho~es, when they fee hi.rn convinced of his fin and mifery, and fay, [Trouble not your felf, God is mercJrul, and you have hved well, ahd been a good neighbour and dOne no body harm, and if fuch as you be not faved, God help a great many.] Thus when a convinced finner is ~riving to get out of !he Devils fnar~s, t~e ferva~t.s of Satan. rock him alleep again by falfe inJigr.u~ ~<?· and flattenng fpeeches a?d decel[. 2· Flattermi? IS permc1m\s w?:n 1t tendeth ro the hurt of il'Any: n,inem<hv_l;t- as when Rulers are de~e1ved and perverted by 1t to the defiru810n of the people and themfclvcs. j~~;~;:t~r~~~- Prov. 26. 28. A lying tongue batetb th(lfi tbrJt are afflilitd by it, and a flattering mouth workph rHim Ji;,,; i<.U:>t. See, r Thef. 2· 5· Ezek. 12· 24. Pfal. 12. z, 3· 9· 40· 29· Another fin is ajearing~ mock,jng, deridiJrg or [corning at others, either for their in· firmitie:r of body or mind, or for their virtue!. or thiough envy and malice or pride or amjlome of de"' riding fcornful fpeech. Scorners delight in [conti11g, Prov. r. 22. See Pfal. 22. 7• & 44· '3· & 79 • 4 , e[pecially when finners fcnrn at the reproofs and counfds of the godly, and call them all back imo their faces with contempt: For he that reprovetfJ a fc•rner gettetb himfilf a blot, Prov. ~· 7, 8. A {corntr lovetb not tme tb.Jt repr•veth, Prov. 15· 12. · jl. 41• 30. Another to•g•e·fin is Idolatry or fal[e wor(hip : the ~rai[e of Idols, or praying to them, or making fongs or fpeeches or difputes for them ; as alfo the falfe worlhip of the true God. Thefe among many others are the fiur of the 1ongue to be avoided. No wonder if there be yet more for the Tongue U [0 xb11p.@ -f cil11~itts] a world of iniquity, Jam. 3· 6. ' Ditell. 4• §. 42· Dired:. 4• JY!Jtn y Ju have thu1 underftcwd tlu dutiu and jin1 if the 1ongtte, and the gn.ttnefl l.ctlui qu;: of them, the next thinJ!,. which you ,uft be ml!fl cate[ul awJ. diligent about H, that you l<!ep aU that ' fenm, & fen· upon tbe heart whicb jho,Jd be upon the to1tgue, and k.._eep tbe heart clean from that wbicb the tongue tirequre lomujl be kept clean from. The principal work mufi be about the heart. For out of the abmukmce of i~~~:.~:.· ut the heart tbe mouth [peak..!tb. 1. The tongue will be no other way effcdually governed ; Jf the 1:idum nihil heart be upon the worltl, the tonguewill moH commonly be upon the world : you may force it a little lingualof!ui againfi your hearts, but it will be but to a very unconfiant obedience : when you ever fo little lofe :~~d: t\:;~~x. the reins its gone. If the heart be proud, the tongue will fpeak proudly: If the beart be /uftful, or al:C iufedit vain, or malicioll5, the words wi11 ordinarily be fo too. 2· Or if you can force the tongue to go a~ai1Jjf fenlils : Sent. the heart, it is but an hypoctitical reformation. A vain, a proud, a worldly, a wanton, a malicious Pit_ta i iif La· or UtJgodly heart will condemn you, though the tongue were fOrced to fpeak humbly, cbajlely, B~~:· mcon- patiemly, or p~oufly. Therefore if_ you would overcome the Vanity or rvorldiinrjf or :r'an!omufi or any tami 1homini other corruption of your [peecb, hrft fet your felves to overcome the fame corruption m your hearu, impio, quid and to revive and atl-uate the contrary gxaccs: And if you woul~ ufe your tongues to the honmn of effer pie1as, God, and the edification of men, wind up- the. fpring of thole holy aff(ctions which mull be as nihilrefpon- water to the mill. lt is the ufe of the tongue to expreji the mind: And it is the Hfe of boly fpeecb to ~f; l,1 e'~ij1qj be the expreffion of a ~o~ m_ind : And do you think to , exprefs that ~vhich .you have Jl.Ot ? Will caufam you make a d11ty of a lze l If you would {peal(_ of Cbrijf, or HetJven wuh ftrlunfmp, fee thar your f,ifcitatemr, hrartr are ferioujly fet upon C!Jriji and Heaven. When you go into any compmy where you lhould Q!tia, inq~ir_, fpeak for God, and for the hearers good, endeavour before hand to gee a deep impreflion on your dJ rcbu, ~thtl hearts, of thofe attributes or truths ofGod which you would cxprefs; and to revive the fenfe of £hlt ~e:;il~~=~~z- upon yout frlves wflich you would make others fenfible of. Stirr u~ wirhin you the LCtve of God, and ris. Lam. the Love of holinefi and truth, and a Wve to the {oulr of them you Ipeak to ; and then you will bt as a 'conduit which runs asfoon as the Cock is turned, becau[c its always full of water. ·'DireOI· 5• 9· 4·3· Direct. 5· Labour forunderflanding in the matters on whicb you fhould difcour[e : Ignorance denyeth provifion fordi(courfc, orfurnifhcth you only with chaff and vanity ; and makerh you fo fpeak as that it were better to fay nothing. Knowledge and wi!aom is a continual llore-houfe of goOII and profitable talk: fuch as the fcribe injlru{fed to the Kin~dom of Heaven, that bringtth out flj hif treafurc thingr new and old, Match. 13· 52· When a man undcrjiandeth the matter which he is 10 fpeak of, he is furnilhcd to fpeak undcrfiandingly of it to others, and to defend it againfl gainfayers, !'faI. 37· 30, 31• The mouth of the ri?,htcout jpcakph wi[dom and hi< tongue 14/~eth of judgemeJtt :The Law oj' hi< G<>d i< in hi< heart ; none of bi< jltpt fh•U flide, Prov. ro; 3r d 2. The mouth of the jujl bring– eth forth wifilom : bHt the froward tongut jhaU be cut out : The lipt of rhe righteoll< l!,now what i< acceptabit: but the mouth of the wici(!d jpeal!,eth .frowardnrf;. Wife men arc never unprovided fOf ;vife jpeech: But the mouthof foolt bewrayeth thetr folly. Prov. '5· 2. The tongue of the wife -tifitb k.,nowledge aright ; but the motttiJ of foolr po11retb out foolifomji. Prov. 14· 3• In the mouth of the foolijh il a rod of pride; bm the lipt of the wife ]hall prefeve tbem. Prov. t8. 6, 7· .t1 foolt lipt tnter into contention, and his mouth calleth for flrokp. A foolr moltth i-1 hi& dejlrJtllioii, and hi1 lips art the fnare of hiJ foul. But you'll fay, To tell us that we lhould get wifdom is a word foon fpoken, but not a thing that's eafily or quickly done : It's very true: And therefore it's as true; thac the tongue is not eafily wcllufed ahd governed; for men cannot cxprefs the wifdom which they have nor, unlefs it beby rote : Therefore you muH take Solomons coun(el, Prov. 2· I, 2, 3, 4, 5• 1\'(y.fm, if tho:e wilt rtceive my word1, and hide my commandment/ with thee; {o that thor1 tncline thine ear to wifd,un, . aitd apply thy beart to undtrfl•nding ; ;•ea if thou cryrjl after k.Jtowledge, and lifiejl up thy voice for un– j1andiug ; If thou fiektft her 111 jilver and [earcbejl for her "'·for bidden trea[nret ; Tbcu fh•lt tl"u underjland t~t {t6rof ''"Lord, and find the k,.awledge of God: For the Lord .~ivetbwifdom, &c.-- birel1. 6. 9· 44• Direct. 6. In the metJ1t timt learn to be jilent till J'Ote have /earut to [peak,; Let n-.;t J'OIIT Jml. 1. 19. tonguu rmz btforc yo11r wiu; JPeab.._ not of that which you do not ,veU :mdcrjiand, unlt/I M Learnerr til SJow to fpe:tk teceive injlruUi()n: Rather of the two JPeal{ tflo little than too much. Tho[e that will needs talk of things floww "'"~· 'fhich they underfiand not, do ufe either to jfe.k,. evil of them, (as 'f ud. ro. ) when they are god, Prov. I,. 2•· ' . or
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