The Gowmment 9f the Tongue. or to fpeak tviVy of them, be theygoodor bad. He that cannot hold his tongue well cannot fpeak well. There U a time to J:.!tp fi/mce, am( a time to {peJb.._, Ecclef. 3· 9• Amos 5· 13· There 1s a time {t~ tuil tb.lt· the prudent fl)()u/d ~erp filwce. At fuch a time Nihil equ?: prodcrit quam quirfoere, d;- mi;zi:– mumcttmalii1loqui&plurimztmftmm, faithSenec.z: It'I tben the bejf way to be quiet, and tof•y /iult to otberr, a~td nmcb to ) OHf felvu. You have two ears and one tongsu: Hear trvict and (peak... DllCt: we ofrner repent of fpeaking then of being filent. Few words are quickly anfwered for : To be ,'vary and fparing of your ipccch doth not only avoid abundance of contention, dangerand repentance:'., but aHO procurcth you a reputation of wifdom. Plmark.,. f.1ith well, that Pauca loqzttntibJH pautU legib1u opiH ejl. 1hm ntedJ ~ut few LawJ f" them tlw JPeak.. but few wordJ. When one fai~ to the Cynick when he was much ltlent [If thou art a wife man thou a~l f uolifhly; If thDI< bt a fool thou aojl r>'ifily :] He anfwered, Nemo jlultU< tacere potcjl: A fool cannot hold hi< tmgue: And he that can– nOE hold his tongue cannot hold his ptJCt. Pytbagorar his couofd in this agrecth with Chrifis, Aut file, aut offer filentiome/i.ora: either be jilent, or foy fOnuthiHg tb:Jt if better th.;n filence. It was a wife anfwcx of him that being asked Jvhom covetour Landlords, and whom covetour Lawyets hated mojf, did anfwer to the tirfi, 1hofe that eat liJtle and fwr•t much (For they ufually live long, and fo their Leafes are not foon expired ) : and to the fccond ['fh,[e that jpeak,_lillle and love much.] For !uch feldotn. make any work for Lawyers. Two things are requilite in the matter of your tpeech ; that it be fomewhat nudful to be fpoken, and that it be a thing which you undedbnd : Till then be fiknt. . 9, 45· Direct. 7· '1ak,.' bud of bjly rajhntfJ in your jpeech ; a11a t<{t delibrration, efpecially ingrw Dircll. 7· or in doubtful things. Think.. before you JPeaft: It's becter to try your words bifore you fpeak them N~li cito lo_..:. than after: Apreventing tryat is bct~er than a rcpen~ing tryal: Bur if both be om~tted, Cod will try ~!lfa,~i~~;di~1 . them to your ~reatcr coJJ. ~know m matter~ that ~re throug.hly u!lderfiood a w1CC ma~ can fpeak cium. Bias without 3ny further premeditation, than the Immediate aCluatmg ot the knowledge wh1ch he dorh i 1 u crt. cxprcfs: But when there is any fear of mi~undert\anding, or a difability to fpeak fitly and fafC!y without fore-thoughts, there hat\y fpeaking without deliberation ( efpecially in weighty things) mull be avoided. Prov. 29• 20. feejf thou a man that U hajly in IJH words l tbcre ~~ more bfJpe of a foot tha1J of him : efpccially take heed in fpeaking either to Gad in prayer,; or in the name of God or as from God in preaching or ex!Jortation; or about the holy matters of God in any of thy difcourfe. Ecclef. 5· r, 2· Keep toy fool when thou gotft to the hou[t of God, and be more ready to hear than t.o offer thefocrifice offooiJ; for·tbey confidtr notthatthty do evil (that is, watch thy felf in publick worntip, and be forwarder to learn of God and to obey him, as fenfible of thy ignorance and fubjcCl: to his will, than to olfer him thy facrifice (as if he ftood in need of thee ) while thou negletl:et\ or rejectet\ his commands.) Be not rajh with thy mouth, and ltt not thy heart bt bajlyto uuer any thing befurt God: f or GodUin Ht.JVeH aJtd thou upon tarth, therefore let thy words be few: For a dream comttb tbrougb multitude of bnfinefs, and a fovlr voice U k,.nuwn by mHltitude of rvordr : that is, Come to God ;ts an 9bedienr Iearnerand.a receiver, and noc as a giver: and therefore be readier to hear whac he hath to command thee, than to pour our many words before him, as if he would accept and hear thee fm thy babling: If loquacity and forwardnefs to talk many undigefied words be a lign of folly :liJlOng men, how much more when thou fpeakdl to God that is in Heaven. . , 9· 46. Direct. 8. Keep a holy government ovtr aU yo11r 'pajfionJ ( as aforefaid ) and effieciaUy try aU Dir<ll· g, tbofe words with fuJPicion which any paflion ztrgttb yor~ to vmt. For Paffion is fo ape eo blind the jud&ement, that even boly paffionJ themfelves mufi be warily managed, and feared, as you carry fire among flraw or other combufiible matter. As grievo:~ 'R'ords jtir "P angtr, Prov. 15. I· foa1zger ffaufcth grievom "Worth. Be not bafty in 1hy [pirit td b~ adf,ry; fw anger reftttb in the bofom of fools~ Ecclef. 7· 9• To govern the tongue when you are in any PJJlion ('either Love, or fear, or grief, or anger) is like the governing of a Ship in fiorrns and Tcmpei\s, or the managing of a Horfe that is fierce and heated. Prov. 14. r6, '7· '!IJt fool ragttb and i1 confident: He that i< foon angry dtaleth foolifhf.y. Prov.21. 19. It i1 hettertodweU i11 the IYilderne[s tban r~~itb a COiftentiom angry Wf?..lnln: Prov. 29· 22. An angry man jtirrtth up jtrifc and a fi'rioru m'!n aboundetb in ttan{grLjJirm. There is no ruling the tongue if you cannot rule the paffisns: Theretore it's good counfel, Prov. 22. 24. Make no frirndfhip with an angry mtan) Mnd with a furiolis m~n thou }halt not go ; /ejt tho~e /efJrn hi1 way, and f,ft "'fitare tot~y foul. , 9- 47· Direct. 9· Fore[et your opportu>tities of profitable difcourfe, aHd your ttmptationJ to tvil Dire[/. P· fimclm: I'or we are !Cldom throughly prepared tor fudden unexpetl:ed a~cidents. Confider when )'OU go forth what comp1ny you are like to fall into, and what good you arc like to be called . to, oi what evil y.ou are likcfi to be tempted td : efpecially confider the ordinary 1\ated dutitJ and ttmpwions of your doilycompany and convcrfe. 9· 48. Direct. 10. Accordingly (bcjidu yo~rr aforrfoid general preparatwnJ) bt prep•rtdP,articul~rlj Direa. to. jtJrthofe. t!utier and tho[e temptations : carrY ftill about with yoH {omt fpeci~Sl prtflrv.:zti11cr ag.;i.11ft thofe partiCt<lar jinr of fpetch r.bic}> yotc art moj( in dangtr of; ana fome jptciat pr01-ijiont and help1 to tha[t d~ttier offPeech whichyott may bt caUed to l As a Surgeon will carry about with him his inHru:- inents and Salves which he is like to have ufc for, among the perl<ms that he bath to do with: And as a Traveller will carry fuch neceffaries tl:ill with him as in his travail he cannot be witho~t. If you arc to c~nverfe with angry men, be mu furui!hcd with patience and fir~ rcfolu(ions to givt place t~ rn-atiJ, Rom. 12· 19· If you are to conver(e with ignorant ungodly men, gd furni£hed with powerfUl convincing reafons, to humble them and change their minds : If you are to go amongfi the cavilling. or fcorning.encmies of holinefo, go furnillted With well digefied argumenis for the .defenc~ of. th~r whicb . . ·~
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