Ch. 3. The Government Works, or a6h of Man, the leaft part Office of Chrift. James. of thé Tongue. Ch. 3; ofthe 5. Even fo the tongue is a little member, and boafteth great things : C H A P. III. i, Y brethren, be not many ma- M tiers, knowing that we (hall receive the greater condemnation. I. And as I thus admonifh you againft 'the Errour of Hypocrites, who take their dead Opinions and Profeflions for a Juftifying Faith ; fo muff I do againft another Vice, which that fort of Hypocrites are guilty of: Their Pride and Self -conceit maketh them think that their Knowledge is much higher than other Chri- flans ; and that they are the fitell: men to be Teaching-Mafters and Reprovers ; and fo they are all forwarder to teach andmagifterially eenfure others, and ufe their Tongue to con- temn others as Short of them in Knowledge, and to boaft ofthemfelves, and all their Talk runs in a Teaching, and not a Learning way. Eut I warn you toavoid thisproud and nailer_ ly Spirit, for it will make your fin the greater and without excufe, and encreafe your con- demnation. 2. For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the fame is a perfeft man, and able al- fo to bridle the whole body. z. YourZeal loeth out by cenfuring others, as great Sinners in comparifonof you (perhaps for not obferving your Ceremonies and Tradi- tions, and not taking you for their Teaching- Matters;) but fear fm in our felves; yea, left your cenforious, reproachful, unbridled Tongues Should prove worfe than that which you cenfure others for. He that hath molt power to rule his Tongue, and finneth not inwords, is like pobe the molt perfe& Chriftian, and can rule his actions by the fame Obedience and Wildom which doth rule his Tongue. 3. Behold, we put bitts in the hor- fes mouths, that theymay obey us,and we turn about their whole body. 3. As we rule the whole Bodiesof Horles by a Bridlein the Mouth, fo, could you bridle your Mouths, it would both lignifie a power to rule your Lives, and much promote this. 4. Behold alfo the !hips , which though they be fo great, and are dri- ven of fierce winds, yet are they tur- ned about with a very fmail helm, whi- therfoever the governour, lifteth. 4. So the Pilot, by fo (mall a thing as the Helm, ruleth great Ships that are under the forceofWind's. s. And Man's Tongue is buta fmall part of the body, rho' it boaft great things; and the government of that little Member is a great part of the government ofthe Man. 5, 6, Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth : And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity : fo is the tongue amongft our members, thatit defileth the whole body, and fetteth on fire the courfe of nature, and it is fet on fire of hell. 1, 6. The Tongue in the Body, and the World, is likeFire among much combuflible matter. As a little Fire ki'ndlethmuch, fo this little Memberdoth both kindle defilingPafliions and Guilt in our own bodies, and alfò kindle Hatred, Rage and Strife in the World, and fet on fire the Societies and Affairs of Mankind in theWorld, being it fell let on fireby the De- vil, and ufed by HellifhTemptations to Hellifh Defigns in Diabolical Employment, 7. For everykindof beafts andof birds, and of ferpents, and things in the fea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind : 8. But the tongue can noman tame. 7, 8. For all forts of Animals have been ma- need by Man : but the Tongue of another who can matter ? (when we havefo much ado to fubdue our own.] '8, 9. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poifon. Therewith biefs we God, even the Father; and therewith curfe we men, which are made after theSimilitude ofGod. to. Out ofthe fame mouth proceedeth bleffing and urliing : 8, 9. It is to us, and in the World, an un- ruly Evil, (till Grace (hall tame it) and infeél- èth our felves and the Societies where we live, with themortal PoifonofmanygreatSins. The fame Hypocrites, who praile God, andworship him with it, do reproach their Brethren with ft ; not only Men that have force of God's Image in their natural Fafulties, but thofe that are God's true Servants, better than themfelves, Who are renew'd to God's Image in Holinefs by Grace. I0, Ix. My brethren, thefe things ought not fo to be. both a fountain fend forth at the fame place fweet water and bitter ? í2.'Can a fig-tree, my brethren, bear olive-berries? either a vine
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