idleandworldly t4lk to be denied. 119 or fcornfully of the matters of God, which is imp'ety in an high degree : The fame may be Paid of proud boafting tvords, and of multitude of words, even when thematter is good, but the multitude of words unfeafonable and unprofitable; as alfo (Wrath unconfidered words, that tend to fir up ftrife and paf- fion : as alfo cenfuring, back-biting, reproach, flatter d ff bling, and many the like : but the thing that 1 peincipany fpeak of now, is the pleating of a mans frlf by a' cotirfe of idle un- profitable talk. And alas how common is this fin I Not only the foolifh multitude are guilty of it, but perfons of judgement and gravityand reputation. Howmany may you come in com- pany with, before you null have any edifying Communicat lion, that tends to minitler grace to the hearers : vanity is be- come the common breath of the greaten part. What the bet- ter can any man be for their difcourfe , unlefsby taking warn- ing by them, to avoid the vanity which we hear them guilty of ? even ancient perfons with whom the words of wildoot fhould be found, ( Yob. 12. I 2.) and who fhould be examples unto youth, are yet given up to idle talk ; and an old fiory is more favoury with them then heavenly difcourfe : even Parents and Meters that fhould lat: examples to their families, will in their hearingmultiply idle words, as if they would reach them to be vain as they are ; when alas, the fouls of thole about them have need of other manner of dtfcourfe; and its another task that God bath fet thern,Deur.6.6,7,8. & i r. 18,19 whence is it that Children learn a courfe of idle foolifh talking, more then of their own parents ? For one word of God, and the dodrine of the Gorpel, and the matters of falvation, that their families hear from moll of them, they hear an hundred, yea a thoofand of the world and of unprofitable thiegs: Had God but the Tithe of their words, we fhould account them very pious. And they that cannot (parehim the tithe of their words, doubt do not allow him the Tithe of their aff:etions, and would not allow him the tithe of their increafe, if they could tell how to keep it. Not but that with foam pe;fons, that are called tomuch worldly bulinefs, more then ten parts of their daily fpeeches may lawfully be about: the creatures:: But then even thole with godly men are ultimately for God, and fo are fanaificd,
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