4o Chap.2f. An Expoftion upon the Book of J o s, Verf.. ,' are,which doe not amine their ends ) is vaine. It feemcs there weremany unbridled tongues, even among ttac profeffors of reli- gion in thofedayes; which puttht, Apottle fo much and fo often upon that poyntin chis Epiftle. The whole third Chapter isipent about the government of the tongue.The tongue unbridled is to hard and head-ftrong for us to govcrne . It is an unruly evil!, as the .Apoftle there calls ir,and can no morebe ruled without abit or bridle , than the Horfe or Mule. The word and grace of God is thatbridle, and all cur care is little enough to put andkeepe that bridle on, yea it is coo little; and therefore holy Davidwho had profeffed his utmoft care to keepe his tongue ( Pfal. 39, T. ) fare yet a neccilìty of having recourfe toGod in prayer, that he wouldbe pleafed to take the care and charge of keeping it for him. We have as much need that God fhould be our Tongue- keeper as our heart-keeper. (Will. 141.4.) Sat a watch OLord' before my moutb,and keepe the doore ofmy lips. And headds in the next verfe a prayer for his heart ( v. 4. ) Enclinenot myheart to any lull thing, that is, fuller not mine heart (cowhich by nature it is onely andaltogether inclined, and to which nocwithftanding the powerof grace,' find many inclinations in my heart;futfer not I fay, mine heart) to encline to any thing that is evil!, and fo prompt my tongue to fpeake evil!. It it better motto beable to fpeake at all, than to fpeake ill ;better to be fpeechleffe like beafie than to fpeake likea bcaff,that is, to fpeake beatfly, falfely, lafcivi- outliy,wantonly, vainely, corruptly. The Apofile dehorts(Epb.4; 26. ) let no corrupt communication comeout of your month. And Solomon gives counfell to flay there at !earl (Pre.3o. 32.) ifthou hag done fsolijhly in liftingup tby felfe,or ifeh. uba/k thought evil, ' if thou haft not kept thy fpirit from pride,and thy heart from ft l- ly,both which thou fhouldfl have done, yet there isanother thing thou muff look to after thofe mifcarriages, and chat will be foram helpe and amends,or at leaft it will keepe matters from growing worfe, Lay thy band upon thymouth, that is, impofefilence upon thy jalfe, Let not thy mouth proclatme or tell abroad the pride and folly of thy heart, much leffe maintaine anddefend it. Though no arms fhould fatisfie himfeife when he hath much wickedncffe in his heart, that he doth nor utter it with his lips, or that he keeps his mouth cleane, when his heart is foule, and to reft much its tongue-puiity,is a great argument of the hearts itnpurity;yet it is better
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