Chap. 3o. An txpsfftion upon the ?Ink of J o s. Verf. r r. Fire} Thus they have let loofe the bridle of their tongues before me, there was oncea bridle upontheir tongues, when for theMajefty oflobs perfon, and the ready obferyauce which was givenhim, no man durft fpeake in his prefence , but even Princes floodmute ( Ch4.29.9.) When any fpeake without due regard of the perfon to, or before whom they fpeake, then, thebridle of their tongue ze doffed. Reverential! feare is a ftrong bridle, it keeps the tongue inorder or from running out diforderly,and makes us take heedwhat we fay, and towhom.A loofe and unruly tongue, thews a looter &more unrulyfpirit,David was a man afcerGods own heart, and he would have a tongue after Gods own heart too ; therefore as he refolved tobridle his tongue ( P[al. 39 1 .) I laid Iwill take heed to my »ayes, that I finnot with my tongue a Iwill kerpe my mouth witha bridle, while the wicked &°before fete ; So hr begged ofGod towatch it, ( Pfal. 141. 3 . ) Set. a watch (0 Lord) before my mouth, keepe the dore ofmy lips ; He was a- fraid left his mouth fhonld open, and his lips unlock without Ji- cence. He was convinc'd howmuch his mouth needed a watch, and his lips a bridle. A locke upon the houle-dore keeps it fait, and a bridle in thehòrfes mouth holds him in. There was never any dore had fo much need ofa lock, nor borieof a bridle, as the mouth 'and lips ofman have. And no fooner had God let loofe fobs cord of Authority, his binder toobedience, which formerly . over-aw'd that lawleffe generation, but prefently they let loofe the bridle, andcared not what they fpake of him , or to him ; They were not afraid to revilehim,and theydurft doe it openly, They let loofe the bridle, before me. As if he had laid, they did not goe into acorner,or behind my back to doe it; they did it to my face. Some will. revile men of Authority , and blafpheme dignities, when their cord is in ftrength ; but then they doe it clofely, or in private, there they take liberty to let loofe the bridle oftheirtonguesupon the heft of men. But this Rable was not only undutiful!, but impudent, they fpake evil! of himbefore him, The Preacher (cccl:10.20.) gives a ftri& caution, Curie not the King, no, not in thy thought. and curie not the nib in thy bed- chamber. The thoughts of man are filent,inaudible words; Our thoughts lodge in our betcharn- ri1 2 her 91
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