Chap. 3 a. As tsepolftion upon the Book of J o a. Verf. 3ó 623 to this or that fin by their temper thus one is given Co anger, another to wantonnes ; this is bad enough but for any to give themfelves to fin is farre worfe, and they who fell themfelves to doe wickedly, doe worft of ail. 'Tis the afliißion of Saints that they are fould underfin (Rom. 7. t4.) and 'cis the joy and af- feâation of fome wicked men to fell themfelves unto fin. They doe ill enough who Puffer themfelves to doe evils, but they are extreamely wicked who devote and dedicate themfelves to it, efpecially they who make a compaâ with the devill, who make a Bargaine and fateofthemfelves to doe it. Bleffed and holy is that man who can fay and fay truely what lob here did, 1 have not fufferedmy mouth to fn. Thirdly, Obferve. godly man watcheth over himfelfe,over his mouth efpecially, left fin breake out there. 'David gave this counfel toothers ( Aral. 34. 13. ) Keepe thy tonguefrom evil', and thy lips from fpeaking guile. And he tooke thiscourfe and counfel him ('rfal. 39. t, 2.') Ifaid 1 will take heed to my wayes, that Ifn not withmy tongue,: I will keepe my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me. I was climbs with filence, I held mypeace, evenfrom good, and my forrore was furred. ThusDavid, religious David (as lob) did not Puffer hit mouthto fin. And the Apoftle lames tells us ( Chap. a. 26. ) Ifany manfeeme tobe religious, andbridled; not his tongue, but de- teiveth his ovine heart, that mans religion is vaine. That, fuch a mans religion is vaine, may be underftood two wayes. Firft, that he bath no religion, nothing but a fhew of it , that which bath nothingbut a Phew, fhewes it (elfe to be nothing. Meere appea- rances are nullities. Some whofeeme religious,fpeake (ovainely, that their religion is as vaine as their fpeech, and we may argue that the one is noEhing,becaufe theother is worfe then nothing. Secondly, Such a mans religion is vaine, becaufe his religion doth not perforníe its office, which is, tobridle up his tongue from 8nfull fpeakings and all the members ofhis body from finfull aâings. That which doth not reach the end to which it was ap- pointed and defigned is a vaine thing. Surely Davidwas afrayd bis religionmight fallunder this fentence of vanity,whenhe pray- ed fo heartily (Pfal. 141. 3.) Set a watch (0Lord) before my mouth,
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