Chap. 31. ,a4n Expoftion upon the Books of Jos. V'erl. 30. 629 finsof the mouth. Chrift will come to judge the ungodly for the hard fpeeches which they have fpoken againft him ( ?odev. 15.) eyther immediately againil his perfon, or mediately againft his fervants. As there are loft words, fo hard words. Some fpeake words as hard as fonts, yea they fone their brethren with words. Fifthly , Hafty inconfideratewords, fpoken tomen, but efp. -- cially to God, are fins of the mouth ; hence Solomons caution ( Eccief. 5.2.) Be not rafh with thy mcuth, and let not thineheart be ball] to utter any thing before God. All rafh words fpoken to God are finfuil, fo all() are thofe which we fpeake to one ano- ther; we fhould confider our words before we utter them, and deliver them both by weight and by tale. Sixthly , Obfcene wanton words are very finfull; There the Apoftle forbids withmuch feverity ( eph: 5.4.) Neitherfefthi- neh nor fulfill, talking, nor pjling, which arenot convenient (that is, which arealtogether uncomely) but rather givingoftbanket. Let your tongues be employed in the praifes ofGod, not in poy- foning one another;filthy words are poyfon taken in at the Bare, and theydefile and infe t theheart, Seventhly Boafting proud words are tinfoil. They that fwd in their owne choughts,are apt to fpeake fwelling words of them- felves ; It is belt both to thinke and fpeake of our felves, below our felves. Eighthly , Detraâing leffening words concerning others are finfull ; as proud men makemore of themfelves then they arc, fo they duallydiminifh the worth ofothers. It is immodefty to fpeake all the truth or the molt ofour felves,& it is difhonefty to fpeak lefs then the truth ofothers, efpeciallywhen we do it with a delire to hide what they are, or to render them unacceptable. Ninthly, Flattering words are fins of the mouth, thefe are diredly contrary to the former, the detra$or takes away from the due praife of another; But the flstterer gives himmore then is due, and puffes him upwith undefervedpraifes. And asall flat- tering words in all men are finfull ; fo thofe and theirs efpecially that flatter others into a better opinion of their fpirituall elate, or that they are better God-wards then indeed they are, areex- ceeding finfull, and no leffedangerous. Faithful/ are the wounds ofafriend ( faith Soloman, Pro, 27. )but the kif feeofan enemy are
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