3 92 TheEvil ofCorrupt Communication. Vol. II. have great reafon to be in great love with this pattern, when that very Goodnefs which he propounds to our imitation, was all laid out upon us, and redounds to our Benefit and Advantage; when ourSalvation and Happinefs are the effects of that Goodnefs and Companion which he exercifed in the World. He did it all purely for our fakes : whereas all the good we do to others, is a greater good done to our felves. So that here is an Example and Experiment of the thing in the greateft and mat famous inftance that the whole World can afford. The belt and happieft Man that ever was, the Son of God and the Saviour of Men, and who is the mofe worthy to be the Pattern of all Mankind, went about doing good, and governed his whole life, and all the allions of it by this Principle, that It ismore bleffed to give, than to receive. Let the fame mind be in us that was in Jo/us Chr : let u: go anddo likewife. S RMON CLX. The Evil. ofCorrupt Communication. EPHES. IV.29. Let no corrupt Communication proceed out of your Mouth ; but that which is good to the ufe of edifying, that it may minifier Grace to the hea- rers. A S Difcourfes againft Sin and Vice in general are of great ufe, fo it is likewife [A very neceffary to level them againft the particular Vices ofMen, and toen- deavour by proper and intrinfecalArguments, taken from the nature of that Vice we treat of; to diffuade and deter them from it ; becaufe this carries the difcourfe home to the Confciences of Men, and leaves them no way of efcape. For this reafon, and in compliance with theirMajefliespious Proclamation, for the difcoun- tenancing and fuppreffing of Prophanenefs and Vice, I have chofen to treat upon this Subjefe, of corrupt and filthy Communication, as being one of the reigning Vices of this wicked and adulterous Generation; of the evil whereof the generality of Men are lefs fenfible than almoft of any other, that is fo frequently and fo ex- preny branded in Scripture. And to this purpofe I have pitched upon the words which I have read unto you, as containing a plain and exprefs Prohibition of this Vice, Let no corrupt Communication, &c. I remember St. A¢ßin in one of his Epiftles tells us, that Tully the great Mailer of the Art of fpeaking, fays of one of the great Orators, Nullum unquam verbum quad revocare vellet, emift. That no ward ever fell from him, that he could will) to have recalled. This I doubt is above the perfeflion of human Eloquence, for a Man always to make fuch a choice ofhis words, and to place them fo fitly, that no- thing he ever faid could be changed for the better. But the greateft faults of fpeech are not thofe which offend againft the Rules ofEloquence ; but of Piety and Virtue, and good Manners: And who can fay that hisTongue is free from all faults in this kind, and no word ever proceeded from him, which he could with to have recalled. In many things, fays St. James, Chap. 3. 2. WC otrend all; and in this 5
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