any thing more needful then God's Favour any thing more necessary than the love of God any thing of greater necessity than the true way to inherit eternal life Without it we deny our being and dependance upon God and disclaim our Relation to him as his Creatures as his Servants as his Children put our selves into the number of his Enemies make our selves Objects of his Anger renounce our Allegiance to him and deprive our selves of all those Comforts which arise from a sense of his Paternal Protection and Providence and if they be the most necessary things certainly they deserve certainly they challenge our frequent discoursing of them for we therefore talk of our Worldly Affairs because we look upon them as necessary and by making this our Rule we confess the absolute necessity of speaking of things that are infinitely more necessary We can be happy without Riches happy without Honour and Applause from men happy without a Palace happy without a Vineyard happy without a full Barn but we cannot be happy without Grace without Godliness or without a sense of the Divine Goodness So then Spiritual things are most necessary more necessary than Meat and Drink and Cloathing or Provision and because more necessary than these it must unavoidably follow that it is more necessary to talk together of the things that belong to our Peace than of what we shall eat or of what we shall drink or of wherewithal we shall be cloathed and so much Christ intimates in that saying Math. 6. 33. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and its Righteousness And as these Heavenly Objects are the most necessary things so they are matters of the greatest consequence an everlasting Estate depends upon them Where a man embraces them as his greatest Treasure an Eternity of Joy attends him where he slights or despises them an Eternity of Torments follows him at his heels and shall not things of that consequence merit our Conferences about them The man that fears his House may be on Fire talks of nothing so much as his fears and the damage he shall suffer by the Conflagration The man that hopes to inherit such an Estate or such a curious Seat is wonderfully pleased with Discourses of the Situation of the largeness fairness fruitfulness and pleasantness of the place and shall he that hath either reason to fear that his Portion shall ere long be howling and gnashing of Teeth in an eternal Prison or hath reasonable hopes that an everlasting Kingdom of Joy and Bliss and Glory shall fall to his share before a few days or years come to an end shall or can he sit still under these hopes or fears and not express his sense of it to his Neighbour when he meets him What are our Tongues given us for but for Discourses and Conferences of this Nature If the righteous man is the only wise man as Solomon assures us and prosecutes the true end of his Creation and consequently is a Pattern or Original for others to write Copies by then from the employment he puts his tongue to we may conclude what it is created for and of this employment the inspired King gives us an account Psal. 37. 30. For the mouth of the Righteous saith he speaketh Wisdom and his Tongue talks of Judgment To be able to discourse of secular Affairs and Businesses of our Callings and Professions in the World is indeed one end why that Member was added to the rest but it is one of the lower and subordinate ends The chief and principal end is this we speak of for whatever things God makes any Creature capable of the noblest Acts of that Creature are the chief end for which it was vouchsafed a Being and from hence the consequence is very easy that discoursing of Spiritual things must needs be the chief end for which our Tongues were given us for these are the noblest Acts our Tongues are capable of such discourses being the Trumpets as it were whereby we Praise and Magnify our Maker and shew forth the Glory of our great Redeemer and Proclaim his Goodness to the Children of Men We know that God made all things for his Glory indeed without it he could not have acted like himself or like an Infinite Spirit of Infinite Wisdom and Goodness and then certainly our Tongues are chiefly designed for such Conferences and he that neglects this Exercise frustrates Gods designs and Reverses as much as in him lies the very end of his Creation For ye are a chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood a holy Nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the Praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light 1 Pet. 2. 9. How can we want matter of Discourse when we hear so many Sermons when we have liberty to peruse the Holy Scriptures and Read such variety of good Books which are so many Comments upon the Bible Not a Precept in the Gospel that is given to Regulate our Thoughts or Words or Actions or Passions not a Command not a Direction left us by our Master but it 's a fit Subject for such Holy Conferences Our Experience will administer matter in these cases What experience we have had of Gods goodness What experience of the fulfilling of such a Promise What experience in Prayer What experience in Mortification What we have found in such a Duty What effect our earnest striving and wrestling with Allmighty God hath had What influence such a Fast or Abstistence hath had upon us What content we have found under such severities What Assistances of Gods Spirit we have found in our fighting against Temptations What comfort in such Afflictions What hath kept us from sinking How God hath supported us in such a Calamity and hath been our refuge and a present help in the time of Trouble when the Earth hath been moved and when the Hills have been ready to be cast into the midst of the Sea Have not we Defects and Infirmities enough to Discourse of Do we find no Remora's no Impediments that let us in our course to Heaven Do not we fall short of that Christian Perfection the Holy Ghost urges And is not the zeal and fervency for Gods glory we find in our selves very inconsiderable Are we not very apt to sink into Hypocrisy and to be backward to the greater and weightier matters of the Law Do not we embrace Excuses suggested by the Devil whereby we leave the most excellent Duties undone Do not we find Imperfections and Infirmities in our holy performances Do we find no coldness no deadness no indisposedness in Gods Service if we do how can we want matter of Discourse How many good thoughts come into our Minds when we wake first in the Morning when we lie down at Night when we are walking when we are sitting down when we light upon ill Company when we meet with good Society when we meet with Signal Providences and Deliverances when we receive unexpected Blessings from
doors of our Lips and to take care that our Speech be always with Grace season'd with Salt that we may know how to Answer every Man An Exercise enjoyn'd Col. 4. 6. Ephes. 4. 25 29. Ephes. 5. 3 4. Matth. 12. 34 35 36. It was a good Observation of one who Travell'd with some Men that talk'd loosly and inconsiderately and whom St. Anthony the Hermite took for excellent Company Yes saith he they are good Men but the House they live in wants a Door with a Lock and Key for whoever pleases may go in and take away what they possess His meaning was That they took no care of their Words that the Door of their Lips was always open and that they talk'd any thing that came into their Minds The Tongue saith St. James is a little Member but contains a world of Iniquity James 4. 5 6. So that the greatness of the danger enforces the necessity of this Exercise This Exercise consists partly in watching against the sins the Tongue is subject to partly in using the Tongue to such discourses as are most proper for a man that pretends to be a follower of Jesus The sins of the Tongue are without number yet the most remarkable are these following 1. Blasphemy 2. Murmuring 3. Defending our sins 4. Perjury 5. Lying 6. Detraction 7. Accusing others falsly 8. Much speaking 9. Idle words 10. Profane jesting or abusing of Scripture 11. Indiscreet expressions 12. Railing 13. Quarreling 14. Laughing and deriding those that are serious 15. Evil Counsel 16. Sowing of Discord and Dissention among Neighbours 17. Cursing and customary Swearing 18. Flattery 19. Double tongued dealings 20. False Reports 21. Boasting and speaking in ones own Praise 22. Revelation of a Secret In vain doth he pretend to exercise himself unto Godliness that watches not against these sins or seeing himself in danger of running into them steps not back or climbs up with his thoughts to Heaven as he that sees a Wild Beast coming towards him climbs up into a Tree to secure himself There is hardly any Precept either more spoken of or recommended more either by the holy Ghost in Scripture or by holy wise and sober men in their Books then this watching over our tongues and words and speeches for indeed By thy Words thou shalt be Justified and by thy Words thou shalt be Condemned saith Christ Matth. 12. 37. Before the power of Godliness was turned into a Form the Christians that lived then studied this point with that care and assiduity and became such Proficients in it that men might Converse with them and keep them company a week together and not hear one idle word drop from them but what was to the use of edifying and Ministred Grace unto the hearers and till men come to believe that their tongues are not their own but Gods who made them and designed them for the Noblest uses and must therefore be employed as he shall think fit to direct they are yet far from the Kingdom of God and Aliens from that Common-Wealth of Saints who are to be Heirs of Salvation and he knows not what Self-denial means that doth not deny himself in speaking things which the Holy-Ghost hath forbid and thought improper undecent or extravagant and he that cannot speak but must offend in one or other of the aforemention'd particulars had better hold his tongue and spend his time in silence It was therefore excellent advice which St. Ambrose gave to his people Let 's learn to hold our tongues that we may be able to speak why shouldst thou run thy self into danger of Condemnation when by silence thou mayest be infinitely safer I have seen thousands run into sin by speaking but few by holding their peace most men love to talk because they know not how to be quiet He is the wise man that knows when to speak and when to be silent if of every idle word Men shall give an account in the day of Judgment how much more of filthy Communications Thy mind is thy Lands and Houses thy heart is thy Gold thy speech thy Silver Therefore make a Hedge about thy Lands and cast up Trenches against thy Thoughts Arm thy House with diligent care that thy unreasonable passions like Thieves do not break in and Spoil it that no disorderly motion make an irruption and lay it waste that those that go by may not pluck off thy Grapes Watch over thy inward man do not neglect him as contemptible tye up thy Speech cut off its luxuriant Branches let it not play the wanton lest it drag thee into sin restrain it keep it within its Banks Water soon gathers Mud Bind up thy Senses let them not be loose or Gadding make a Dore to thy Lips to shut it when there is occasion and to open it when there is necessity Bring thy tongue under the Yoak and let it be subject to thy Reason Keep the Bridle in thine own hands weigh thy words in a Ballance that thy sense may be ponderous thy speech solid and thy words move within their bounds But watching against the sins of the Tongue is but one half of this Exercise speaking of God and heavenly and spiritual things is another as we may see Col. 3. 16. an Exercise commanded already in the days of Moses Deut. 6. 5 6 7. and duly observed by men who took care of their Salvation long before the Gospel was proclaimed in the World which makes the Prophet take notice Then they who feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearken'd and heard it and a Book of Remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and thought upon his Name and they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own Son that serves him Mal. 3. 16 17. Indeed Spiritual and Heavenly things are the best things and therefore deserve our speaking of them If meaner things or Trifles are thought worth discoursing of why should not the greatest most excellent and noblest be worth talking of especially when we converse with persons that profess the same Faith with us There is hardly any man that makes a shew of Religion or frequents the publick Ordinances of God but will grant and confess That the concerns of God and of our Souls do infinitely exceed all Earthly Objects in Worth Value and Dignity but then not to speak of them is an omission which contradicts that belief and makes that faith all shadow and imagery He that believes that these are the bestthings and yet cares not for discoursing of them to his Neighbour gives himself the lie and silently confesses that whatever his pretence may be they are the meanest lowest and most inconsiderable things for he doth not think them worth opening his lips about them And as these are the best so they are the most necessary things Luc. 10. 42. Can there be
exceeding strict and they so emaciated their Bodies by these rigors that their Faintness Weariness and Sackcloth and Ashes seem'd to force Heaven to Pity and Compassion In short whatever was Voluptuous they hated and look'd upon as unsuitable to the Crucified JESUS and so improper for that perfect Wisdom they aimed at that they proscribed it as an Enemy and shunned it like the rankest Poison and admitted no more of it but what was just necessary for the support of that Life the Great Creator had given them to spend to his Glory And though they never had studied Pythagoras yet both their Faith and Reason told them that as the Body waxes stronger by the death of the Soul so the Soul becomes more valiant and lively by the death of the Body This made them Conquerors of those Pleasures of the Flesh which in all Ages have weakned the bravest Men into Women melted Hearts of Iron and conquered the greatest Conquerors of the World To suppress such satisfactions of the Flesh they were so watchful so couragious so magnanimous that they seemed Angels more than Men and were actually nearer to God to whom they lived than to the World in which they lived In their lives Chast and Modest in their Married estate Moderate and Holy and not a Man came near his Wife after he perceived or had notice that she was with Child till she was deliver'd and even then when they came together their thoughts were so innocent that they proposed no other end but Procreation of Children to be brought up in the fear and nurture of the Lord. In the very Works of their Calling they would sing of Christ and converse with Spiritual Objects even in their Sleep and Dreams and consequently were always ready for Prayer and holy Ejaculations so addicted to the love of Goodness that they could not endure a vitious Person and if they met with any such in their Assemblies did thrust him out from their Communion and made it Criminal for any Christian either to Eat or Drink or Converse or Talk or keep Company with him They took particular notice of him who taught any thing contrary to the Doctrine of their Pastors and no Plague-sore was shunn'd more than a new up-start Principle If they heard any thing contrary to the Faith deliver'd to the Saints they either stopt their Ears or made haste to be gone from the place the dangerous Tenet was publish'd in New Fangles were that which their Teachers seriously warned them against and the great Character of Heresie was that the Doctrine was New and unknown to the Apostles To continue this Purity of Doctrine in their Church their custom was to read the Scripture and to hear it explain'd by their Pastors in publick Congregations and though they read it at home yet they were fearful to explain any thing but what they had heard their Pastors explain in publick before and according to their Expositions they understood those Oracles It was a very common thing in those days both for Laymen and Clergymen to learn the Bible without Book and many of them had the Word so ready that nothing could befal them but they had a Plaister or Medicine ready from that inexhaustible Treasury From hence their Souls got more than ordinary strength and nourishment and their Minds receiv'd that vivacity and quickness that it gave life even to their Bodies starved almost through Watching Fasting and other voluntary Penalties Of their Teachers they were so observant that without them they would begin nothing and go no where without their Letters of Recommendation Without their Advice they would not Marry nor do any thing considerable in their Civil Affairs without asking their Counsel Approbation for they looked upon them as their Fathers and as Religion had made them so so they thought the obligation to consult them upon all occasions was the stronger These they received into their Houses as the Saints of old did Angels with Joy and Trembling and whenever they met them though upon the Road or in the Streets they would fall down and kiss their Feet and refuse to rise till they had given them their Blessing and Benediction to which Blessing they said Amen and rose again and so parted with a Kiss They thought it no small happiness to lodge their Pastors at their Houses for when they had them they believed they had got some good Spirit in their Houses and with them they pray'd and hop'd that now their Prayers could not miscarry when joined with the Incense of those who had so often moved God to be merciful to a whole Congregation For this reason they were desirous to entertain Pious men in general to do them good and to relieve them as they did their Domesticks for they thought the presence of such Men a Blessing to their Families and a Protection from innumerable Evils that might otherwise befal them From the Unity and Peaceableness of their Teachers it was that the Christians then though very numerous continued unanimous in the Primitive Doctrine and Discipline and though the several Assemblies might differ in Rites and Ceremonies yet the mighty love they bore one to another constrain'd them to over-look those differences and though they varied in some outward Acts of Worship yet their Affections were so strongly glewed together that nothing but death could break the League or AAmity If one Neighbour chanced to quarrel with another and they broke forth into Contention and Enmity they were so long excluded from the Prayers of the Assembly till they had cordially reconciled themselves one to the other This punishment was then thought great and grievous and Men were so uneasie under these Excommunications that the fear of them kept them from Animosities and rather than undergo such Censures would suffer themselves to be defrauded and when they were beaten would not beat again when reviled would not revile again and when abused would not abuse again nay look upon an unjust Calumny as a piece of Martyrdom and therefore bear it undauntedly Those that knew themselves guilty of a great Sin durst not appear in the publick and they that were fallen into any notorious Errors durst not so much profane the Prayers of the Church as to appear there with the rest of the Assembly So great was the dread of Gods Majesty in those days that even a desperate Offendor was afraid of taking Gods Covenant in his Mouth while he hated to be reformed Their meeting or coming together to Pray they esteemed a thing so Sacred that no Frowns no Thunders no Threatnings of Tyrants could make them forbear and being Conscious of their innocence they justly thought their enemies might by their Authority forbid but could not with any colour of Reason prohibit their Assemblies This made them flock to their Oratories though it was death to go and Parents with their Children would run though the next news they were like to hear was Christianos ad Leones Throw those Dogs to the