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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	evil_a	good_a	work_n	6,191	5	6.9192	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14853	The araignement of an vnruly tongue Wherein the faults of an euill tongue are opened, the danger discouered, the remedies prescribed, for the taming of a bad tongue, the right ordering of the tongue, and the pacifying of a troubled minde against the wrongs of an euill tongue. By George Web, preacher of Gods word at Stepleashton in Wiltshire.	Webbe, George, 1581-1642.	1619 (1619)	STC 25156; ESTC S102125	41,207	214

persecute you and shall say all manner of euill against you falsly for my sake Math. 5.11.12 reioyce and be glad for great is your rewand in heauen for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you And this is another fruit of experience Of the commodity thereof which may sweeten the bitternes of an euill tongue vnto vs when we do consider the good which from these kind of trials will redound vnto vs Heb. 12.1 For Howsoeuer no tryall for the present seemeth to bee ioyous but grieuous yet afterward it yeeldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousnesse to them that are exercised thereby And we know who hath said that 2. Tim. 3.12 All they who would liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution And this wrong which is offered by the Tongue is a kinde of persecution witnesse the Apostle Gal. 4.29 Now then thus consider with thy selfe when thou art wronged by an euill tongue Gal. 4.29 VVhat am I the worse what is mine aduersarie the better for these distastefull speeches If it be true which hee reporteth I may reape a benefite by his tongue to see my fault and to amend it if it be false what need I grieue at it Good men will not beleeue it euill mens censures I regard not my Witnesse is in heauen He will defend mine innocencie Hee will cause all this to turne to the best vnto mee And certainely this serious Meditation with our selues Meditatition is a singular good remedie against the maladie of an euill Tongue wherein remember this short direction M. Grenham in his Sermon of a good name Dost thou endure the smart of an euill tongue First consider with thy selfe whether that whereof thou art accused be good or euill if good then there is cause to reioyce in it and not to grieue if euill then go a degree further to finde out whether it be for some euill worke which thou hast committed or for some occasion which thou hast giuen If it bee for some euill done then see whether it hath wrought in thee the true sorrow for that sinne whether thou takest this as a correction from God and whether it leadeth thee to repentance If it bee vpon occasion onely giuen vpon suspition Then consider with thy selfe thy frailty in offering the occasion and the mercy of God who hath kept thee from that euill and doth by this meanes warne thee to beware of giuing the like occasion I will adde to this purpose that golden meditation of Seneca Senec. de Jra c. 23. 24. Let euery man saith he when he is prouoked by others euill words thus say within himselfe Am I mightier then Philip that mighty Macedonian yet he was wronged with the tongue of a Peasant and would not take notice of it Can I do more in mine own defence then Augustus who had the taxing of the whole world yet he was content to winke at the tongue that taxed him Why should I so take to heart a few euill or idle words Who am I that I may not bee spoken against Many haue pardoned their enemies shall not I forgiue a few foolish speeches If he bee a youth who doth thus traduce mee his age may excuse him If a woman her sexe If a stranger his liberty If a familiar his acquaintance may seeme to priuiledge him Is this the first time that hee hath thus offended it may bee he hath often pleased Hath he vsed this liberty of a lewd tongue a long time we may the better endure that to which we haue becne long inured Is hee a friend hee did what hee would not Is hee an enemie hee hath done no more then wee might well expect If hee bee wise let mee yeeld to him if a foole let me pardon him The very best are not without their blemishes There is no man so circumspect but may sometimes bee tript none so faultlesse but may faile The last remedy against an euill tongue is Prouidence Prouidence and that two waies first for the getting secondly for the keeping of a good name The right prouident course to get a good name is first To get a good name to bee carefull to auoid all euill both outward and inward secret and open great and small for as dead flyes cause to stinke and putrifie the ointment of the Apothecary so doth sinne seeme it neuer so small crack the credit of a man Eccl. 10.5 and expose him to the talke of tongues therfore he who would not be euill spoken of must bee iealous of his own doings and not onely refraine from euil but also abstain from the very appearance of euill 1. Thess 5.22 2. He who would auoid the hurt of an euill Tongue must not onely abstaine from euill but also be plentifull in well-doing for there is no way more ready for a good name then good workes according to that of our Sauiour Math. 5.16 Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your heauenly Father And to this purpose the Apostle doth aduise vs 1. Pet. 2.12 to haue our conuersations honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speake against vs as euill doers they may by our good workes which they behold glorifie God in our behalfe Now because it is a matter of as great importance to keepe a good name as to get it therefore hee who would stop the toung of the slanderer must bee carefull to vse the best meanes to preserue his credite and reputation The meanes to keep a good name To keep a good name are in effect the same whereby a good name is gotten and therefore I will shut vp this caueat in a word with that heauenly counsell of holy Dauid What man is hee that desireth life Psal 34.12 13. and loueth many daies that hee may see good keep thy tongue from euill and thy lips that they speake no guile depart from euill and doe good seeke peace and ensue it CHAP. XIII The Conclusion of the whole Treatise THus haue we heard this vnruly member of our Bodie A briefe repetition of all the Premises the Tongue Arraigned Indicted Examined and found guilty Sentence of iudgement hath passed against it and order hath beene taken for the execution of the same what now remaineth but that euery one who doth wish well vnto himselfe should well looke vnto himselfe that this naughty Tongue be not found within himselfe Dauids care should be euery good mans caueat Psal 39.1 I said I will take heed to my wayes that I offend not with my tongue A lesson which Pambo was many yeares a learning and yet as himselfe professeth hee could neuer throughly learne And indeed who can so well obserue it as he should Iam. 3.2 S. Iames saith that if any man sin not in word hee is a perfect man able to bridle all the bodie O let vs labour and striue for this perfection And because it is a matter exceeding the power and skill of man so well as hee ought to guide and rule his Tongue therefore wee are earnestly to begge it at the hands of God Psal 141.3 Psal 51.15 that Hee would set a watch before our lips and keepe the doore of our mouth That hee would open our lips when they should bee open and shut them when they should be shut that hee would giue the right vtterance vnto vs that so both the thoughts of our heart Ephe. 6.19 and the words of our mouth might alwaies bee acceptable in his sight Psal 19.14 who is our Strength and our Redeemer The like course wee likewise are to take against the iniurie of other mens tongues that seeing it is so difficult a thing to tame an euill Tongue so grieuous to endure it and so impossible to auoide it we should therefore haue recourse vnto almighty God by hearty prayer that he would preserue vs against it and teach vs true wisedom to beare and endure it Yea O Lord vouchsafe vnto vs both sanctified Tongues and Eares that our Tongues may euermore sound thy praises our Eares euer be attentiue to thy will make vs zealous for thy glory patient in our owne cause and keep vs from the strife of Tongues So we thy people Psal 79.13 and the sheep of thy pasture shall praise thee for euer and from generation to generation set forth thy Glory Amen FINIS

Seat of God to execute Psal 82.1 the iudgements of God 2. Chro. 19.6 Rom. 13.4 he beareth not the sword in vaine but is to execute vengeance vpon euill dooers Neither only vpon euill dooers but vpon euill speakers also as vpon lyers raylers backbiters and slanderers for so Dauid doth professe of his practice in such an Office Psal 101.5 whoso priuily slandereth his neighbour him will I cut off Hee intendeth not a punishment onely for the periured tongue and publique defamer but also for the secret calumniator and priuie slanderer neither is it a check or pettie punishment which hee doth threaten against it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat exterminare seu constringendo coarctando disperdere as to banish it his Court to punish it by the purse or to inflict a slight punishment vpon it but he would euen cut it off roote it out and vtterly destroy it The lawes of Nations haue beene diuers Politike Lawes of Nations for the punishment thereof yet all dreadfull for the punishment of an euill Tongue The Iudiciall law giuen by God himselfe vnto the Iewes and therefore the best patterne for all humane lawes did thus proceed against it Deut. 19.16 17 18 19 20. If a false witnesse rise vp against any man to testifie against him that which is wrong then both the men betweene whom the controuersie was were to stand before the Lord before the Priests and the Iudges which were in those dayes And the Iudges were to make diligent inquisition And if the witnesse were proued false that his tongue had testified falsely against his Brother then the mischiefe which hee had thought to haue done against his brother was to light vpon his owne head and hee was seuerely to bee punished ad terrorem aliorum for the feare and terrour of others And lest wee should thinke this Iudiciall course to be limitted onely to a false Witnesse and to a periured Tongue the Wise-man Pro. 19.5 9 Prou. 19.5 9. doth extend it to all manner of iniuries committed by the Tongue A false witnesse saith he shall not be vnpunished and hee that speaketh lies shall not escape And to this Iudiciarie course of proceeding against an euill tongue our blessed Sauiour doth seem to allude Math. 5.22 Math. 5.22 when hee saith Whosoeuer is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of iudgement and whosoeuer shall say vnto his brother Racha shall be in danger of the Councell Where vnder that one word Racha he doth vnderstand all manner of opprobrious speeches and disdainefull gestures and by the termes of Iudgement Councell and Hell fire there mentioned hee doth glaunse at the three Courts of iudgement in Ierusalem Betram de Polit. Iud. c. 13. The first whereof was for the determining of matters litigious about wealth and possessions and in that were three Iudges The second for matters criminall which were iudged by a Councell of three and twenty The third for matters of more serious weight and importance to bee determined by the Sanhedrim or great Councell of seuenty and one And in these Courts the Iewes as Drusius relateth did thus proceed against such as offend with the tongue first they had priuate and after that more publike admonitions to refraine from that wicked course if this could not preuaile they were excommunicate frō the Synagogue if this would not serue to reforme them they were further excommunicated from all society and company of other men if this would not restraine them the great Anathema Maranatha was denounced against them If yet they proceeded in their euill they were iudged worthy to be stoned to death Leauing the Iudiciall Law of the Iewes come we to the Lawes of Nations and wee shall finde how in all Ages among all Nations there haue euer beene sharpe punishments prouided against shrewd Tongues The Grecians as Thucidides reporteth were wont to punish the lauish Tattling of the Tongue with lashes of roddes whipping the whole body The Egyptians as Polybius recordeth did boare an hole thorow an vnruly tongue The Persians saith Strabo made them slaues who could not be Masters ouer their Tongues The Indians as Acosta noteth did exclude such as had vnruly Tongues Acosta lib. 6. c. 9. from all companies Suidas in Canopo Ruffin hist eccl lib. 2. The Chaldeans as Suidas obserueth did condemne them to perpetuall darkenesse Eusebius l. 5 c. 21. The Romanes as Eusebius testifieth had a Lawe to breake the legs of him who had a naughty tongue which custome was put in execution as Nicephorus relateth in the time of the raigne of the Emperour Commodus Niceph. l. 4.26 vpon a prophane wretch who had slandered Apollonius a godly Professor and afterwards a blessed Martyr The ill tongu'd accuser not being able to proue his allegations was iudged to haue his legges broken because he had accused and defamed a man without a cause Herodotus maketh mention of a Lieutenant of King Darius Herodot in Clio. who caused one of his Souldiers to bee put to death for that his tongue had beene too lauish against Alexander though an enemy And hee relateth another Historie of Antigonus who imprisoned a foule-mouthed Peasant in a Cage depriuing the whole body of liberty because of the too much liberty of the Tongue Leontius the Emperour as Sir Martin Cognet in his Politike discourses doth deliuer after he had put Iustinian to flight Politike discourse of Sir Martin Cognet c. 37. caused two of his Tale-bearers to bee trailed by the heeles and to be burned The Emperour Pertinax caused the skinnes of slanderers to bee flaied from their Bodies and Maximinus another Emperour tooke order to haue the Tongues of vnruly railers to be pulled out of their mouthes Excellent were those Lawes which Titus Nerua and Traian as Suetonius writeth made against tattling Tongues the least mulct wherein was whipping cheere Domitian Anthony and Macrinus banished them the Confines of the Empire yeelding this for their reason that they who did not punish them L. praeuar de verb. Leg. tit ad Segnat did encourage them The Ciuill Law in like maner doth inflict banishment to an euill Tongue The Canon Law doth debar it from the receiuing of the Sacraments The Common Law of this our Land doth adiudge the false tongue to the Pillory Westm 1. ca 23. Kech 2. c. 5. Eliz. 1. c. 7. the skolding Tongue to the Tumbrell or Cucking-stoole the railing Tongue to the good behauiour the slanderous Tongue if it be Scandalum Magnatum to the losse of an eare if against a priuate person to the censure of the Magistrate according to the quality of the offence Thus wee see how odious among all Nations an euill Tongue hath alwaies bene and what strict Lawes from time to time haue bene enacted against the same But because these good Lawes are not alwaies put in execution the Magistrate may proue many times remisse let vs