speaking c. these defile the man Mat. 15.8 It is not crediblâ— saith St. Ambrose he should live welâ— that speaketh wickedly in manâ— words there wanteth not sin Prov. 10 29 He that can sport at sin with hiâ— tongue will not stick to commit it iâ— time and place give leave being tempted thereunto 3. The unbridleâ— Tongue is set on fire of Hell the Prophet speaking of the incurable mischief of the evil tongue saith it is as the sharpe arrowes of a mighty man oâ— as the coals of Juniper Psal 120.4 Juniper burns soonest and keeps fire longest of any wood such is the force of an evil tongue it sets on fire the course of nature and is it self set on fire with Hell the Devil is in that tongue he kindleth a fire in it and bloweth it with the bellows of all mischief now then consider what that mans Religion is that hath such a tongue what shew soever he maketh 4. He sheweth how crosse this is to Religion by natural demonstrations one and the same tree cannot bring forth good and bad fruit it is contrary to nature and he illustrateth it that Man with one tongue should bless God and curse man made after the image of God were a great vanity to think to bless and to curse are things contrary one to another and be not in the same tongue as a Fountain cannot send forth sweet and bitter water which being considered sheweth such a mans Religion is vain Because what pretences soever Reas 5 such men make this sheweth them to be Lawlesse and Lordlesse men Psal 12.3 4. though they may say God is their Lord in their words yet this sheweth they are without ackâ—â—â—ledging any to Lord it over them they say their tongues are their own and who shall Lord it over them if God were their Lord then they would keep his Commandements and to such will Jesus Christ say at the last day why call ye me Lord and do not the things that I command you and the Law of Christ is Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouths and let him that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity CHAP. IV. Sheweth in divers particulars how much men fail in this point THis then may inform us how great a number of men there are whose seeming shews of Religion will be found to be but vain because of their unbridled tongues consider how common this sin is and how many that profess themselves Christians are guilty of these sinnes in an high degree and let us hence see what great cause we have to lament the great decay of Religion with the Prophet Psal 12.1 2. Help Lord for the Godly man ceaseth for the faithful fail from among the children of men and he proveth it is by this They speak vanity every one with his Neighbour with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak and mark how general it is every one speaks vanity to his Neighbour and if this be so had joyned with a seeming shew of Religion what is open prophaness The Prophet Jeremiah complaineth also wishing his eyes were a fountain of tears that he might weep day and night for his people and bewaile the misery that is coming upon them and all because of this sin they bend their tongues like their bowe for lyes Jer. 9.3 they will not speak truth they have taught their tongues to speak lyes ver 5. their tongue is as an arrow shot out it speaketh deceit one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour but in his heart he lieth in wait ver 8. shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord So St. Paul Rom. 3. when he insisteth upon the general corruption of nature he quickly passeth it over but he spends two verses viz. the 13 and 14. upon the sins of the tongue speaking of wicked men he saith their throat is an open Sepulcher with their tongues ther have used decit the poison of Asps is under their lips whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness The Asp doth morsu inficere saith Grynaeus the poyson of Asps is under the tongues of such persons Aspidum ictui vel rarum vel nullum remedium invenitur Aelian nat hist Compertum est ictu laesos hujusmodi vix horis quatuor superfu isse Pierii Hierogl lib. 14. Puncto acus simile Plin. Actuari de medic composit Gloss Interlinear in Rom 3. now Naturalists observe of the Asp that it poisoneth a man secretly with a kind of delight and it is such a poison as is incurable killing a man in four hours very fitly representing the poison of the tongue for such a one woundeth his brother in secret and he knoweth not who hurteth him and he hardly admits of cure again We have great cause to bewail the commonnesse of this sin in these Gospel-times a sin so rife even among those that seem to be Religious that we may lay it to heart and beware thereof and so much the rather because the sins of the tongue are a special cause of procuring misery upon a Land and People Consider therefore 1. That when men come to the publike worship of God to hear the word of God c. and yet take no care of their tongues God esteems them more like unto poisonous creatures then to men that have his Image upon them more like to Asps or venemous serpents then men of such the Prophet speaketh saying They have sharpned their tongues like a serpent Psal 140.3 and his case when he was among them was as bad as Daniels in the Lions Den My soul saith he is among Lions and I lie even among them that are set on fire even the sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrows and their tongue a sharp sword Psal 57.4 and the Lord tells the Prophet Ezekiel that briars and thorns were with him such as scratch and tear all that come near them ond that he dwelt among Scorpions the most poisonful of all other creatures Ezek. 2.6 2. The Lord compareth men of evil tongues to all kind of deadly instruments to a maul to a sword to a sharp arrow Prov. 25.18 the one is sufficient to knock a man on the head the other to run thorow his body and the other to pierce him to the heart to signisie to us that while a man may goe about to avoid one he may yet be in danger of being hurt by another before he is aware of it 3. By these sins of the tongue men break no less then three commands of God at once 1. The sixth Commandement Thou shalt do no Murder men are apt to think if they lay not violent hands upon their neighbour it is nothing but our Saviour Mat. 5.21 22. sets down three sins as breaches of this command Sunt Homicidae interfectores fratrum sunt Homicidae detractores eorum Clem. Alex. Epist 1. 1. causeless and unadvised anger though it break not out into words 2. rash and inconsiderate words
God alwayes before you By mercy and truth iniquity is purged and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil Prov. 16.6 Better were it for us to be dumb Plutarc de garrulitate theâ—â— to lye and with the Heathen to bite off our tongues then to lye with them CHAP. XIV Of the Boasting Tongue SECT 1. Boasting defined Six things men are apt to boast of LEt us now in the last place set down something of another sin of the Tongue sc The sin of boasting Definit of Boasting Gloriatio est alicujus sui boni magnitudinem agnoscere de eo sâ—bi placere seque beatum putare insuper id ore apud alios depraedicare Flac. Illyr Clav. scrip Boasting is a sin whereby men glory in themselves or in any thing belonging to them or that they do imagine doth appertain to them thinking the more highly of themselves for it and openly publishing it among others when men rejoyce in their own â—oastings all such rejoycing is evil â—ith the Apostle Jam. 4.13 Man â—s very prone to this sin The tongue is â— little member and boasteth great â—hings Behold how great a matter a â—ittle fire kindleth Jam. 3.5 There is scarce any thing but corâ—upt hearts are apt to boast of it The Scripture sheweth us in divers particulars what things men are apt most to boast of 1. Some boast in their parts gifts and endowments numbring up their own vertues that they may appear to be praise-worthy Habes tu undè glorieris gaudeas non in te quidem sed in eo qui te summa in re tantò majoribus praeferre dignatus est qua nil majus nil melius tibi tribui poterat in hac vita Haec verò religio quae te Deo religat Deum tibi humilitatem pâ—is mentibus inserit insolentiam arragantiam extirpat Petrach de Remed utr fort Dial. 13. boasting of their Knowledge their Religion c. but of these things men ought not vainly to boast If thou boastest of an imaginary excellency thou art fantastical if of a real thou art sacrilegious thou hast not wherewithall to glory in thy self but in him who hath vouchsafed to prefer thee in these things before many others and indeed a wise man the more wisdom he hath the more he seeth his lack of true wisdom he doth not boast of it but earnestly desireth after it A man that is truly Religious doth not boast of Religion That is true Religion which bindeth thee fast to God and God to thee that soweth humility in the minds of men and rooteth out insolence and arrogance many boast of the form of Religion that are strangers to the power of godliness 2 Tim. 3.5 2. Some there are that boast in their wealth and riches that they are the highest and best men in the Parish they think they are beloved of God and that all is well with them because they are wealthier then their neighbours The Psalmist speaks of such as trust in themselves and boast in the abundance of their riches Psal 49.6 Many boast in their full purses and stately buildings like Nebuchadnezzar crying out Is not this great Babel thai I have built for the house of the Kingdom by the might of my power and for the honour of my Majesty Dan. 4.30 Ephraim boasteth that he was rich and had found out substance Hos 12.8 A great vanity it is to boast of riches when as he that heapeth up riches knoweth not who shall gather them Psal 39.6 Indeed they are things that are not and therefore not to be boasted of Socrates finding Alcibiades boasting much of his riches Lands Farms and Houses carryed him into a place of the City where a Table was containing the circuit of the whole earth and bade him there find out Athens which being found he bids him find out his Farms and fair Buildings which things when Alcibiades told him were nowhere to be found Wherefore then said Socrates dost thou boast of those things which are not about any part of the earth 3. Some boast of the greatness of their power and especially that they have power to do mischief to others So doth Doâ—g Therefore saith the spirit of God to him Why boastest thou thy self in mischief O mighty man Such as boast of their power to do mischief to the Saints God will destroy them for ever he shall cast them away and root them out from the Land of the Living Psal 52.5 They shall be hurled away as a man hurleth a stone out of a sling Job 27.21 This iâ— threatned against Babylon So much as she haâ—h glorified her self so much torment give her Rev. 18.7 Thou lovest all devouring words O thou deceitful Tongue Psal 52.1 4. Pilates boasting speech to Christ was full of pride Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee and p wer to release thee Joh. 19.10 It was not Cesar that could give Pilate power over Christ it was the supream King of Kings whose Vassal Cesar himself was that gave him power thus to judge and condemn his own only begotten son as an evil-doer for the accomplishment of his promise and the salvation of his people and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth lawful authority therefore Judas that betrayed him and the High Priest that delivered him had the greater sin Lamech boasteth I have slain a man to my wounding and a young man to my hurt if Cain shall be avenged seven-fold truly Lamech seventy and seven fold Gen. 4.23 24. he boasteth of his strength what he could do 4. Some there are that boast of their merits by their works but this is hateful to God for as Theophilact speaketh What can be more pernicious or abominable before God Abominatio est apud Deum cum quis sibi non Deo sua bona opera tribuit quid hoc aliud quam negare Deum esse et eum adversari Theophil in Luc Tu pol si sapis quod scis nescias Terent. in Andria then when men attribute their good deeds to themselves what is this but to deny God and be his adversary frustra de radice gloriatur qui nihil adfert nisi folia In vain doth he brag of the root that brings forth nothing but leaves and to as little purpose is a mans boasting of good works and merits that brings forth nothing but vain flourishes 5. Sometime men boast of what they have not and that they will do what lies not in their power Peter boasteth more then John Mat. 26.33 that though all men should be offended because of Christ yet he would never be offended and he cuts off an ear of one that comes to apprehend his Master yet he that said less performed more although he was known to the high-Priest he spake to her that kept the door and brought in Peter who stood at the door without Joh. 18.16 We read of one of the Martyrs in Queen Maries dayes Differt
any of his best servants Job had discovered some impatience in his speech Job 3. and before Job shall be restored he shall come and acknowledge and confess his sin Once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further Job 40.5 and chap. 42.3 he confesseth he had utterered that he understood not things too wonderful for him which he knew not Wherefore saith he I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes ver 6. Consid 6 Consider there is much sin in an unbrideled tongue Solomon saith In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin A Babler is a waster of words to no purpose as the Stoick Philosophers falsely called St. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui libens verba fundâ—â—at H. Stephen in verb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such a one is like one that throws away good seed wastefully and glorieth in it Prov. 10.19 but he that resraineth his lips is wise In many words usually are many sins so that the more liberty a man giveth his tongue the more sin he committeth and the more he refraineth his tongue the more truth of Religion he sheweth The wise man l kewise tells us that an unbrideled tongue is a snare to a man A fools mouth is his destruction and his lips are the snare of his soul Prov. 18.7 A sinner is snared not only with the works of his hands but also with the words of his tongue and when the Devil prevails with a man to draw him into these sins he easily draweth him to the committing of other sins To take heed to our tongues is a Consid 7 note of true wisdom He that refraineth his lips is wise Prov. 10.19 A fool uttereth all his mind but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards Prov. 29.11 A fools voice is known by multitude of words Melior est ind screta prudentia quam stulta loquacitas Aul. Gell. lib. 1. cap. 15. Eccles 5.3 The vertuous woman openeth her mouth in wisdom Prov. 31.26 Every one would be counted wise Look carefully then to the performance of this duty and this will evidence thee to be wise A man by natural wisdom may get much power over these sins but much more by the wisdom that is from above He that hath knowledge spareth his words Prov. 17.27 It is an argument of wisdom to know what when and how to speak Solomon was the wisest of men and he gives many lessons for the well-ordering of the tongue it is an argument of much wisdom to be well skilled in this duty Consider how much mischief cometh Consid 8 to pass by reason of an unbrideled tongue and that first unto others as 1. When men go about with their tales one to another speaking that which ought to be covered with the mantle of love hereby they set one house after another one fire till almost all the Town be in a flame An ungodly man diggeth up evil and in his lips there is a burning fire a froward man soweth strife and a whisperer separateth chief friends Prov. 16.27 28. such a one takes as much pains in his evil way as another doth in digging in Mines and Quarries in the bowels of the earth such a mans tongue is set on fire of hell and it setteth others on a flame even chiefest friends He that repeateth a matter separateth very friends Prov. 17.9 A fools lips enter into contention and his mouth calleth for stroaks Prov. 18.6 contrary to the practice of him that desireth to make and keep peace he will make the best of things and not repeat matters from one to another this the Lord hateth A false witness that soweth lies and him that soweth discord among his brethren they are an abomination to the Lord. Prov. 6.19 2. He doth others much mischief in wounding them in their credits and in their estates A man of an evil tongue is a Beast in the shape of a man for his tongue is the tongue of a Serpent under which lieth nothing but venom and poison nay he is worse then a Serpent for it cannot hurt unless it be present to see a man or to bite him or to strike him with his tail but he which hath not the rule of his tongue hurteth men as well absent as present neither Sea nor Land Ball de Gubern linguae nor any thing can hinder him as One well noteth 3. It hurts others when those that are naught themselves give evil counsel to others and are an occasion of making them as bad as themselves So Ahab who so bad as he notoriously wicked yet one worse then himself stirreth him up to more wickedness and that was Jezebel his wife 1 Reg. 21.25 her tongue stirreth him to do more evil then he hath in his heart Ahab having a mind to Naboths Vineyard was troubled Jezebel bids him be merry and tells him she would give him the Vineyard of Naboth so she writes Letters in Ahabs name and sendeth them to the Elders and Nobles in the City dwelling with Naboth commandeth them to proclaim a Fast and set Naboth on high among the people as if his wickedness were so great that God were highly dishonoured by it then must Naboth be falsely accused of blasphemy and stoned to death And as it bringeth much mischief to others so it bringeth greater mischief upon themselves both from God and men Sometimes mens unruly tongues call for strokes upon themselves from God For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them he even taken in their pride and for cursing and lying which they speak consume them in wrath consume them that they may not be Psal 59.12 13. Thus the Prophet by thâ— spirit of God imprecateth a dreadful judgement upon them The froward tongue shall be cut out Prov. 10.31 yea God shall cause their own tongues to fall upon them that is the mischief of their own tongues Psal 64.8 A prating fool shall fall Prov. 10.8 his mouth calleth for strokes from God and man Prov. 18.6 A rod is for such a fools back sometimes mens evil tongues bring misery upon them from men Violence covereth the mouth of the wicked Prov. 10.11 David would cut off him that slandereth his neighbour and expell out of his family him that worketh deceit and telleth lies Psal 101.5 7. Moreover let us consider the excellency Consid 9 of a well-order'd tongue Prov. 10.11 it is compared to a Well of life to a Spring of living water The mouth of a righteous man is a Well of life a Spring that shall never be dryed up it is compared to refined silver The tongue of the just is as choice silver of great worth ver 20. He likewise compareth the good and wisemans tongue to a Table richly furnished that feedeth many the lips of the righteous feed many ver 21. when he that hath no wisdom to guide his tongue dies for want ver 20. He sets the righteous mans tongue against the