Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nature_n	fire_n	set_v	tongue_n	3,652	5	9.4006	5	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01711	Certaine sermons, vpon diuers textes of Holie Scripture Whereof some haue been seuerally before published, and other some for the greater benefit of the godly reader are here now added. By M. George Giffard, preacher of the worde of God at Mauldon Essex.	Gifford, George, d. 1620.; Gifford, George, d. 1620. A sermon on the parable of the sower. aut; Gifford, George, d. 1620. Two sermons upon I. Peter 5. vers. 8 and 9. aut; Gifford, George, d. 1620. Foure sermons uppon the seven chiefe vertues of faith. aut; Gifford, George, d. 1620. A godlie, zealous, and profitable sermon upon the second chapter of saint James. aut; Gifford, George, d. 1620. A sermon preached at Pauls Crosse the thirtie day of May. aut; Gifford, George, d. 1620. A sermon on the third chapter of Saint Iames. aut	1597 (1597)	STC 11848.5; ESTC S120470	152,707	288

to let the world see our faith and loue towards God by our good works Likewise is there any greater loue which can bee shewed towards men then when they shall be mooued by our good deeds to glorifie God in the day of their visitation when our godly dealing shall cause them to confesse that it is an holie religion which wee professe and so giue eare and ioyne themselues vnto the same O happie man which by his holie life is a meane to draw others from their euill waies and to bring them to bee schollers in the same schoole that he is Contrariwise what a wofull and miserable wretch is that which slaundereth and dishonoureth the holie worde by his sinfull life which driueth other from it and so thrusteth them on headlong to destruction Ovncharitable man shal not the bloud of such in some sort be laide to thy charge when thou driuest them from the Lorde and his trueth as much as lyeth in thee and driuest them headlong to destruction I might proceede to many particulars but then I should be ouer tedious The Lord plant these things in our hearts and giue vs grace to continue in all goodnesse to our liues ende to his glorie and our eternall comfort Amen FINIS A Sermon on the third Chapter of Saint James The Text. vers 1 2 3 c. 1 Be not many masters my brethren knowing that wee shall receiue the greater condemnation 2 For in many things wee sinne all If any man sinne not in word he is a perfect man and able to bridle the whole bodie 3 Beholde wee put bits into the horses mouthes that they should obey vs and we turne about all their bodie 4 Behold also the ships which though they bee so great and are driuen of fierce windes yet are they turned about with a very small rudder whither soeuer the gouernour listeth 5 Euen so the tongue is a little member and boasteth of great things Behold how great a thing a little fire kindleth 6 And the tongue is fire yea a world of wickednesse so is the tongue set among our members that it defileth the whole bodie and setteth on fire the course of nature and is it selfe set on fire of hell 7 For the whole nature of wilde beasts and of birds and of creeping things and of things of the sea is tamed and hath been tamed of the nature of man 8 But the tongue can no man tame it is an vnrulie euill full of deadlie poyson 9 Therewith blesse wee God euen the father and therewith curse we men which are made after the image of God 10 Out of one mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing my brethren these things ought not so to be 11 Doth a fountaine send forth at one place sweet water and bitter 12 Can the figge-tree my brethren bring foorth oliues either a vine figges so can no fountaine make both salt water and sweet THis portion of holie Scripture beloued in the Lord containeth in it two things The one of them is a precept against rigorous iudging of our brethren the other is for the ordering and guiding of the tongue in generall Men offend generally and commonly in them both and the offences therein committed bee not light but very heinous in the sight of God As touching the former how heinous it is it appeareth in this that he saith knowing that wee shall receiue the greater condemnation The hainousnesse of the offences committed in the other is manifest by the verie speeches of the Apostle by which he setteth foorth the poison of the tongue And in the first chapter of this Epistle vers 26. he saith If anie man among you seeme to bee religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiueth his owne heart that mans religion is vaine Heerby then it is euident that the matters be of great importance and such as it standeth vs neerly vpon to be well instructed in and therfore I pray you let vs hearken attentiuely to the voice of our God and make conscience to obey the same for that is requisite also vnlesse we will deceiue our selues as hee speaketh in the first chapter touching such as be hearers of the word onlie and not doers And doubtlesse hee that shall looke vpon the profession of the Gospel which is at this day among men and withall consider how common the vices of the tongue be and what the Lord here pronounceth against them it will euen abash and astonish him for he shall be euen forced to thinke that there is scarce any true religion to be found among men seeing there be so few which are not rigorous Iudges and scarce any that doe bridle their tongue But let vs come to the words of the Text. Bee not many masters my brethren knowing we shall receiue the greater condemnation for in many thinges wee sinne all Heere bee three braunches in this the first is the precept Be not manie masters my brethren The second is a threatening of terrible vengeance if we do not eschewe that vice which is in these words Knowing that wee shall receiue the greater condemnation The third rendreth a reason both whie men should not be rigorous and seucre in iudging their brethren and also that if they be their iudgment shall bee the heauier before God in these wordes For in many thinges we sin all Now to the first branch which is the precept Be not many masters Saint lames speaketh somwhat darklie in this because Master or masters is a word of office in the Scriptures Christ is called so and rightlie for he is the great master Ye call me saith he to his Apostles Ioh 13. vers 13. Ho didaskalos master and Lord and ye say right I am so And Saint Paule saith that Christ hath some Apostles some prophets some Euangelists some pastors and Didaskalous that is Doctors teachers or as we translate it heer in Saint Iames Masters The word doth cause some to take it that he meaneth heere the publike office of teachers and especiallie because he saith be not many masters for in that he saith be not many it seemeth that he alloweth the Mastership which hee heere speaketh of in some few otherwise whie doth he not say if he speake of a thing which is simplie a vice in it selfe My brethren let no man be a master And so they take it that he reprooueth that great vice when men are so ready to thrust themselues into the Ministerie which they should not doe so rashlie being indeed vnfit This carieth a colour in it to lead vs to take the precept of the Apostle heere as that hee willeth vs that manie should not enter into the publike office of Doctors seeing God giueth gifts but to a few to be able to discharge it well But indeede hee doth not heere deale with that publike mastership but with a vice wherein each man taketh vpon him to be a seuere censurer a iudge and a condemner of others for in this men take vpon them to be masters If

not bee endured As looke vpon these great masters which S. Iames doth speak of that carpe daylie at the faults of others and you shall see that when they haue whipped other men with the scourge of the tongue and pierced them through as with a sword if any doe but touch them but euen as it were with the prick of a pin how they startle how they cal for charity they feel not that which they doe vnto their brethreÌ„ wheÌ„ they make smal faults to be haynous offences yea when they peruersly depraue that which is wel done it is very light but if any speak a word against some fault of theirs the case is altered it is sore iniurie if it be a fault yet they ought to deale charitablie Heerby it doth appeare what an high price men do set themselues at and how basely they doe esteeme of all others Other men because of their sins be stark naught not to bee regarded nor pitied wee hauing the same sins or as great are still very precious Thus may we see how far men are a wry froÌ„ that which they ought to be The Lord calleth vs from it and it is our dutie if we wil be wise to seek to be cured of so grieuous a disease A right precious an acceptable thing it is to God when we can so consider and iudge of our selues amoÌ„g others as that we value our selues with them as poore sinners to be pitied and so become pitifull also ful of mercie towards them For that is it which the Lord saith by the prophet I wil haue mercy not sacrifice Osee 6.7 But here we must beware that it be charitie and mercie which wee shewe towardes our brethren and not an irreligious cloking of sinne or soothing men vp in euil For manie vnder pretence of this that wee are commaunded not to iudge will haue no faults to bee reprooued but euerie man haue to doe onlie with himselfe and let others alone This is a bad collection this is contrarie to the doctrine of the holie Scriptures which willeth vs to admonish one another Mat. 18. vers 15. It is contrarie to the rule of charity as it is written Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart but thou shalt plainlie rebuke thy neighbour and suffer him not to sinne Leuit. 19. vers 17. And our Sauiour Christ when he saith Iudge not doeth not will vs that we should not admonish and reprooue our brethren for their faultes so wee doe it rightlie For hee doeth not say What hast thou to doe with the moate that is in thy brothers eie or why medlest thou with the faultes of others but cast first the beame out of thine owne eie and then maist thou see cleerely to cast the moat out of thy brothers eie Heere is the matter if we will be right reformers we must first beginne with our selues For shall we be fit to teach others that teach not our selues What good minde can it come from Can a man be rightlie carefull that another should bee godlie and saued and not care for godlinesse and saluation in himselfe Can hee pitie the soules of other men which pitieth not his own Againe what a rebuking is that when hee is so seuere and rigorous against others small offences and spareth his owne great sinnes Wherfore wee may perceiue a great difference betweene that Christian and charitable admonishing rebuking which the Scripture commandeth and that rigorous iudging which it forbiddeth For touching the one hee that is trulie reformed feeling the grace the mercie and the loue of God he is moued with mercie and compassion towards others and wisheth their reformation to their good This causeth him to looke into the faultes of his neighbour whom he loueth and wisheth well vnto and when he doth amisse he telleth him friendlie of it Who can say that such a reproouing is to be misliked Nay we are all of vs to thank God highlie when hee giueth vs such a friend as will so put vs in mind of our dutie for wee can see other mens faults and other men can espie our offences more cleerely than wee our selues In worldlie matters men are verie willinglie found fault withall and taught wherein they haue erred so they see that there come profit vnto them or gaine thereby And shall we not be as willing to haue that tolde vs which may benefit our soules But now for those masters which S. Iames speaketh of their doing is nothing like They are not reformed themselues they find not fault of loue They doe espie faults they iudge seuerely of them they carp they obiect but not of pitie or compassion not respecting the good of those whome they so iudge but to diffame to discredite and to bring into contempt Is it not thinke you a verie straunge thing that these men voide of charitie and full of great sins should beare themselues in hand of a more perfect estate then is in others and take vpon them a mastership so seuerely to iudge euen because they can espie faultes Maruell not beloued that the scripture doth so thunder against this kind of people for their doing is abominable True it is that a wise man when any of these masters spreadeth reports of his faults if anie frailties or imperfections doe breake from him or when they vpbraid him with the same to his face is to make his profite thereby and not so much to consider with what mind they doe it as how true it is and to amend it For I say if we be wise we may make great vse of the harde speeches of vncharitable reproouers for by them oftentimes we hear of some imperfections which our friends are blind in or at the least are ouer fauorable and will not deale plainelie with vs. Yea and it causeth vs also to bee somewhat the more circumspect and warie in our doinges when such seuere iudges doe obserue vs narrowly Thus much touching the first part of this scripture The second nowe followeth which is for the ordering and guiding of the tongue And this hath two partes the former part setteth foorth how the ordering of the tongue well carieth such a force with it though it bee but a little member that all is well ordered when it is right And to set foorth this there bee two similitudes vsed which are of small thinges that yet direct and order great thinges As the bitte of a bridle is but a small thing and the rudder of a ship The second part declareth the woonderfull and exceeding power that the tongue hath wheÌ„ it is not wel ordered vnto all mischief Where also least it might seem strange that so infinit euil shuld proceed from so small a thing he vseth a similitude from a spark of fire froÌ„ which a great matter is set on flame Further hee sheweth by the coÌ„parison of the nature of the most wild cruel things what an horrible vnrulie euill the tongue is doing that which is monstrous as

things both in glorifying God also in ministring grace by our talk at al times vnto meÌ„ What shall speak of our wants in this point If we did wel throughly behold discern theÌ„ this one thing wold manifest vnto vs that in manie things we sin al that so we might not be so rigorous in condemning or iudging others For if we come so far short in the duties of the tongue both in praising God and also in benefiting men so manie wayes as wee might and are bounde What shall wee thinke is the number of all our sinnes wee may well say that they be moe in number then the haires of our head But why hath the Lord set foorth this power and good of the right ordered tongue wee must well consider of that It is not that wee should come to the sight onely how vnperfect we are but that withal we should labour and striue towards greater perfection It is a most worthy thing to professe the holy faith and to sound foorth the praise and glorie of the most high God Also it is an excellent thing to speake such wordes as may at all times minister grace to the hearers Hereunto appertaineth that which Salomon saieth The tongue of the iust man is as fined siluer and the lippes of the righteous doe feed many Prouerb 10.20 21. Thus much concerning the first part which is the ordering of the tongue aright which is an exceeding great matter and now I will proceed to the other part that is the wonderfull harme of the euill tongue for looke how great the power of the tongue is vnto good where it is well ordered so great force hath it also on the other part vnto all mischiefe where it is not bridled And least this might seeme strange or incredible the Apostle vseth a comparison Behold saith hee how great a thing a little fire kindleth Wee all know that one little sparke of fire lighting into drie matter is enough to fire a whole house and so a whole citie a countrey yea the whole world so much as will kindle and burne This is a wonderfull thing which God hath giuen to the fire that from so little so great flames will arise and that it will spread in such sort And Saint Iames saith that the tongue is fire It is not of our common fire it is figuratiuely called fire for it will spread farre though it be little and set all on a flame euen as fire yea it extendeth it selfe in mischiefe so farre that hee calleth it a world of wickednes What a marueilous saying is this Is the tongue so small a member and yet containeth in it such a depth and such a gulfe of all wickednes A world is a great thing it is the vniuersalitie of all creatures and by this the holy Apostle doeth expresse the wickednesse of the tongue as if he should say the generalitie of all euill and wickednesse is the tongue What euill what mischiefe what wickednesse what treacheries and lies come not from the tongue And marke how hee saith that the tongue is so placed or set among our members that it defileth the whole bodie If a thing bee full of euill and set with such distance that it can not touch another thing then the euill is not spread but resteth and defileth it selfe but it is not so yee see with the tongue for it is so set that it defileth the whole bodie And so fire where the drie matter is absent doth nothing but if it light vpon it then it enflameth all and setteth the whole on fire Euen so he saith that the tongue reacheth vnto and setteth on fire the course of nature The whole course of nature may verie well be taken for the whole world as if he should say The tongue euen like a firebrand setteth the whole world on fire for the truth is that in all places there be hote flames of contention there be broiles and dissentions yea all things doe boile and burne with the fire of the tongue And in the next wordes he sheweth what manner of fire the tongue is and from whence it hath that fire It is saith hee it selfe set on fire of hell Then is the tongue not onely fire but most pestilent and hellish or deuilish fire Hell enflameth the tongue how can that be Hell is here put for the deuils of hell they set the tongue on fire they doe enflame it with the hellish fire for as the holy ghost inspiring and sanctifying the heart of a good or godly man filleth it with all precious and heauenly treasures which then the tongue bringeth foorth to the praise and glorie of God and to the benefite of men so the deuill filleth the hearts of wicked men with such treasures as hell doth affoord and their tongues doe vtter foorth the same And in that respect the holy Apostle saith that the toÌ„gue it selfe is set on fire of hell O that men would consider of this how their tongues are theÌ„ speciall instruments of the deuill to spread here in the whole worlde the fire of hell O that they would weigh and consider whome they serue and whose worke they doe perfourme That tongue which hath beene giuen to be the chiefe instrument in the bodie of man for to magnifie the praise and honour of the Lorde and to benefit men how is it turned and changed to be the firebrand to set the whole world on fire euen with the fire of hell But if it be demanded what is this same fire which it is enflamed withall and with which it doth enflame the whole course of nature You know that Saint Paul saith The deuill hath fiery dartes which faith doth quench now where faith is not hee fixeth those dartes in the heart of man and so when the heart is filled with that hellish fire the tongue presently receiueth it and casteth it abroad euen like wild fire hee shooteth the dart of pride and vaineglorie ambition into the mind the dart of selfeloue of enuie of hatred and of malice Moreouer he fasteneth his dartes of vanitie and vaine pleasures with the dartes of all vncleane lusts of fornication and adulterie These are from hell these are fierie and the fire of Gods wrath is with them and the tongue hereupon scattereth and disperseth all this fire abroad as wordes of contempt of disdaine and reproch words full of fury and bitter rage with lying and slandring backbiting wordes full of vanitie and horrible othes wordes full of filthie ribaldrie and all manner of beastly songs Shall I take vpon me to number the starres or to measure the sandes of the sea If not what should I take vpon me to enter into all particulars in this matter There is nothing which the fiends of hell doe suggest into the wicked heartes of men but the tongue poureth it forth Hereupon as wee see by daily experience all the world is on a flame euen with the fire of hell There is cursing and banning

and raging there is boasting and quarrelling and reuiling there is false accusing lying and condemning yea as the Apostle saide before there is in the speech euen a world of wickednes all the partes of man are defiled by the same It is a generall contagion that ouerspreadeth the whole And Saint Iames doeth yet further set foorth the vnrulinesse of the tongue by a comparison There is a wonderfull fierce nature in sundrie sortes of wilde beasts as in the lyon the leopard the tygre and the wolfe with many others of these men haue caught some and brought them to be tame There bee also among the foules among the creeping things and among the fishes things verie wilde and vnruly which yet by man haue beene tamed but saith hee the tongue can no man tame All the cruell nature of the sauadge wilde beasts of foules of serpents and of fishes is not like the tongue that passeth them all no wisedome nor power of man can tame that Is not this a wonderfull thing will men beleeue that this little member should haue such a nature in it that no man can rule it Maruaile not at this the cause is euident euen by that which goeth before in this text Is there any beast any foule any serpent or fish whose nature is to be compared to the deuill or to the fire of hell I doubt not but euery man will confesse and say thus There bee horrible and sauage natures among beastes and serpentes and dragons but the deuils goe beyond them all there is no comparison hell can not bee matched that fire can not bee quenched there is no taming of those things Then marke how he said that the tongue is set on fire of hell The nature of hell the nature of the deuill is put into the tongue and hereupon it commeth to passe that it is harder to be tamed then all the nature of serpents and wilde beasts Then when hee saith But the tongue can no man tame is it his meaning that there is nor was neuer any man but his tongue hath beene vntamed set on fire of hell and so a firebrand to set the worlde on fire The tongues of the Prophets the tongues of the Apostles the tongues of the martyrs and holy men haue vttered the heauenly trueth to the praise of God and to the singular good of men how then is it saide The tongue can no man tame were not the tongues of these wel tamed yes verely but yet this standeth still The tongue can no man tame For their tongues were tamed not by themselues nor by any wisedome power or vertue of man but by grace euen by the working and power of the heauenly spirit of God from aboue No man then but the Lorde God whose power is aboue all hath euer tamed the nature of the tongue There is nothing in man from Satan or from hel be it neuer so pestilent horrible but the grace power of God can subdue it It is not then the purpose or meaning of the Apostle by saying but the tongue can no man tame to lead men vnto this euen to let it alone for that which is vnpossible vnto man he will not set vpon it at least if he know so much For to what end and purpose should a man goe about to doe that which is aboue his power I say it is not the purpose of the holy Apostle so to perswade but by shewing the difficultie and impossibilitie in regard of mans strength hee mooueth men to seeke vnto God for the power of his grace for there is all the helpe And seeing there is helpe in God how can we be excused if we doe not flie vnto him The thing is most horrible wee ought to abhorre it that wee should carrie in our mouth the fire of hell and the nature of the deuill Shall wee not thirst for those heauenly and pure waters of the holy ghost which shall extinguish such hellish fire O beloued it is the mind and purpose of the Apostle when he sheweth vs these things to stir vs vp to seeke more earnestly vnto God and not to trust to our owne strength vnlesse wee make small account to carrie such a tongue yea such a firebrande of hell in our mouth as is worse then any serpent What a loathsome thing ought it to be to the minde of euery man to haue his mouth full of the fire of hell euer and anon for to cast abroad wee holde it a verie rare and most strange and monstrous thing if any beast should carrie ranke poison in his mouth to cast forth farre and neere and the tongue of man spreadeth that which is a great deale woorse then any poison for men spitte fire euen the verie fire of hell alas shall wee not seeke helpe for this O beloued be not deceiued to thinke that the speeches of the Apostle are more vehement then the matter requireth I confesse that the holy scripture vseth sometimes hyperbolicall speeches but in these comparisons it is not so The tongue indeed is as he saith an vnruly euill full of deadly poison You know what is written in other places Their mouth is full of cursing and bitternes the poison of Aspes is vnder their lippes their throate is an open sepulchre they flatter vvith their tongues Wee can not away with the poion of Aspes wee loath to heare of it and shall wee not then loath to carrie such horrible deadly poison in our tongues Let vs thinke well of these things and iudge of them as the Lord pronounceth and not according to our owne sense for as euery thing liketh and loueth that which is in their owne nature as the toad liketh her owne poison so doeth the venemous serpent the Aspe and the Cockatrice so shall men by nature like and loue well the poison which is vnder their tongue and that fire with which it is enflamed by hell Men doe indeede euen glorie in those horrible things which come from their tongue Let vs therfore as I said iudge of the things as the Lord pronounceth not according to our own sense The Lord saith that the tongues of men are full of deadly poison If wee were throughly perswaded thereof would it not euen force vs to seek vnto the Lord to haue such poison remoued Would we like well to continue stil as venemous serpents Could wee thinke well of this that the diuell should fire our tongues with the fire of hell Or that hee should vse our tongues as his instruments to set all in a broile God bee mercifull vnto vs and helpe vs for our case otherwise is most wretched and miserable And let vs now see what reason the Apostle rendreth to shewe that the tongue is full of deadly poyson for he giueth an instance or a taste of the same deadly poyson in one particular which is this Therewith blesse we God euen the father and therewith curse wee men which are made after the image of God Out of one

it were against al course of nature But I wil come to the words as they lie If anie man sin not in word be is a perfect man and able to bridle the whole bodie In this proposition which is as they say hypotheticall hee sheweth that he which is able to rule and doth rule his tongue so that he doth not offend with it he is perfect and doth bridle and order well the whole bodie For where that little member goeth right al goeth right But doth not the Apostle put a case here which neuer falleth out Is there anie man perfect which sinneth not It is out of doubt that if Saint Iames doe meane by a perfect man such an one as hath no sinne in him that then hee putteth a case that is neuer founde if we take him so yet his matter standeth sure For doubtles if there could bee a man absolutelie perfect in his toong he shuld be perfect throughout Or if we take him as the scripture doth vse to speake calling them perfect which are come vnto a sound strength of godlines and ripe knowledge of God as 1. Cor. 2.6 We speake wisdome saith S. Paule among those which are perfect And Phil. 3.15 As many as are perfect let vs thinke his And Heb. 6. vers 1. Let vs be caried on vnto perfection If I say we take perfection so then look how far a man is growne in all godlines so farre is it in his tongue and looke what wanteth in his tongue of such perfection that he wanteth in all other partes for the perfection or the want in the whole man goeth with the want and perfection of the tongue Our Sauiour Christ sheweth the cause saying Out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth foorth good thinges and an euill man out of the euill treasure bringeth forth euill things Matt. 12.34.35 The tongue is the speciall instrument to vtter euerie thing which is in the heart Look how far the hart is sound and good so far wil the tongue be good For let the heart proceede vnto neuer so great perfection the tongue will vtter it and be good according to the goodnes of the heart And look what euill is in the tongue it commeth from the heart And when wicked thoughts be in the hart the tongue cannot so dissemble but at one time or another they will break foorth in speech As come to particulars If the heart be full of light of knowledge and true wisdome the tongue will vtter it If there be darknes ignorance error the speech will bee according If there bee faith the toong wil confesse it if the loue of God there wil breake foorth praise and thanksgiuing If meekenesse the wordes will bee gentle If pride and wrath the tongue is fierce and bitter If chastitie then pure speech and from vnclean lusts a foule mouth What should I rehearse particulars the tongue is as the heart is in all thinges a vaine tongue argueth a vaine heart Let no man stand vpon this and say words are but winde it is no great matter what a mans wordes bee there is no harme done it is but communication This is an ignorant speech for the wordes are of such waight that our Sauiour saith Of euerie idle word you shall gine a reckoning at the day of iudgment By thy wordes thou shalt be iustified and by thy wordes thou shalt bee condemned Matt. 12. vers 36.37 Shall a man then say further though my wordes be but vaine and foolish yet I mean no hurt my heart is good Alas what an imagination is that Is not the tongue the opener of that which lay hid in the heart Euen as a man beholdeth his face in a glasse so may wee beholde the heart of a man in his tongue True it is that the hypocrite which hath a wicked heart can speake good wordes but yet the wickednes will breake foorth at times doe what he can But shall such a little member extend so farre as the Apostle here speaketh Shall hee that doeth bridle it bridle all partes of the bodie No maruel as hee declareth by his two similitudes Horses that be strong fierce and full of courage are yet with a little bit in their mouthturned about by the rider A ship is a great thing and often driuen of fierce winds vpon the seas and yet the gouernour with the little rudder turneth them about which way he wil. As such little thinges turne about great and mightie things so the tongue though it bee but a little member yet hee saith boasteth great thinges This seemeth a very hard application For he speaketh heere before of the well ordering of the tongue what power it hath and now saith boasteth great thinges for boasting is not good and a man may boast great thinges which yet he cannot do The bit in the horse mouth doth turn him about indeed and so doth the little rudder more then boast of turning about the great ship Why then saith hee the tongue boasteth great thinges Indeed the word may well bee so translated But S. Iames doth vse it not as a bare boasting nor in euill part but as if he should say look how the bit is a little thing and turneth about the whole bodie of a fierce horse causing him to obey the rider and as the rudder is small and yet turneth about a great ship or as these two little things do great matters so the tongue being a very small member lifteth it selfe vp to the performance of verie great things It so boasteth that it performeth them indeede But what bee those great matters which it doth so well To speake brieflie it bringeth forth all the good treasures of the hart as our Sauiour hath said Look what gift of grace or heaueÌ„ly thing the holy ghost worketh in the heart of man his tongue vttereth the same The tongue is giuen as a speciall instrument to glorifie praise god Great duties it is to perform that way and as it were to leade the whole bodie And also towards men it doeth many goodly things Out of a wise heart it bringeth forth wisedom knowledge to inform and to iustruct the ignorant It giueth wholesome aduise and good counsel vnto such as need It perswadeth comforteth exhorteth admonisheth and rebuketh as need doth require Yea infinite are the benefites which the tongue rightlie ordered doth bring vnto men Let no corrupt communication saith Saint Paule proceed out of your mouthes but such as is good to the vse of edifying that it may minister grace to the hearers Ephes 4.29 And also hee saith Let your speech be alwayes gracious and poudered with salt that ye may know how to answer euery man Coloss 4.6 Beloved when wee consider well of these thinges it teacheth vs how farre off we be from perfection For doe wee not come woonderfull farre short of guiding our tongue aright to the performaÌ„ce of these great

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