on, have usually that point of presumption with it, that they make their own size the model and rule to examine all by. What is below it, they condemn indeed as profane; but what is beyond it, they account needless and affected preciseness: and therefore are as ready as others to let fly invectives or bitter taunts against it, which are the keen and poisoned shafts of the tongue, and a persecution that will be called to a strict account. Also impure or filthy speaking, which either pollutes or offends the hearers, and is the noisome breath of a rotten polluted heart.

2. Consider next, as another grand part of the tongue, uncharitable speeches, tending to the defaming and disgrace of others; and these are likewise of two sortsopen railing and reproaches-secret slander and detraction. The former is unjust and cruel, but it is somewhat the less dangerous because open. It is a fight in plain field; but truly it is no piece of a Christian's warfare to encounter it in the same way. But the other kind, detraction, is more universal amongst all sorts, as being a far easier way of mischief. Railings cry out the matter openly, but detraction works all by surprises and stratagem and mines under ground, and therefore is much more pernicious. The former are as the arrows that fly by day, but this as the pestilence that walketh in darkness; it spreads and infects secretly and insensibly, is not felt but in the effects of it; and it works either by calumnies altogether forged and untrue, of which malice is inventive, or by the advantage of real faults, of which it is very discerning, and these are stretched and aggravated to the utmost. It is not expressible how deep a wound a tongue sharpened to this work will give, with a very little word and little noise. It is like a razor, Psalm lii, 2, which with a small touch cuts very deep. It takes things by the worst handle, whereas charity will try about all ways for a good acceptation of things, and takes all by the best. This pest is still killing some in almost all companies. And they convey it under fair prefacing of commendation; so giving poison in wine, both that it may pass the better, and penetrate the more. This is a great sin, one which the Lord ranks with the first,

when he sets them in order against a man; Psal. 1, 20; Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother.

3. Vain, fruitless speeches are an evil of the tongue. Not only those they call harmless lies, which some poor people take a pleasure in and trade much in, light buffooneries and foolish jestings, but the greatest part of those discourses which men account the blameless entertainments one of another, come within the compass of this evil; frothy unsavory stuff, tending to no purpose nor good at all; idle or effectless words, as our Saviour speaks, of which we must give account in the day of judgment, for that very reason, because they are idle. They are in this world of evil, in the tongue. If no other way ill, yet ill they are, as the Arabian deserts and barren sands, because they are fruitless.

4. Doubleness and guile; so great a part, that it is here particularly named a part, though the evil of it is less known and discerned; and so there is in it, as I may say, much "terra incognita;" yet it is of a very large compass, as large, we may confidently say, as all the other three together. What of men's speech is not manifestly evil in any of the other kinds, is the most of it naught this way; speech good to appearance, plausible and fair, but not upright; not silver, but silver dross, as Solomon calls it; Prov. xxvi, 23; each, some way or other, speaking falsehood and deceit to his neighbour; and daring to act thus falsely with God in his services; religious speeches abused by some in hypocrisy, as holy vestments, for a mask or disguise; doing nothing but compassing him about with lies, deceiving indeed ourselves, while we think to deceive him, who cannot be deceived, and will not be mocked.

The sins of each of us, would we enter into a strict account of ourselves, would be found to arise to a great sum in this kind; and they that do put themselves upon the work of self-trial, find, no doubt, abundant matter of deepest humbling, though they had no more, even in the sin of their lips, and are by it often astonished at the Lord's patience; Isaiah, having seen the Lord in a glorious vision, this in particular falls upon his thoughts concerning himself and the people, polluted lips. And in

deed it is a thing the godly mind cannot be satisfied with, to make mention of the Lord, till their lips be touched with a coal from the heavenly fire of the altar; and they especially that are called to be the Lord's messengers will say, as St. Bernard said, "Had the prophet need of a coal to unpollute his lips, then do ministers require a whole globe of fire." Go through the land, and see, if the sins of this kind will not take up much of the bill against us, which the Lord seems now to have taken into his hands and to be reading. Is it not because of oaths that the land mourns, or, I am sure, hath high cause to mourn? Mockings at the power of godliness fly thick in most societies. And what is there scarcely to be found but mutual detractions and supplantings of the good name of another, tongues taught to speak lies, and that frame and weave together deceits. And even the godly, as they may be subject to other sins, so may they be under some degree of this; and too many are very much subject by reason of their unwatchfulness, though not to profane, yet to vain and, it may be, to detractive speeches; sometimes possibly not with malicious intention, but out of an inadvertence of this evil, readier to stick on the failings of men and, it may be, of other Christians, than to consider, and commend, and follow what is laudable in them; and, it may be, in their best discourses, not endeavouring to have hearts purified, as becomes them from all guile and self-ends. O it is a thing needs much diligent study, and is worth it all, to be thoroughly sincere and unfeigned in all, and particularly in these things! Our Saviour's innocence is expressed so; In his mouth was found no guile.

But to add something for remedy of these evils in some part discovered-for to vanquish this world of evils is a great conquest-it must begin at the heart; otherwise it will be but a mountebank cure, a false, imagined conquest. The weights and wheels are there, and the clock strikes according to their motion. Even he that speaks contrary to what is within him, guilefully contrary to his inward conviction and knowledge, yet speaks conformably to what is within him in the temper and frame of his heart, which is double. A guileful heart makes guileful tongue

and lips. It is the work-house, where is the forge of deceits, and slanders, and other evil speakings; and the tongue is only the outer shop where they are vended, and the lips the door of it; so then such ware as is made within, such and no other can be set out-from evil thoughts, evil speakings; from a profane heart, profane words; and from a malicious heart, bitter or calumnious words; and from a deceitful heart, guileful words, well varnished, but lined with rottenness. And so in the general, from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. If thou art inured to oaths or cursing, in any kind or fashion of it, taking the great name of God any ways in vain, do not favor thyself in it as a small offence. To excuse it by custom is to wash thyself with ink; and to plead that thou art long practised in that sin, is to accuse thyself deeper. If thou wouldst indeed be delivered from it, think not that a slight dislike of it will do; but seek for a due knowledge of the majesty of God, and thence a deep reverence of him in thy heart; and that will certainly cure that habituated evil of thy tongue; will quite alter that bias, which the custom thou speakest of hath given it; will cast it in a new mould, and teach it a new language; will turn thy regardless abuse of that name, by vain oaths and asseverations, into a holy frequent use of it in prayers and praises. Thou wilt not then dare dishonor that blessed name, which saints and angels bless and adore; but wilt set in with them to bless it. None that know the weight of that name, will dally with it, and lightly lift it up, as the word translated taking in vain signifies; they that do continue to lift it up in vain, to sport themselves with it, will find the weight of it falling back upon them, and crushing them to pieces.

In like manner, a purified heart will unteach the tongue all filthy, impure speeches, and will give it a holy strain; and the spirit of charity and humility will banish that mischievous humor, which sets so deep in the most, of reproaching and disgracing others in any way, either openly or secretly; for it is wicked self-love and pride of heart, whence these do spring, searching and disclosing the failings of others, on which love will rather cast a

mantle to hide them. It is an argument of a candid ingenuous mind, to delight in the good name and conmendation of others, to pass by their defects and take notice of their virtues, and to speak and hear of those willingly, and not endure either to speak or hear of the other; for in this indeed you may be little less guilty than the evil speaker, in taking pleasure in it, though you speak it not. And this is a piece of men's natural perverseness, to drink in tales and calumnies; and he that doth this, will readily, from the delight he hath in hearing, slide insensibly into the humor of evil speaking.

Be choice in your society, Sit not with vain persons, whose tongues have nothing else to utter, but impurity, or malice, or folly. Men readily learn the dialect and tone of the people amongst whom they live. If you sit in the chair of scorners, if you take a seat with them, you will quickly take a share of their diet with them, and sitting amongst them, take your turn, in time, of speaking with them in their own language. But frequent the company of grave and godly persons, in whose hearts and lips, piety, and love, and wisdom are set, and it is the way to learn their language.

Use a little of the bridle in the quantity of speech. Incline a little rather to sparing than lavishing, for in many words there wants not sin. The flux of the tongue, that prating and babbling disease, is very common; and hence so many impertinencies, yea, so many of those worse ills in our discourses, whispering about, and inquiring, and censuring this and that-a childish delight! and yet most men carry it with them all along to speak of persons and things not concerning them. And this draws them to speak many things which agree not with the rules of wisdom, and charity, and sincerity. He that refraineth his lips is wise, saith Solomon. A vessel without a cover cannot escape uncleanness. Much might be avoided by a little refraining of this; much of the infection and sin that are occasioned by the many babblings that are usual. And were it no worse, is it not a sufficient evil, that they waste that time, that precious time, which cannot be recovered, which the most just or most thankful man in the world cannot restore? He too that