Chapter IX: Directions for the Government of the Tongue.474 (1)

_Tit._ 1. _The General Directions._

_Direct._ I. Understand in general of what moment and concernment it is, that the tongue be well governed and used. For they that think words are inconsiderable, will use them inconsiderately. The conceit that words are of small moment (as some say of thoughts, that they are free) doth cause men to use their tongues as if they were free, saying, "Our lips are our own: who is lord over us?" Psal. xii. 4.

[Sidenote: The greatness of the sins and duties of the tongue.]

1. The tongue of man is his glory;[475] by which expressively he excelleth the brutes; and a wonderful work of God it is, that a man's tongue should be able to articulate such an exceeding number of words: and God hath not given man so admirable a faculty for vanity and sin; the nobler and more excellent it is, the more to be regarded, and the greater is the fault of them that do abuse it. Hilary compareth them to an ill barber that cuts a man's face and so deformeth him, when his work was to have made him more neat and comely. So it is the office of the tongue to be excellently serviceable to the good of others, and to be the glory of mankind; the shame therefore of its faults is the more unexcusable.

2. The tongue is made to be the index or expresser of the mind; therefore if the mind be regardable, the tongue is regardable. And if the mind be not regardable, the man is not regardable. For our Lord telleth us, that the tree is known by its fruit; an evil tree bringeth forth evil fruits: and "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh."[476] And Aristotle saith, that "such as a man is, such are his speeches, such his works, and such his life."[477] Therefore by vain or sinful words you tell men the vanity and corruption of your minds.

3. Men's works have a great dependence on their words; therefore if their deeds be regardable, their words are regardable. Deeds are stirred up or caused by words. Daily experience telleth us the power of speech. A speech hath saved a kingdom, and a speech hath lost a kingdom. Great actions depend on them, and greater consequents.

4. If the men that we speak to be regardable, words are regardable. For words are powerful instruments of their good or hurt. God useth them by his ministers for men's conversion and salvation; and Satan useth them by his ministers for men's subversion and damnation. How many thousand souls are hurt every day by the words of others! some deceived, some puffed up, some hardened, and some provoked to sinful passions! And how many thousand are every day edified by words! either instructed, admonished, quickened, or comforted. Paul saith, 2 Cor. x. 4, "The weapons of our warfare are mighty through God." And Pythagoras could say, that "tongues cut deeper than swords, because they reach even to the soul." Tongue sins and duties therefore must needs be great.

5. Our tongues are the instruments of our Creator's praise, purposely given us to "speak good of his name," and to "declare his works with rejoicing."[478] It is no small part of that service which God expects from man, which is performed by the tongue; nor a small part of the end of our creation: the use of all our highest faculties, parts, and graces, are expressively by the tongue: our wisdom and knowledge, our love and holiness, are much lost as to the honour of God, and the good of others, if not expressed. The tongue is the lantern or casement of the soul, by which it looketh out, and shineth unto others. Therefore the sin or duty of so noble an instrument is not to be made light of, by any that regard the honour of our Maker.

6. Our words have a great reflection and operation upon our own hearts. As they come from them, so they recoil to them, as in prayer and conference we daily observe. Therefore for our own good or hurt, our words are not to be made light of.

7. God's law and judgment will best teach you what regard you should have to words. Christ telleth you, that by "your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned," Matt. xii. 37. And it is words of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which are the unpardonable sin. James iii. 2, "If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able to bridle the whole body." Ver. 6, "The tongue is a fire; a world of iniquity: so is the tongue amongst our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire of hell." James i. 26, "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain." 1 Pet. iii. 10, "For he that will love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile." Matt. xii. 36, "But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." The third commandment telleth us, that "God will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain." And Psal. xv. 1-3, "Speaking the truth in his heart, and not backbiting with the tongue," is the mark of him that shall abide in "God's tabernacle, and dwell in his holy hill." And the very work of heaven is said to be the perpetual "praising of God," Rev. xiv. 11. Judge now how God judgeth of your words.

8. And some conjecture may be made by the judgment of all the world. Do you not care yourselves what men speak of you and to you? Do you not care what language your children, or servants, or neighbours give you? Are not words against the king treasonable and capital, as well as deeds? The "wheel of affairs or course of nature is set on fire by words," James iii. 6. I may conclude then with Prov. xviii. 21, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue:" and Prov. xxi. 23, "Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from trouble."

[Sidenote: The duties of the tongue.]

_Direct._ II. Understand well and remember the particular duties of the tongue; for the mere restraint of it from evil is not enough; and they are these: 1. To glorify God by the magnifying of his name; to speak of the praises of his attributes and works. 2. To sing psalms of praise to him, and delight our souls in the sweet commemoration of his excellencies. 3. To give him thanks for the mercies already received, and declare to others what he hath done for our souls and bodies, for his church and for the world. 4. To pray to him for what we want, and for our brethren, for the church, and for the conversion of his and our enemies. 5. To appeal to him and swear by his name when we are called to it lawfully. 6. To make our necessary covenants and vows to him, and to make open profession of our belief, subjection, and obedience to him, before men. 7. To preach his word, or declare it in discourse, and to teach those that are committed to our care, and edify the ignorant and erroneous as we have opportunity. 8. To defend the truth of God by conference or disputation; and confute the false doctrine of deceivers. 9. To exhort men to their particular duties, and to reprove their particular sins; and endeavour to do them good as we are able. 10. To confess our own sins to God and man as we have occasion. 11. To crave the advice and help of others for our souls; and inquire after the will of God, and the way to salvation. 12. To praise that which is good in others, and speak good of all men, superiors, equals, and inferiors, so far as there is just ground and cause. 13. To bear witness to the truth, when we are called to it. 14. To defend the cause of the just and innocent, and vindicate them against false accusers; and excuse those causes and persons that deserve excuse. 15. To communicate and convey to others the same good impressions and affections of mind, which God hath wrought on us, and not only the bare truths themselves which we have received. 16. Lastly, to be instruments of common converse; of expressing our mutual affections and respects, and transacting all our worldly business: for learning, arts, manufactures, &c. These are the uses and duties of the tongue.[480]

[Sidenote: The sins of the tongue.]

_Direct._ III. Understand and remember what are the sins of the tongue to be avoided. And they are very many, and many of them very great: the most observable are these:

1. (Not to say any more of the sins of omission; because it is easy to know them, when I have named the duties, which are done or omitted,) among the sins of commission, the first that I shall name is, blasphemy, as being the greatest; which is the reproaching of God: to speak contemptuously of God, or to vilify him, or dishonour him, by the denying of his perfections, and to debase him, by false titles, doctrines, images, resemblances, as likening him to man in any of our imperfections; any thing that is a reproaching of God is blasphemy. Such as Rabshakeh used when he threatened Hezekiah; and such as infidels and heretics use, when they deny his omnipresence, omniscience, government, justice, particular providence or goodness; and affirm any evil of him, as that he is the author of sin, or false of his word, or that he governeth the world by mere deceit, or the like.

2. Another sin of the tongue is, false doctrine, or teaching things false and dangerous as from God. If any falsely say, he had such or such a point by divine inspiration, vision, or revelation, that maketh him a false prophet. But if he only say falsely, that this or that doctrine is contained in the Scripture, or delivered by tradition to the church, this is but to be a false teacher; which is a sin greater or less according to the aggravations hereafter mentioned.

3. Another of the sins of the tongue is, an opposing of godliness indirectly, by false application of true doctrine, and an opposing of godly persons for the sake of godliness, and cavilling against particular truths and duties of religion; or indirectly opposing the truth or duty under pretence of opposing only some controverted mode or imperfection in him that speaketh or performeth it: a defending of those points and practices which would subvert or undermine religion: a secret endeavour to make all serious godliness seem a needless thing. There are many that seem orthodox, that are impious and malicious opposers of that truth in the application, which themselves do notionally hold, and positively profess.

4. Another great sin of the tongue is, the profane deriding of serious godliness, and the mocking, and jesting, and scorning at godly persons as such; or scorning at some of their real or supposed imperfections, for their piety sake, to make them odious, that piety through them might be made odious. When men so speak, that the drift and tendency of their speech is to draw men to a dislike of truth or holiness; and their mocks or scorns at some particular opinion, or practice, or mode, doth tend to the contempt of religion in the serious practice of it. When they mock at a preacher of the gospel, for some expressions or imperfections, or for truth itself, to bring him and his doctrine into contempt; or at the prayers and speeches of religious persons, to the injury of religion.

5. Another great sin of the tongue is, unjustly to forbid Christ's ministers to preach his gospel, or speak in his name; or to stand up against them and contradict, resist, and hinder them in the preaching of the truth; and, as Gamaliel calls it, "to fight against God," Acts v. 39. Yet thus they did by the apostles; ver. 46, "When they had called the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go." So Acts iv. 18, 19, "And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus; but Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye; for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." 1 Thess. ii. 15, 16, "Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men. Forbidding us to speak to the gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost." As Dr. Hammond paraphraseth it, "And this generally is the ground of their quarrel to us, that in spite of their prohibition we preach to the gentiles."----

6. Another sin of the tongue is, profane swearing, either by God or by creatures: and also all light and unreverent use of the name and attributes of God, of which more afterwards.

7. Much more is perjury or forswearing a most heinous sin, it being an appealing to God, the author and defender of truth, to bear witness to an untruth, and to judge the offender; and so a craving of vengeance from God.

8. Lying also is a great and common sin of the tongue: of which more anon.

9. Another sin of the tongue is, hypocritical dissembling, which is worse than mere lying: when men's tongues agree not with their hearts, but speak good words in prayer to God, or conference with men, to cover evil intentions or affections, and to represent themselves to the hearers as better than they are.

10. Another is, ostentation or proud boasting, either of men's wit and learning, or greatness, or riches, or honour, or strength, or beauty, or parts, or piety, or any thing that men are proud of.[481] As the faithful "do make their boast in God," Psal. xxxiv. 2; xliv. 8, and in the "cross of Christ," by which "they are crucified to the world," Gal. vi. 14; so the covetous "boast themselves in the multitude of their riches," Psal. xlix. 6, and the "workers of iniquity boast themselves against the righteous, and the proud do triumph and speak hard things," Psal. xciv. 2-4. "Even against the Lord," do they boast, in their boasting against his people, Ezek. xxxv. 13. So far as pride prevaileth with men, they are apt to "boast themselves to be somebody," Acts v. 36. Either openly, as the more foolish do, or cunningly by the help of fair pretences, as the more ingenious proud ones do.

11. Another sin of the tongue is, unseasonable speaking of common things when holy things should be preferred; as on the Lord's day, or at the time of public worship, or when the company, occasion, or opportunity call for holy speeches: worldlings are talking, as Saul, of their asses, when they should talk of a kingdom, 1 Sam. ix. x. To speak about your callings and common affairs is lawful, so it be moderately and in season; but when you talk all of the world and vanity, and never have done, and will scarce have any other talk in your mouths, and even on God's day will "speak your own words," Isa. lviii. 13, this is profane and sinful speaking.

12. Another common sin of the tongue is, a tempting and persuading others to sin, enticing them to gluttony, drunkenness, wantonness, fornication, or any other crime; as men that "not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them," Rom. i. 32. This is to be the instruments and servants of the devil, and most directly to do his work in the world. The same I may say of unjust excusing, extenuating, or defending the sins of others, or commanding, alluring, affrighting, or encouraging them thereto.

13. Another is, a carnal manner of handling the sacred things of God, as when it is done with lightness, or with unsuitable curiosity of words, or in a ludicrous, toyish manner, especially by the preachers of the gospel themselves; and not with a style that is grave and serious, agreeable to the weight and majesty of the truth.

14. Another is, an imprudent, rash, and slovenly handling of holy things; when they are spoken of so ignorantly, unskilfully, disorderly, or passionately, as tendeth to dishonour them, and frustrate the desired good success.[482]

15. Another sin of the tongue is, the reviling or dishonouring of superiors; when children speak unreverently and dishonourably to or of their parents; or subjects of their governors; or servants of their masters, either to their faces, or behind their backs. "They are not afraid to speak evil of dignities," 2 Pet. ii. 10; Jude 8.

16. Another is, the imperious contempt of inferiors, insulting over them, provoking and discouraging them. Eph. vi. 4, "Fathers, provoke not your children to wrath."

17. Another sin of the tongue is, idle talk and multitude of useless words; a babbling loquacity, or unprofitableness of speech; when it is speech that tendeth to no edification, nor any good use for mind, or body, or affairs.

18. Another sin is, foolish talk, or jesting in levity and folly, which tendeth to possess the minds of the hearers with a disposition of levity and folly like the speakers. Eph. v. 4, "Foolish talking and jesting are things not convenient." Honest mirth is lawful; and that is the best which is most sanctified, as being from a holy principle, and about a holy matter, or to a holy end: as "rejoicing in the Lord always," Phil. iv. 4. "If any be merry let him sing psalms," James v. 13. But such a light and frothy jesting, as is but the vent of habitual levity by idle words, is not allowable. But especially those persons do most odiously abuse their tongues and reason, who counterfeit idiots or fools, and use their wit to cover their jests with a seeming folly, to make them the more ridiculous, and make it their very profession to be the jesters of great men. They make a trade of heinous sin.

19. Another sin is, "filthy speaking," Eph. v. 4; obscene and ribald talk; which the apostle calls "corrupt or rotten communication," Eph. iv. 29; when wanton, filthy minds do make themselves merry with wanton, filthy speeches. This is the devil's preparative to whoredom and all abominable uncleanness; for when the tongue is first taught to make a sport of such filthy sins, and the ear to be delighted in it, or be indifferent to it, there remaineth but a small step to actual filthiness.

20. Another sin of the tongue is, cursing; when men wish some mischief causelessly or unwarrantably to others. If you speak but in passion or jest, and desire not to them in your hearts the hurt which you name, it is nevertheless a sin of the tongue, as it is to speak blasphemy or treason in a passion or in jest; the tongue must be ruled as well as the heart. But if really you desire the hurt which you wish them, it is so much the worse. But it is worst of all, when passionate, factious men will turn their very prayers into cursings, calling for fire from heaven, and praying for other men's destruction or hurt; and pretending Scripture examples for it; as if they might do it unwarrantably, which others have done in other cases in a warrantable manner.

21. Slandering is another sin of the tongue; when out of malice and ill will, men speak evil falsely of others to make them odious or do them hurt: or else through uncharitable credulity, do easily believe a false report, and so report it again to others; or through rashness and unruliness of tongue, divulge it, before they try it, or receive either just proof, or any warrantable call to mention it.

22. Another sin is, backbiting and venting ill reports behind men's backs, without any warrant. Be the matter true or false, as long as you either know it not to be true, or if you do, yet vent it to make the person less respected, or at least without a sufficient cause, it is a sin against God, and a wrong to men.

23. Another sin is, rash censuring, when you speak that evil of another, which you have but an uncharitable surmise of; and take that to be probable which is but possible, or that to be certain which is but probable against another.[483]

24. Another sin is, railing, reviling, or passionate, provoking words, which tend to the diminution of charity, and the breach of peace, and the stirring up of discord, and of a return of railing words from others, contrary to the love, and patience, and meekness, and gentleness which become saints.

25. Another sin is, cheating, deceiving, overreaching words; when men use their tongues to defraud their neighbours, in bargaining for their own gain.

26. Another sin of the tongue is, false witness-bearing, and false accusing; a sin which cries to God for vengeance, who is the justifier of the innocent.

27. Another sin of the tongue is, the passing an unrighteous sentence in judgment: when rulers absolve the guilty or condemn the just, and call evil good and good evil, and say to the righteous, "Thou art wicked," Prov. xxiv. 24.

28. Another sin of the tongue is, flattery; which is the more heinous by how much more hurtful. And it is most hurtful, 1. When it tendeth to delude men in the greatest things, even the state of their souls. The flattery of a preacher that deceiveth men as in the name of Christ, is of all other flattery the most pernicious; to make the unregenerate believe that they are regenerate, and the ungodly to believe that they are godly, and the unjustified to believe that they are justified, and the children of Satan to believe that without conversion they may be saved; to make a worldling, a swearer, a glutton, a drunkard, a fornicator, a formal hypocrite, or a hater of holiness, believe that such as he may come to heaven without the sanctifying, renewing work of the Holy Ghost; this is the most eminent service of the devil that the tongue of any man can do him, except it be the very open opposers of religion. As the devil useth more to flatter men to hell, than to frighten them thither, so do his ministers and instruments. And all doctrines of libertinism and looseness, which warrant men to do evil and to neglect a holy life, are of the two a more dangerous way of flattery, than that which consisteth but in misapplication. Thus also carnal friends do use to flatter a sinner into presumption and false hopes, when they see him convinced of his sin and misery, and say, Trouble not yourself; God is merciful, and you have lived well, and been a good neighbour, and done nobody harm, and if such as you be not saved, God help a great many. Thus when a convinced sinner is striving to get out of the devil's snares, the servants of Satan rock him asleep again, by false and flattering speeches and deceit. 2. Flattering is pernicious when it tendeth to the hurt of many; as when rulers are deceived and perverted by it to the destruction of the people and themselves.[484] Prov. xxvi. 28, "A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it, and a flattering mouth worketh ruin." See 1 Thess. ii. 5; Ezek. xii. 24; Psal. xii. 2, 3.

29. Another sin is, a jeering, mocking, deriding, or scorning at others, either for their infirmities of body or mind, or for their virtues, or through envy and malice, or pride, or a custom of deriding, scornful speech. "Scorners delight in scorning," Prov. i. 22. See Psal. xxii. 7; xliv. 13; lxxix. 4. Especially when sinners scorn at the reproofs and counsels of the godly, and cast them all back into their faces with contempt; for he that "reproveth a scorner getteth himself a blot," Prov. ix. 7, 8. "A scorner loveth not one that reproveth," Prov. xv. 12.

30. Another tongue sin is, idolatry or false worship; the praise of idols, or praying to them, or making songs, or speeches, or disputes for them; as also the false worship of the true God. These among others are the sins of the tongue to be avoided. No wonder if there be yet more, for the "tongue is ὁ κοσμος της αδικιας, a world of iniquity," James iii. 6.

_Direct._ IV. When you have thus understood the duties and sins of the tongue, and the greatness of them, the next thing which you must be most careful and diligent about is, that you keep all that upon the heart which should be upon the tongue, and keep the heart clean from that which the tongue must be kept clean from.[485] The principal work must be about the heart; for "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." 1. The tongue will be no other way effectually governed; if the heart be upon the world, the tongue will most commonly be upon the world; you may force it a little against your hearts, but it will be to a very unconstant obedience; when you ever so little loose the reins it is gone. If the heart be proud, the tongue will speak proudly; if the heart be lustful, or vain, or malicious, the words will ordinarily be so too. 2. Or if you can force the tongue to go against the heart, it is but a hypocritical reformation. A vain, a proud, a worldly, a wanton, a malicious or ungodly heart will condemn you, though the tongue was forced to speak humbly, chastely, patiently, or piously. Therefore if you would overcome the vanity, or worldliness, or wantonness, or any other corruption of your speech, first set yourselves to overcome the same corruption in your hearts, and to revive and actuate the contrary graces. And if you would use your tongues to the honour of God, and the edification of men, wind up the spring of those holy affections which must be as water to the mill. It is the use of the tongue to express the mind: and it is the use of holy speech to be the expression of a holy mind. And do you think to express that which you have not? Will you make a duty of a lie? If you would speak of Christ or heaven with seriousness, see that your hearts are seriously set upon Christ and heaven. When you go into any company where you should speak for God, and for the hearers' good, endeavour beforehand to get a deep impression on your hearts of those attributes or truths of God which you would express; and to revive the sense of that upon yourselves which you would make others sensible of. Stir up within you the love of God, and the love of holiness and truth, and a love of the souls of them you speak to; and then you will be as a conduit which runs as soon as the cock is turned, because it is always full of water.

_Direct._ V. Labour for understanding in the matters on which you should discourse. Ignorance denieth provision for discourse, or furnisheth you only with chaff and vanity, and maketh you so speak as that it were better to say nothing. Knowledge and wisdom are continual storehouses of good and profitable talk: such as the "scribe instructed to the kingdom of heaven, that bringeth out of his treasure things new and old," Matt. xiii. 52. When a man understandeth the matter which he is to speak of, he is furnished to speak understandingly of it to others, and to defend it against gainsayers. Psal. xxxvii. 30, 31, "The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment: the law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide." Prov. x. 31, 32, "The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom; but the froward tongue shall be cut out: the lips of the righteous know what is acceptable; but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness." Wise men are never unprovided for wise speech; but the mouth of fools bewrayeth their folly. Prov. xv. 2, "The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright; but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness." Chap. xiv. 3, "In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride; but the lips of the wise shall preserve them." Chap. xviii. 6, 7, "A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes. A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul." But you will say, To tell us that we should get wisdom, is a word soon spoken, but not a thing that is easily or quickly done. It is very true; and therefore it is as true, that the tongue is not easily well used and governed; for men cannot express the wisdom which they have not, unless it be by rote: therefore you must take Solomon's counsel, Prov. ii. 1-6, "My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; so that thou incline thine ear to wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God: for the Lord giveth wisdom," &c.--

_Direct._ VI. In the mean time learn to be silent till you have learned to speak. Let not your tongues run before your wits; speak not of that which you do not well understand, unless as learners, to receive instruction. Rather of the two speak too little than too much.[486] Those that will needs talk of things which they understand not, do use, either to speak evil of them, (as Jude 10,) when they are good; or to speak evil of them, be they good or bad. He that cannot hold his tongue well, cannot speak well. Eccles. iii. 9, "There is a time to keep silence, and a time to speak." Amos v. 13, "There is a time so evil, that the prudent should keep silence." At such a time _Nihil æque proderit quam quiescere, et minimum cum aliis loqui et plurimum secum_, saith Seneca: It is then the best way to be quiet, and to say little to others, and much to yourselves. You have two ears and one tongue; hear twice and speak once; we oftener repent of speaking than of being silent. Few words are quickly answered for. To be wary and sparing of your speech doth not only avoid abundance of contention, danger, and repentance, but also procureth you a reputation of wisdom. Plutarch saith well, that _Pauca loquentibus paucis legibus opus est_: There needs but few laws for them that speak but few words. When one said to the cynic, when he was much silent, If thou art a wise man, thou dost foolishly; if thou be a fool, thou dost wisely. He answered, _Nemo stultus tacere potest_, A fool cannot hold his tongue; and he that cannot hold his tongue cannot hold his peace. Pythagoras's counsel in this agreeth with Christ's, _Aut sile, aut affer silentio meliora_, Either be silent, or say something that is better than silence. It was a wise answer of him that being asked whom covetous landlords and whom covetous lawyers hated most; did answer to the first, Those that eat little and sweat much; (for they usually live long, and so their leases are not soon expired;) and to the second, Those that speak little and love much; for such seldom make any work for lawyers. Two things are requisite in the matter of your speech; that it be somewhat needful to be spoken, and that it be a thing which you understand. Till then be silent.

_Direct._ VII. Take heed of hasty rashness in your speech; and use deliberation, especially in great or in doubtful things.[487] Think before you speak: it is better to try your words before you speak them than after; a preventing trial is better than a repenting trial; but if both be omitted, God will try them to your greater cost. I know, in matters that are thoroughly understood, a wise man can speak without any further premeditation, than the immediate actuating of the knowledge which he doth express; but when there is any fear of misunderstanding, or a disability to speak fitly and safely without forethoughts, there hasty speaking without deliberation (especially in weighty things) must be avoided: Prov. xxix. 20, "Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him." Especially take heed in speaking either to God in prayer, or in the name of God, or as from God in preaching or exhortation, or about the holy matters of God in any of thy discourse; Eccles. v. 1, "Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear than to offer the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil:" that is, watch thyself in public worship, and be forwarder to learn of God and to obey him, as sensible of thy ignorance and subject to his will, than to offer him thy sacrifice (as if he stood in need of thee) while thou neglectest or rejectest his commands. Ver. 2, 3, "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. For a dream cometh through multitude of business, and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words:" that is, come to God as an obedient learner and a receiver, and not as a giver; and therefore be readier to hear what he hath to command thee, than to pour out many words before him, as if he would accept and hear thee for thy babbling. If loquacity and forwardness to talk many undigested words be a sign of folly among men, how much more when thou speakest to God that is in heaven!

_Direct._ VIII. Keep a holy government over all your passions, (as aforesaid,) and especially try all those words with suspicion which any passion urgeth you to vent. For passion is so apt to blind the judgment, that even holy passions themselves must be warily managed, and feared, as you carry fire among straw or other combustible matter. As "grievous words stir up anger," Prov. xv. 1; so anger causeth grievous words. "Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools," Eccles. vii. 9. To govern the tongue when you are in any passion, (either love, or fear, or grief, or anger,) is like the governing of a ship in storms and tempests, or the managing of a horse that is fierce and heated. Prov. xiv. 16, 17, "The fool rageth and is confident: he that is soon angry dealeth foolishly." Chap. xxi. 19, "It is better to dwell in the wilderness than with a contentious, angry woman." Chap. xxix. 22, "An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression." There is no ruling the tongue if you cannot rule the passions: therefore it is good counsel, chap. xxii. 24, "Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man thou shalt not go; lest thou learn his way, and get a snare to thy soul."

_Direct._ IX. Foresee your opportunities of profitable discourse, and your temptations to evil speeches. For we are seldom thoroughly prepared for sudden, unexpected accidents. Consider when you go forth, what company you are like to fall into, and what good you are like to be called to, or what evil you are likest to be tempted to: especially consider the ordinary stated duties and temptations of your daily company and converse.

_Direct._ X. Accordingly (besides your aforesaid general preparations) be prepared particularly for those duties and those temptations: carry still about with you some special preservatives against those particular sins of speech which you are most in danger of; and some special provisions and helps to those duties of speech, which you may be called to: as a surgeon will carry about with him his instruments and salves which he is like to have use for, among the persons that he hath to do with; and as a traveller will carry such necessaries still with him, as in his travels he cannot be without. If you are to converse with angry men, be still furnished with patience and firm resolutions to "give place to wrath," Rom. xii. 19. If you are to converse with ignorant, ungodly men, go furnished with powerful, convincing reasons, to humble them and change their minds. If you are to go amongst the cavilling or scorning enemies of holiness, go furnished with well-digested arguments, for the defence of that which they are likest to oppose, that you may shame and stop the mouths of such gainsayers. This must be done by "the Sword of the spirit, which is the word of God," Eph. vi. 17. Therefore be well acquainted with the Scripture, and with particular plain texts for each particular use: by them the "man of God is complete, throughly furnished to every good work," 2 Tim. iii. 17.

_Direct._ XI. Continually walk as in the presence of God, and as under his government and law, and as those that are passing on to judgment.[488] Ask yourselves, whatever you say: 1. Whether it be fit for God to hear? 2. Whether it be agreeable to his holy law? 3. Whether it be such speech as you would hear of at the day of judgment? If it be speech unmeet for the hearing of a grave and reverend man, will you speak it before God? Will you speak wantonly, or filthily, or foolishly, or maliciously, when God forbiddeth it, and when he is present and heareth every word, and when you must certainly give account to him of all?

_Direct._ XII. Pray every morning to God for preservation from the sins of speech that you are liable to that day. Commit the custody of your tongues to him; not so as to think yourselves discharged of it, but so as to implore and trust his grace. Pray as David, "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips; incline not my heart to any evil thing: and that the words of your mouth and the meditations of your heart, may be acceptable to him," Psal. cxli. 3, 4; xix. 14.

_Direct._ XIII. Make it part of your continual work, to watch your tongues. Carelessness and negligence will not serve turn in so difficult a work of government. James telleth you that to tame and rule the tongue, is harder than to tame and rule wild beasts, and birds, and serpents: and as the ruling of a horse by the bridle, and of a ship that is driven by fierce winds: and that the "tongue is an unruly evil: and that he that offendeth not in word, is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body," James iii. Make it therefore your study and work, and watch it continually.

_Direct._ XIV. Call your tongues daily to account, and ask yourselves, what evil you have spoken, and what good you have omitted, every day; and be humbled before God, in the penitent confession of the sin which you discover, and renew your resolution for a stricter watch for the time to come. If your servant be every day faulty, and never hear of it, he will take it as no fault, and be little careful to amend: nay, you will remember your very ox of his fault when he goeth out of the furrow, by a prick or stroke, and your horse when he is faulty, by a spur or rod. And do you think if you let yourselves, even your tongues, be faulty every day, and never tell them of it, or call them to account, that they are ever like to be reformed, and not grow careless and accustomed to the sin? Your first care must be for preventing the sin, and doing the duty; saying, as David, Psal. xxxix. 1-3, "I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I offend not with my tongue; I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me: I was dumb with silence, I held my peace." Psal. xxxv. 28; lxxi. 24, "My tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long." Psal. cxix. 172, "My tongue shall speak of thy word." Psal. xlv. 1, "My tongue is as the pen of a ready writer." But your next care must be, to repent of the faults which you commit, and to judge yourselves for them, and reform: remembering that "there is not a word in your tongues, but is altogether known to God," Psal. cxxxix. 4.

_Direct._ XV. Make use of a faithful monitor or reprover. We are apt, through custom and partiality, to overlook the faults of our own speech. A friend is here exceeding useful. Desire your friend therefore to watch over you in this: and amend what he telleth you of; and be not so foolish as to take part with your fault against your friend.

_Tit._ 2. _Special Directions against profane Swearing,
and using God's name unreverently and in vain._

[Sidenote: What an oath is.]

I. To swear is an affirming or denying of a thing, with an appeal to some other thing or person, as a witness of the truth, or avenger of the untruth, who is not producible as witness or judge in human courts. An affirmation or negation is the matter of an oath: the peculiar appellation is the form. It is not every appeal or attestation that maketh an oath.[489] To appeal to such a witness as is credible and may be produced in the court, from a partial, incredible witness, is no oath. To appeal from an incompetent judge, or an inferior court, to a competent judge, or higher court, is no swearing. To say, I take the king for my witness, or I appeal to the king, is not to swear by the king; but to say, I take God to witness, or I appeal to God as the judge of the truth of what I say, is to swear by God. But to appeal to God as a righteous Judge, against the injustice or cruelty of men, without relation to his attesting or judging any affirmation or negation of our own, is no swearing by him, because there wanteth the matter of an oath. An oath is an appeal to some supernatural or higher and more terrible power, than that of the court or person we swear to, to make our testimony the more credible, when other evidences of certainty or credibility are wanting. So that a legal testimony or appeal are not swearing.

[Sidenote: What is a lawful oath.]

Swearing is either just and lawful, or sinful and abusive. To a just and lawful oath it is necessary, 1. That it be God alone ultimately that we swear by; because no witness and avenging judge above human courts can be appealed to but God: and therefore to swear by any creature properly and in the sense that God is sworn by, is to idolize it, and to ascribe to it the properties of God.[490] (Of which more anon.) 2. It is necessary to a just oath, that the matter be true as it is assertory or negative; and also if it be promissory, that the matter be, 1. Honest and lawful, 2. and possible. And where any one of these is wanting, it is unlawful. 3. It is needful that there be an honest end; for the end is a principal ingredient in all moral good and evil. 4. It is needful that it be done upon a sufficient call and honest motives, and not unnecessarily or without just reason. 5. And the manner and circumstances must be lawful.

An oath is an equivocal word, taken sometimes for that which is formally so, as before described; and sometimes for that which is but the matter and expressive form without any real intent of swearing. Or, an oath is taken either for the whole human act completely, containing the words signifying and the purpose signified; or else for the outward sign or words alone. (As the word prayer signifieth sometimes the bare form of words, and sometimes the words and desire signified by them. And as the word sacrament is sometimes taken for the external signs only, and sometimes for the signs with the mutual covenanting and actions signified.) Here it may be questioned,--

_Quest._ Whether it be swearing or not, which is frequently used by ignorant, careless people, who use the words or form of an oath, in mere custom, not knowing what an oath is, nor having any thought or purpose of appealing to God, or to the creature by which they swear. The reason of the doubt is, because it seemeth to be but the matter or external part of an oath; and it is the form that specifieth and denominateth. He that should ignorantly speak the words of an oath in Latin or Greek, while he understandeth not the language and intendeth no such thing, doth not swear.

[Sidenote: How far the intent of the swearer (as of the baptizer or baptized to baptism) is necessary to the being of an oath.]

_Answ._ 1. In the full and properest sense of the word, it is before God no oath if there be no intent of confirming your speech by an appeal to God, or to that which you swear by. As a ludicrous washing and using the words of baptism, is no true baptism, no more than a corpse is a man. (And thus it is true which the papists say, that the intention of the baptizer is necessary to the being of baptism; that is, it is necessary to the being of sacramental administration to the baptizer himself, before God, that he really intend to baptize; and it is necessary to the being of baptism before God in the person baptized, that he himself if at age, or those that have power to dedicate him to God if he be an infant, do really intend it; and it is necessary to the being of the external ordinance _in foro ecclesiæ_, before the church, that both the baptizer and baptized do profess or seem to intend it.) 2. But if you use such words as are the ordinary form of an oath in a language which you understand, so as the hearers may justly suppose you to understand it, it is an oath, _coram hominibus_, before men, and in the latter narrower sense of the word. And it shall be obligatory and pleadable against you in any court of justice by those you swear to; yea, and God himself doth take you thereby to be obliged thus to men: and if it be a profane, causeless swearing, men must call it an oath; for they see not the heart; even as they must take him to be baptized that professeth to intend it; and _in foro humano_, it is so indeed: and God himself will account you a sinner, even one that useth the external form of an oath, and that which before men is an oath, to the wrong of his name and honour, and to the scandal of others. And it will not excuse you that you knew not that it was an oath, or that you knew not the nature of an oath, or that you rashly used it, not considering that it was an oath; for you were bound to have known and to have considered; you should have done it, and might have done it if you would. But if they were words which you could not know to have been the form or expressions of an oath, but the hearers might perceive that you meant no such thing, but something else, then you are excusable, if you had just cause to use them.

[Sidenote: How far swearing by creatures is a sin.]

II. As to the case of swearing by creatures, how far it is sinful; it is just like the case of worshipping images, or by images. He that worshippeth an image or any creature as God, and ultimately terminateth his worship in it, doth commit direct and full idolatry;[491] which is so much the greater sin, by how much the baser the thing is which he idolizeth. But if he make the image or creature but his medium of that worship which should be immediately offered to God, in whom it is ultimately terminated, then it is not gross idolatry, but it is false and forbidden worship of the true God. But if the creature be made but the medium of that worship which God would have offered him by a medium, then it is lawful so to use or worship it (as to honour and admire God as appearing in his works; to give that worship or honour to our parents and rulers as his officers, which is ultimately terminated in God). Just so is it in the case of swearing; for swearing is a part of the worship of God. He that sweareth by any creature as a god, or as the avenger of those that by falsehood elude the judgment of man, doth commit idolatry in it;[492] as Julian did when he swore by the sun (which he praised by his orations and worshipped as God). But he that only sweareth so by a creature, as to intend God ultimately as the witness and avenger, but yet so as that the creature only is named, or so named as hath an appearance of idolatry, or tendeth to entice the mind from God, or scandalously to obscure his honour, or in any other forbidden way, doth swear by the true God intentionally, but in a sinful manner. But he that directly sweareth by God, (upon a just call,) and by the creature (or nameth the creature rather) but in a just, and clear, and inoffensive subordination to God, is excusable. So we use to lay our hands on the Bible and thus to swear, So help me God, and the contents of this book. Thus on great occasions many good men in their writings to clear themselves from some calumny have said, I call God, and angels, and men to witness. Many in naming creatures intend rather a curse than a swearing by the creature: as, If it be not so, let God destroy me by this fire, or this water, &c.

_Quest._ Is it lawful to lay hands on the book and kiss it in swearing as is done in England?

_Resp._ To take an oath as imposed in England with laying the hand on the Bible and kissing it, is not unlawful.

_Proved_ 1. That which is not forbidden by God is lawful (before God). But so to take an oath is not forbidden by God----Therefore, &c. The minor will be sufficiently proved by disproving all the pretences of a prohibition. The major needeth no proof.

2. If it be forbidden it is either, 1. As an act in worship not commanded, and so will-worship. 2. Or as a significant ceremony in worship not commanded. 3. Or as an uncommanded significant ceremony, which hath in itself some forbidden matter or manner. But it is not forbidden in any of these respects; therefore not at all.

I. Not as an act not commanded in worship; for _a quatenus ad omne valet consequentia_, then all acts in worship not commanded would be unlawful, which is false: for, 1. The acts used in swearing, Gen. xxiv. 2; xiv. 22; Apoc. x. 5, were not commanded and yet lawful; of which more anon. 2. God hath not commanded what tune to sing a psalm in, what division to make of the Bible into chapters and verses, whether to use a written or a printed Bible, what words, what method, what particular text to choose, what translation to use, with many such like.