Calamy Simeon Ashe William Taylor London June 28. 1656. To the Reader THe Tongue of man is the hearts interpreter Quotidiana fornax nostra est humana lingua Aug. lib. 10 Confes Mat. 12.34 the inward motions of the mind have vent at the mouth as sparks from a Furnace and the souls conceptions are brought forth by its busie Midwifery the Tongue is the key that unlocks the hearts treasury out of whose abundance it speaks Our discourses are discoveries of what is within as when the Pump goes we may know what water is in the Fountain whether clear or muddy or when the clapper strikes wee may guess what metal is in the Bell the corruption of mens minds not much unlike the inflammation of a Feavour ordinarily breaketh forth and blisters upon their tongues he that is rotten in his heart is commonly rotten in his talk and as evil words corrupt good manners so they discover corrupt manners the foul stomack betrays it self in a stinking breath And where Grace is in the heart it will manifest it self in holy heavenly savoury speeches every true Christian endeavours to derive not only Grace into his heart from Christs annoynting but of that grace that was poured into his lips they that feared the Lord spake often one to another Psal 45.2 Mal. 3.16 And as words discover much the present frame of our souls so have they no small influence upon the settlement of their everlasting state they are not a key only to open the hearts treasury but to let in or shut out from heaven Mat. 12.36 37. Every idle word that men shall speak so saith the Word of truth they shall give account thereof in the Day of Judgement for by thy words shalt thou be justified and by thy words shalt thou bee condemned The Arrows of idle words though shot out of sight and possibly quite forgotten will hereafter drop down upon the heads of such as drew the bow Words are but wind is the common saying but they are such wind as will either blow the Soul to its haven of rest if holy wholsome savoury spiritual and tending to edification or else sink it in the dead sea and bottomless gulf of eternal misery if idle prophane frothy and unprofitable Upon these and many other important and weighty considerations it appears of what consequence it is that men take special care for a regular ordering of this unruly member the Apostle James compares it to fire and that had need be watcht and well tended for it is a good Servant Jam. 3.6 Jam. 1.26 but a bad Master and he lays a mighty stress upon it If any man seemeth to bee religious and bridleth not his tongue this mans religion is vain the not bridling of the tongue stains and sullies the most gay and fair profession and without this all is but seeming and vain religion Prov. 13.3 He that keepeth his mouth saith Solomon keepeth his life the double guard of lips and teeth is not enough there must be thine own watchfulness Where is that man that loveth not life that desireth not many days that hee may see good for the attainment of this blessedness the Psalmist gives an excellent rule Psal 34.12 13 Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile and therein he lays not a burden upon others which himself will not touch with his own finger but his resolutions are accordingly Psal 17.3 Psal 39.1 I have purposed saith he that my mouth shall not transgress And I said that is within my self by a setled purpose I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my tongue and because his own watchfulness and custody might be insufficient and his tongue that unruly evil might possibly like a wild pampered Horse break the bridle he beggs of God that he would set a watch Psal 141.3 and appoint a Centinel Set a watch O Lord before my mouth keep the door of my lips This godly and reverend Author whose name is well known and precious to many of Gods Children by his former useful labours hath bestowed his pains judiciously thou wilt say if thy self beest such for thy help in this so highly necessary and sadly neglected business it is not long since hee published some Rules for the Government of the Thoughts and Affections which were so it hath pleased God in his holy and wise Providence to order it a preparative and introduction to this excellent Treatise that the Pot being washt and kept clean within there might no scum arise or boyl over at the brim or the heart being taught to indite a good matter the tongue might bee as the pen of a ready writer God hath put this Book into thy hand Read Consider Meditate Practise get the Language of Heaven while thou art in thy Journey and God bring thee to the glory of Heaven at thy journies end So counselleth so prayeth he that is Thine in the Lord for the service of thy soul JOHN MERITON THE GOVERNMENT Of the TONGUE Psal 39.1 I said I will take heed to my waies that I sin not with my Tongue DAvid labouring under some great trouble either Absoloms conspiracy as some think or a bodily infirmity as others for fear of impatient expressions hee resolved to watch over his waies that hee might not offend with his Tongue by murmuring against God or by speaking against men and to keep his Mouth with a bridle or a muzzle for his mouth while the wicked were before him that is to keep silence in the audience of the wicked to speak nothing that might reflect dishonour to God discomfort to his Soul or that might give the wicked occasion of rejoycing or calumniating Hence wee learn this Doctrin All that would live godly should take heed they sinne not with their Tongues The Subject I intend to handle is The Government of the Tongue Touching which I shall spread before you Three things scil 1 Preparatives to it 2 Rules for it 3 Reasons of it 1 Preparatives to the Government of the Tongue Three especially 1 Wisdome 2 Resolution 3 Well-ordering of the Heart 1 Wisdome is required hereto For that Wisdome is the Fountain and principle of speaking wel even Philosophers and Orators affirm it I mean of speaking not diversity of Tongues according to Grammatical Rules as Latine Greek Hebrew but of speaking any Tongue or Language that is in use bee it English French Dutch c. not onely morally but Theologically well according to the Rules of Gods word which teacheth us Artem benè loquendi as well as Artem benè vivendi the Art of speakinwell as of living well To know fully what is the duty of the Tongue and to order it accordingly this is wisdome which is as necessary to the Government of the Tongue as the eye is to direct the foot as light is to shew a man his way as understanding is needfull in a Pilot to guide the ship in a master
things and an evil man out of the evil treasure scil of the heart bringeth forth evil things As out of the heart proceed u Mat. 15.19 evil thoughts so evil words what are words but motions of the heart and thoughts of the mind formed into a voyce or sound and made audible Hence such as the Heart is such is the Tongue such as the Thoughts and Affections are such are the words ordinarily For as the Tree is so is the fruit Mat. 7.17 18. Jam. 3.11 good or bad As the fountain is such are the waters sweet or bitter As the treasure is such is the stuff that is brought out of it whether precious or vile If the Heart be well governed the Tongue will be well guided because the Tongue is ruled by the Heart Be Masters of your passions and you shall easily bee Lords over your Tongues and govern them well your Tongues will obey you when you can command your affections But a disordered Heart makes an ill ordered Tongue They that govern their hearts ill cannot guide their tongues well An unruled spirit makes an unruly tongue they that do not take heed to their spirits what they think or how they are affected will not take heed to their Tongues what they say Heart-Renovation is the root of Tongue-Reformation begin at the Heart to amend the Tongue Pray God as David did vv Psal 51.10 to create a clean heart and renew a right spirit in you this will make you have a pure lip or language according to that promise x Zeph. 3.9 for then that is under the Gospell I will turn to the people a pure language or lip that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one shoulder Reas 3. Because errors in the tongue proceed from disorders in the heart and from distemper in the spirit the disease is bred in the heart which breaks out in the mouth as Idleness of words proceeds from vanity of Thoughts froth in speech from some and fume of spirit Rashness of mouth from hastiness of spirit to be angry when Davids heart was hot within him with grief and indignation then spake hee too impatiently with his tongue z Psal 30.3 Anger in speech grows from anger in spirit Bitter words in the mouth spring up from a root of bitterness in the heart Falshood foolishness and guile in the mouth proceeds from folly and deceit in the heart a divided heart makes a double tongue Obscenity of speech flowes from uncleannesse of heart Roughnesse of speech from pride and churlishnesse of nature as in Rehoboam 1 King 12.13 and in Nabal 1 Sam. 25.10 11. Blasphemy in speech proceeds from backsliding and Rebellion in heart against God Despairing words come from distrust in heart towards God The second thing is Rules for the Government of the Tongue The first Rule Consider before you speak 1 Rule think what to say Let not your tongue run before your wit or before wisdome bid it go for the heart of the Righteous studieth to answer saith Solomon a Prov. 15.28 hee carrieth a paire of scales betwixt his lips as one saith to weigh his words in before hee utter them but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evilthings rashly and overflowingly without preconsideration or moderation a flood of words without a drop of discretion or Religion The study of questions Paul calls a doting or a disease b 1 Tim. 6.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sick about questions but right answers are the study of the righteous He that answerech a matter before he hears it saith the wise man c Prov. 18.13 it is folly and shame unto him or hee that returneth a word before he heareth the whole matter and understands it well sheweth folly and procureth shame Be not rash with your mouth and let not your heart bee hasty to utter any thing before God no nor before men It is the Preachers counsel d Eccles 5.2 Prov. 6.2 lest you discover weaknesse or be ensnared with the words of your mouth Suffer not your mouth to cause your flesh or self to sin by rash vowes or extravagant superfluous words Be slow to speak saith James e Jam. 1.19 that is be deliberate and advised in your speeches For if the heart do not premeditate the Tongue will precipitate The Tongue of the wise is in his heart he considers what to say the heart of the fool is in his mouth hee speaks before hee thinks and saith he knows not what To bee overforward to speak is vain rashness and proud boldness there is more hope of a fool than of such Pro. 29.20 when David spake in his haste or precipitation as that hee was cut off from before Gods eyes f Psal 31.22 that All men are g Psal 116.11 lyars Samuel and all that had promised him the Kingdome hee spake not aright for the event confuted his words Before you speak you are Masters of your own minds and know what ye think but when ye have spoken others will be Masters of your words and make what construction of them they please nescit vox missa reverti when a word is once out it 's past recall The second Rule 2 Rule In speech have respect to five particulars 1 The Principle from which you speak 2 The Matter what you say 3 The Manner how you speak 4 The Season when 5 The End why 1 Have respect to the Principle from which you speak which should bee alway 1 Reason not Passion 2 Love not envy hatred or malice 3 Grace not wit or parts only 1 First Principle of speech Speak from Reason and Judgement as the former Rule directed you not from Passion For Passions as they blind reason so they mislead the Tongue which is ordinarily more commanded by Passion than regulated by Reason and more ready to serve the violence of Passion than to follow the Evidence and Dictate of Reason When Passion boils in the heart it makes the words like hot burning coales in the mouth it dips the tongue in Gall and imbitters the words When blind Passion leads the blind Tongue both fall into the Ditch of Transgression and without repentance into the pit of perdition Gods dear servants have sinned most with their Tongues when they have spoken in Passion as Moses h Psal 106.33 when hee was provoked in his spirit he spake unadvisedly with his lips and Job when he cursed his birthday i Job 3.2 3 c. and Jonah when hee told God to his face that hee did well to be angry even unto death m Jonah 4.9 When Davids heart was hot with Passion his Tongue was inflamed in expressions n Psal 39.3 Hence it is that Gods servants being subject to like Passions as others are as Elias that famous miracle-working man of God was o Jam. 5.17 they being sanctified but in part here are apt to offend sometimes
lyes and damnable for all lyars shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death y Rev. 21.8 Wherefore put away lying saith the Apostle and speak every man truth with his neighbour z Ephes 4.25 2 2 Truth spoken from the heart Have respect to moral Truth which is an agreement between heart and Tongue that is to speak what yee think and as yee think and to think what ye speak For the Tongue is but the Interpreter of the mind to declare that all that and only that which the mind dictates A good correspondence between the Heart and the Tongue is the character of a Citizen of Sion a Psal 15.2 hee speaketh the truth in his heart that is with or from his heart hee speaks what hee thinks his heart and mouth do harmonize consent and concenter in the truth of his speech The contrary hereunto is guile deceit and Dissimulation when the heart and Tongue are divided and wee speak what we do not think or think as we do not speak so the heart and the Tongue do vary yea contradict and give one another the lye The wicked speak with a double heart saith David b Psal 12.2 speaking one thing and thinking another 1 Tim. 3.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A double heart makes a double and deceitfull Tongue But a man is not what he saith with his lips but what hee thinks in his heart As Solomon speaks of him that hath an evill eye c Prov. 23.6 7. as hee thinketh in his heart so is he◠eat and drink saith hee to thee but his heart is not with thee This veracity in the mouth is a fruit of sincerity or truth in the inward parts to speak what wee think and to think as wee speak which is a parcel of our conformity to Christ who did no sin neither was guile found in his d 1 Pet. 2.22 lips The wise man makes this the Character of one of the worst of men scil a hatefull hating man that hee dissembleth in his lips and layeth up deceit within him e Pro◠26.24 when hee speaketh fair or makes his voice gracious beleeve him not Ver. 25. for there are seven that is many abominations in his heart But though hee cover hatred in his heart Vers 26. with deceit in his mouth yet his wickednesse shall bee shewed before the whole Congregation God will give Dissemblers over to some great sin that they may bee publickly detected disgraced and detested of all Burning lips saith Solomon f Prov. 26 2◠and a wicked heart are like a potsheard covered with silver dross Burning lips that is in shew of affection or profession of love to others yet without reality as Ezekiels hearers who with their mouth shewed much love Ezek. 33.31 but their heart went after their covetousnesse And a wicked heart intending or wishing evill to others and rejoycing when evill befalls them are like a potsheard covered with silver drosse fair speaking lips upon a false foul-meaning heart are no better than drosse upon dirt silver gilt upon clay Whereas the Tongue of the Righteous is as choice silver Prov. 10.20 therefore his words are of great price but the heart of the Wicked is little worth and his words are of no value Dissemblers are like painted Sepulchers which appear beautifull outwardly but within are ful of rottennesse and uncleannesse So these have fair and flourishing words without but rotten filthy hearts within They are as one saith nought on both sides having a bad mouth and a worse heart Dissembling is but like painting of an old rotten poste or of a wrinkled deformed face with fair fresh colours To cover a rough heart with a smooth Tongue is but as one compares it like drawing a fair glove on a foul hand As wee should pray with David to bee delivered Psal 120.2 from lying lips and from a deceitfull Tongue so that God would keep our lips from lyes and our tongues from Deceits and from disagreement with our hearts Secondly 2 Goodness in Speech have respect in the matter of your speech to goodnesse 1 That it bee good and sound not evil and corrupt 2 Profitable and useful not vain and idle 1 Let your speech be good and sound good matter and good words To this end 1 Speak of God and his Attributes as David did h Psal 145.1 Vers 5. Vers 6. Vers 7. I will extol thee O God my King I will speak of the glorious honour of thy Majesty I will declare thy greatness men shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodnesse and shall sing of thy righteousness Vers 8. that the Lord is gracious and full of compassion slow to anger and of great mercy thy Saints shall talk of thy power Vers 11. my Tongue shall talk of thy Righteousnesse all the day long saith David Psal 71.24 speak of the word of God when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way when you lye down and when you rise up i Deut. 6.6.7 David resolved it k Psal 119.172 my Tongue shall speak of thy word God commanded Joshuah that this book of the Law should not depart out of his mouth l Josh 1.8 you ought to keep your Bibles not only in your houses hands or hearts but in your mouthes also to speak thereof Gods Word will furnish you fully with matter of good Discourse upon all occasions To this end hide Gods word in your hearts and they shall bee fitted in your lips and you shall never want good subjects to speak of nor direction to speak aright The mouth of the Righteous speaketh wisdome and his Tongue talketh of Judgement why so the Law of God is in his heart therefore none of his goings or sayings shall slide Psa 37.30 31. Speak of the works of God both creational and providential as David did m Psal 145.5 I will speak of thy wondrous works men shall speak of the might of thy terrible Acts and of his Kingdome which is over all Vers 6.12 and everlasting and of the glory of it Speak of Jesus Christ and his benefits a large subject able to fill the hearts and mouths of all men My heart is inditing a good subject saith David n Psal 45.1 I will speak of the things which I have made touching the King that is not only King Solomon his son but touching Jesus Christ the King of Saints of whom Solomon was but a type and my tongue is the pen of a ready writer free and swift to express the renowned excellencies and just praises of Christ 2 Speak prudent words wise counsel and righteous things as doth the mouth of the righteous Prov. 10.31 3 Speak your own experiences to others Gods gracious dealings with you as the Psalmist did p Psal 66.16 come and hear all yee that fear God and I will declare
and satisfaction 1 Life for God hath intaild the promise of living long and seeing good dayes upon the refrayning of the Tongue from evil 1 Per. 3.10 and of the lips from guile Death and Life are in the power of the Tongue saith Solomon and they that love it shall eat the fruits thereof in the power that is Prov. 18.21 in the government of the Tongue 1 To save and prolong life if it be well governed 2 To condemn and shorten life if it be ill guided For though the tongue be but a little member yet it hath a great command what a great dependance is there upon a mans own tongue for life or death as there is upon the Judges tongue for passing sentence upon the prisoners of absolution or condemnation They that love life will use their tongues well and they shall eat the pleasant fruits of it They that love death let their tongues run at randome have not mastery over them and they shall eat the bitter fruits thereof As every one delights to use his tongue well or ill or as he soweth his words so he shall reap fruit good or bad 2 Salvation for as with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousness or Justification So with the mouth confession is made unto f Rom. 10.10 salvation The well using or abusing of the Tongue is effectuall either for salvation or destruction to eternity As life and death so Heaven and Hell Salvation and damnation are in the power of the Tongue scil thus far that according as men rule their tongues well or ill so they shall bee saved or damned go to Heaven or Hell Hence it is that David describes a Citizen of Zion more largely by his g Psa 15.1 2 3. tongue as that hee speaketh the truth in his heart he backbiteth not with his tongue nor doth any evil thereby to his neighbour he sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not vers 4. than by any other member of his body either foot vers 2. that hee walketh uprightly or hand that he worketh righteousness or ears that he doth not receive a reproach against his Neighbour vers 3. or eyes that a vile person is contemned therein verse 4. Tongue-properties and praises are tripple if not quadruple and the commendation of the other members but single 3 Joy for a man hath joy by the answer of his h Prov. 15.23 mouth when he hath spoken right words suitable seasonable and effectuall as was declared before The wisdome of a mans speech is the rejoycing of his heart This is our rejoycing saith Paul the testimony of our conscience within I may adde 2 Cor. 1.12 the innocency of our Tongues and the purity of our lips without 4 Satisfaction A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth saith the i Prov. 12.14 Wiseman shall eat good by it cap. 13.2 A mans belly shall bee satisfied with the fruit of his mouth and with the increase of his lips shall he bee filled Prov. 18.20 and vers 21. he shall eat the fruit scil of the tongue This satisfaction is contentfull acquiescence and comfortable composure of mind and heart upon a fourfold account 1 That God hath been with our mouthes and directed our tongues what to say 2 That God will reward as well the words of our mouthes as the works of our hands yea all the instruments of speech shall have their proper and full reward as the tongue mouth lips which some conceive the cause why Solomon so particularly and distinctly names them The good usage of the tongue to the glory of God and good of others the Lord God of Recompences will surely requite both here and hereafter 3 That we shall reap good to our selves by speaking of that which is good to others by instructing exhorting counselling and comforting others we teach excite advise and refresh our selves and may thereby grow better both in knowledge and in practice By speaking of good things to others wee imprint the same more deeply upon our own hearts and our knowledge is made more clear and our affections more warm Whereas the speaking of evil words make men worse they corrupt their own good manners 4 That wee may expect to receive good from others in way of recompence for the fruit of our mouthes and increase of our lips bestowed upon them in wholesome instructions counsels and consolations as Paul writ to the k 1 Cor. 9.11 Corinthians If we sow unto you spiritual things scil by our mouthes is it a great thing if wee shall reap your carnal things scil with our hands the mouth is a field narrow in compasse but fruitfull above measure either with good or evil with wholesome or hurtful words therefore Solomon speaketh often of the fruit of the mouth It is very commodious to sow this field with good seed and it will yeeld you your own with great advantage Ought wee not to govern our tongues well as wee desire to injoy life or salvation joy or satisfaction 2 Great is the commodity of a well ordered tongue in respect of others the benefits and advantages that redound to them thereby as we shewed before in the second Rule for regulating speech in the end thereof Especially these three 1 Communication of our minds gifts graces and experiences to others were it not for the tongue one man should not know the mind of another but bee as a vessel without vent stopt up a spring hidden in the ground or a fountain sealed words are the image and the tongue the Index of the mind Psal 66.16 wee could not tell others what God hath done for our souls nor counsel others what they should intreat God to do for their souls nor provoke others to love or to do good works if we wanted either the precious faculty of speech or the gracious government of the tongue The lips of the wise disperse knowledge saith l Prov. 15.7 Solomon how as the Sun doth beams of light and influences as a fountain doth water fire doth heat and flowers do fragrant smell and as they desperse knowledge so other gifts a spiritual blessing for all to gather up and suck in who are so wise as to know the worth thereof 2 Is Salvation both 1 Temporal our tongues may sometimes save others sooner than our hands Abigail by her tongue saved Nabals life and the wise woman of Abel by her tongue preserved the City as I shewed before 2 And eternall No member of the body can help others to Heaven so effectually and speedily as the tongue God useth and blesseth the same as an instrument of the conversion instruction edification reformation and confirmation of those that shall bee saved Rom. 10.17 Faith comes by hearing the word preached Paul by Gods blessing upon his ministerial tongue and lip-labours begat the Corinthians unto God 1 Cor. 4.15 incouraged and established the souls of the Disciples Act. 14.21 22. and licked whole the
with their Tongues as others do Passionate expressions are Imperfections and discoveries of infirmities even in the best If any offend not in word hee is a perfect man p Jam. 3.2 because his Tongue is ruled by reason not by Passion 2 2 Principle of Speech 1 Cor. 13.5 Vid. third principle of Speech Speak from Love not from envy hatred or malice For Love as it thinketh no evil so it speaketh no evil Love oiles the mouth softens the Tongue sweetens the words and makes the lips drop like an hony-comb when love rules the mouth the Law of kindnesse is in the Tongue Prov. 31.26 but hatred and malice never speak well and never do good by speaking The wrath of man whether it bee exprest by word or deed worketh not the righteousness of God saith q Jam. 1.20 James or what is right in Gods sight Words spoken in wrath or malice do no good Bee slow to wrath then you will bee slow to speak Jam. 1.19 When Paul perswades the Ephesians r Eph. 4.31 32 to lay aside clamour and evil-speaking he exhorts them to put away from them all bitternesse and wrath and anger with all malice as the Heart-rootes of Tongue-sinnes and to bee kind one to another tender hearted forgiving one another which are fruites of love and would cause them to speak well both of others and to others Good words in the mouth are grapes and figs which cannot bee gathered from the Thornes and Thistles of hatred malice and envy in the heart Kind words are the flowers and Cream of true love How well did love make Paul speak to the undeserving Corinthians who loved him lesse for his loving them Å¿ 2 Coâ— 12 14 15 more Neverthelesse Paul was ready to come to them and hee sought not theirs but them and he would very gladly spend and bee spent for them And to the ill-carrying Galatians who deserted him and the Gospel Gal. 1.6 and were foolish and t Cap. 3.1 bewitched yet what good language did he give u Gal. 4.12 them Brethren I beseech you bee as I am for I am as you are yee have not injured me at all and verse 19. my little children of whom I travel in birth again until Christ bee formed in you till you bee reduced from your wandrings to the truths and wayes of God again Thirdly Speak from Grace Third Principle of Speech not from wit or parts only for Grace in the lips of which I shall speak afterwards proceeds from grace in the heart Prov. 22.11 as from 1 Faith I beleeved said David therefore have I spoken Psal 116.10 wee beleeve saith Paul and therefore speak 2 Cor. 4.13 Unbelief sometimes shuts the mouth for this Zacharias was dumb because he beleeved not the Angels words Luk. 1.20 2 From Love as was shewed before O yee Corinthians saith Paul our mouth is open unto you scil in Expressions why so our heart is enlarged 2 Cor. 6.11 12. to wit in affection Queen Esthers love to her People the Jews made her open her mouth wide in requests both to God and the King to save their lives though shee hazarded her own thereby Esther 4.16 3 From zeal for Gods glory which provoked the Apostles to speak even when they were commanded silence Act. 4.20 wee cannot but speak said Peter and John the things which wee have seen and heard and Jeremy when hee resolved silence Jer. 20.9 Zeal for Gods house moved Christ to speak as well as to act my house is the house of Prayer but yee have made it a den of Theeves Luk. 19.46 Zeal for Gods Sabbath caused Nâ—hemiah to contend with the Nobles of Judah cap. 13.17 4 From a good Conscience which poureth grace into the lips The Answers of a good Conscience towards God or man are gracious words excellent speech as that of Paul before the Councill Act. 23.1 and before the Governour cap. 24.14 15 16. When Peter perswades to a constant readinesse to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you hee prescribes this as a means thereof having a good Conscience 1 Pet. 3.15 16. the answer of a good Conscience saveth us vers 21. 5 From sincerity This makes the lips to bee without deceit even a Lip of truth Prov. 12.19 Psal 17.1 else the words may bee smoother than butter and softer than oyl when warre is in the heart Psal 55.21 6 From purity for hee hath Grace in his lips that loveth purenesse of heart Prov. 22.11 A clean fountain sends forth clear streams 7 From the fear of God which over-aweth both heart and Tongue This is a Remedy against Tongue vanities In many words there are diverse vanities saith the Preacher but fear thou God Eccl. 5.7 8 From Experience Dr. Hall for to speak well without feeling is the next way to procure an habitual hypocrisy Good words should follow and flow from good affections not go before them That which doth not come from Grace in the heart cannot bee gracious in the mouth A gracelesse heart makes a lawlesse tongue When a Christian speaks from grace in the heart hee speaks as one that hath Authority as Christ did and not as the Scribes They had Authority to speak or read for they had Moses chair but their words wanted authority and efficacy weight and force in the hearts of their hearers Those words for the most part go to the hearts of the hearers and minister grace to them which come from the hearts of the speakers and from grace in them 2 Have respect to the matter Matter of Speech what you speak and therein to Two things scil Truth and Two things scil Goodnesse 1 1 Truth is Speech Have respect to truth which is twofold The first is an Agreement between the thing ye speak of and your words The second is an agreement between your Tongues and your Hearts The former is cald Logical truth and the latter Moral truth 1 Have respect to Logical Truth that is to speak as the thing is and no otherwise neither over nor short nor wide nor awry This is the law of Truth in the mouth of a Christian to speak of things just as they are and as the matter doth require so doth the Lord himself u Isa 45.19 I the Lord speak righteousness I declare things that are right God blamed Jobs friends w Job 42.7 for not speaking of him the thing that was right scil of his proceedings as they were as his servant Job had The contrary hereunto is a lye which is to speak otherwise than wee know the thing is or if wee know it not yet what we say is an untruth Now lying is an ungodly devilish and damnable practice ungodly because it makes us most unlike yea contrary to God for God is Truth and in him is no lye devilish because x Joh. 8.44 The Devil is a lyar the Father both of lyars and of
what hee hath done for my soul On the contrary speak no evil either of God or man either ill matter or ill words 1 Not of God or against God for this is to set your mouth against Heaven Psal 73.9 Such a mouth shall certainly bee stopped Nebuchadnezzar a Heathen King made a decree that every people Nation and language which spake any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach Mesach and Abednego shall bee cut in peeces and their houses bee made a dunghill because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort scil as hee did them q Dâ—n 3.29 Shall Christian Princes or Potentates suffer horrible Blasphemies to be belched forth against the God of Heaven and let the Blasphemers go unpunished how will they answer this before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords at the day of Judgement 2 Nor of men Speak not evill one of another Brethren saith James r Jam. 4.11 for he that speaketh evil of his Brother and judgeth his Brother speaketh evil of the Law and judgeth the Law and will not the Law condemn such Our speech should bee good and sound for three Reasons Reas 1. Because noscitur ex lingua a man is known by his speech as men of several Countries are by their language so pronouncing Shibboleth was a proof whether they were Ephraimites or no Jud. 12.6 Peters speech bewrayed him to be a Galilean Mar. 14.70 Jacob brought his brother Esaus hands and neck to his Father Isaac Gen. 27.22 but could not bring his voice The Children of the Jews speaking half in the speech of Ashdod discovered their Parents were not both of the same Religion though their Fathers were Jews Neh. 13.23 24. their mothers were women of Ashdod Ammon and Moab Such mungrel matches of the Parents confounded the speech of their Children So men may bee known whose they are whether the Worlds or Gods and whereto they belong whether to earth or to Heaven even by their speech Speech is the Image or looking-glass of the mind As the man is so is his speech As Vessels when we knock upon them are known by their sound whether they bee crackt or sound full or empty so are men many times by the sound of their words To speak good and not evil David makes a Tongue-mark of a Citizen of Sion u Psal 15.2 The five Cities in the land of Egypt shall speak the Language of Canaan Isa 19.18 not so much for words or phrases as for matter that is shall confesse and praise God and professe the celestial doctrin written in the Hebrew tongue which was then spoken in the land of Canaan as a fruite or sign of their conversion unto God Piscator Good sound savory speech is an evidence of a good man wholesome words in the mouth argue a good constitution of the heart Lips without guile are a sign hung forth at the door of an Israelite indeed in whose spirit there is no guile Though men may speak good words sometimes and bee bad enough themselves as Hypocrites Dissemblers and Polititians yet when the speech is ordinarily bad they that utter them cannot bee truly good because out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh A bad Tongue is ever the companion of a base and naughty heart evil words proclaim an evil man who though hee may speak good sometimes which hee hath heard from others yet when hee speaketh evil hee speaketh of his own or from himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Satan is said to do when hee speaketh a lye John 8.44 Unsavory words proceed from a rotten heart as stinking breath from corrupt lungs the uttering of them is a bringing up of our Excrements the wrong way scil out of our mouths which will defile the man Therefore wee should speak good and no evil that we may both bee good in our selves and seem good to others Reas 2. Because evil words corrupt good manners vv 1 Cor. 15.33 both in the speaker for as one saith a man looseth so much of his piety honesty as he admitteth evil into his mouth and in the hearers for moral infection may bee spread abroad by words as well as natural or pestilential infection by breath Reas 3. Because Gods Law obligeth the Tongue as well as the hand to obedience Every Commandement according to the Subject matter of it 1 Requires good to bee spoken with the Tongue as well as to be thought in the heart or done with the hand 2 Forbids all sinne in word as well as in deed For Example The first Table commandeth us to honour God with our Tongue by professing our Faith Love Obedience submission to him by praying to him and praising of him by confessing and justifying him before men by speaking good of his name giving him the glory of all hallowing his Sabbath in word as well as in deed It forbids all blasphemies murmurings repinings despairings or hard speeches and stout words against God All taking of Gods name into our mouths in vain by rash oaths vows curses Mal. 3.13 by irreverent use of Gods titles or attributes without just occasion or due affection as in saying O God and O Lord O Jesus It prohibits us to speak our own words that is worldly talk on the Sabbath Gods holy day The Second Table Commands us To love our Neighbour give him respect and seek his good in word as well as in deed with our tongues as well as with our hands Gods Law binds the tongue as well as the hand from injuring others any way It forbids 1 Tongue-Murther by scoffing as Ishmael did at Isaac which the holy Ghost cals persecution x Gal. 4.29 by reviling and rayling 1 Pet. 3.9 by opprobrious termes or filthy names Mat. 5.22 by threatning and by cursing Job would not suffer his mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his enemies Soul Job 31.30 or that God might lay his curse upon him to take away his life By Tale-bearing and back-biting Lev. 19.16 which killeth friendship and mens names and the comforts of their lives By revealing secrets Prov. 11.13 2 Tongue adultery by obscene and lascivious speeches and wanton words whereby men have their mouths full of Adultery as well as their eyes by wanton looks Fornication and all uncleannesse Let it not be once named amongst you saith z Eph. 5.3 4 Paul as becommeth Saints neither filthinesse or obscentity This is Saints decency not to name sinne without detestation not to take up the names of idol-lusts no more than of Idol-gods into their lips Psal 16.4 It is a sin to speak of any sin with delight or without hatred and dislike 3 The Second Table forbids also Tongue theft by over-reaching and defrauding others in bargaining or otherwise By guile of lips flatteries By with-holding due respect from others in titles or speech whereby wee rob them of their honour just praise and good name Render to all their dues
which must bee understood in a quallified sense to wit comparatively not absolutely as if free wholly from all sin which is an impossible attainment on this side the Grave either in being silent when he should speak which may at some Time bee a crying sinne or in speaking when hee should be silent which may be a loud sin The 144000 in whose mouth was found no guile were without fault before the Throne of God Rev. 14.5 Ps 16.9 30 12. 108.1 David counted his tongue his excellency and call'd it often his glory to shew forth the Majesty Glory Excellencies and praises of God 4 Excellent is the good use of the Tongue in respect of Imitation for wee should bee ensamples to others in word or speech as well as in spirit and in f 1 Tim. 4.12 Psal 45.1 conversation This is the way to Excell The Tongue is the pen of a ready Scribe to set Coppies of wise holy and profitable Speech for others to write after or to teach them how to speak as the Hand sets Copies to teach others how to write 5 In respect of Distinction for as speech specificates man and distinguisheth man from Beasts which have Tongues and speak not So the government of the Tongue sheweth the difference between 1 A wise man and a fool as Solomon states it throughout his Proverbs as Chap. 15.2.7 29.11 Eccl. 5.3 Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh Job 2.9 10 saith Job to his wife when shee said unto him Curse God and dye 2 Between a good man and an evil man O Generation of Vipers saith g Mat. 12.34 35 Christ how can yee being evil speak good things for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh c. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things c. This is the character of an evil man Psal 50.16 19. He giveth his mouth to evil 3 Between a man that is really religious and him that is but seemingly h Iames 1.26 so If any man among you seem to bee religious and bridleth not his Tongue this mans religion is vain want of Government over the tongue makes a man like a Brute as Horse and Mule in Mouth as well as in mind Ps 32 9. yea worse Reas 3. 3 The necessity From the necessity of Tongue-Government in respect 1 Of God 2 Of Religion 3 Of our selves and others 1 In respect of God that our Tongues may obey him God requires that service of them that they should bee set apart for him that holinesse to the Lord should bee written upon our Tongues as well as upon our hearts For God made with excellent skil and Christ redeemed with great price our Tongues for himself peculiarly and this word came out of Gods mouth in righteousness bound with a Solemn oath that unto me every knee shall bow every Tongue shall swear saith Isaiah 45.23 Rom. 14 1â— Every Tongue shall confesse to God saith Paul or that every Tongue should confesse that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the h Phil. 2 1â— Father God our Father requires all his Children should give him their Tongues as well as their hearts else the one will contradict the other God expects to be eminently glorified and well-pleased with our Tongues as a principal part of the body Therefore David i Psal 19 1â— prayed Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart bee acceptable in thy sight O Lord c. and Paul prayed for the k Rom. 15.5 6. Romans that they might with one mind and one mouth glorify God Paul was excellent and exemplary as a servant of Christ and as a Master of his Tongue herein Hee saith in 1 Thes 2.4 as we were allowed of God to bee put in Trust with the Gospel even so wee speak not as pleasing men but God which tryeth our hearts How needfull then is it to Rule the Tongue aright that God may have service and glory by it which is his end of it Without government the Tongue cannot bee made obedient to God no more than the horse can be to man without the bridle 2 In respect of Religion Tongue-Rule is needfull not only to adorn it but to approve the efficacy of it and our sincerity in it for if any man among you seem to be Religious and bridleth not his Tongue but deceiveth his own heart this mans Religion is vain saith the Apostle l Iames 1.26 James whatsoever conceit ye have of your selves or whatsoever yee pretend professe seem or boast to be for religion If you cannot govern your Tongues 1 You deceive your own hearts with a shew without substance thinking and seeming to be that you are not 2 Your Religion is vain because it wants power over the Tongue to refrain it from evil as lying swearing cursing reviling censuring scoffing detracting dissembling flattering obscenity and the like That is vain which wants what it ought to have and cannot effect what it ought to do nor attain its end That is a weak and uselesse Religion which hath not a powerful influence into mens mouths to bring their Tongues under government or into subjection to order a discipline 3 You cause Religion to bee evil spoken of which suffers much by the Tongue-miscariages of the professors of it If your speech bee not well ordered your Religion will bee little valued The Consequence of Tongueguidance being very great for the Tongue is the Primum mobile or first mover among the members which carrieth them all about with it and makes them go his way and follow his Trade whether it bee good or evil and corruption soon runnes out of the heart through the mouth which defiles the whole body for there is a speedy intercourse between the heart and the Tongue hence it is that a great part of Religion stands in the good government of the Tongue Pure Religion puts forth it self in a pure lip or Language Unbridlenesse of Tongue is usually the Hypocrites sin who is free to censure others for things wherein hee is faulty and guilty himself but farre from owning or acknowledging good in others from confessing or bewailing evils in themselves 3 In respect of our selves and of others for prevention of evil from both 1 The Government of the Tongue is necessary to prevent evil from our selves both of sin and of misery 1 The evil of sin want of government is the general cause why sinne abounds in familyes Cityes Countries in all places as also in the members of mans body why the eye is full of adultery the ear of vanity the hand of blood and the mouth of iniquity As when there was no King in Israel Iudges 17.6 every one did that which was right in his own eyes So when the Tongue hath no overseer or guide it speaks what it lists it multiplyeth sinne as fast as words yea sometimes faster wrapping up two or
him 1 King 18.8 Happy are these thy Servants which stand continually before thee and that hear thy wisdome These words which I command thee this day shall bee in thy heart and thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest by the way Deut. 6.6.7 when thou liest down and when thou risest up Tenth Rule Let your discourse proceed 1 From good principles as 1 The fear of God and thoughts of his name as it did in the godly in Malachies time Mal. 3.16 2 Love to others souls and care of their good as brethren or fellow members ought to have one for another for speech is the instrument of charity and from desire of imparting some spiritual good to them Rom. 11.11 which was in Paul to the Romans that they might be established 3 From delight in spiritual things for every one will take or make occasion to speak of such things wherein they delight Ps 119.24 so did David Thy testimonies are my delight what then my tongue shall speak of thy word Vers 172 I will speak of thy testimonys before Kings Vers 46 and will not bee ashamed Having finished the rules I proceed to the Reasons why Christians should confer together of the things of God which are five Reas 1. This is part of the Communion of Saints to which God hath promised the blessing Psal 133.3 It is a Gospel duty and a Gospell priviledge yea this is the end of the faculty of speech and of society upon this account two are better than one but woe to him that is alone Eccl. 4.9 10 Christian conference is a loadstone to draw others to us in the truth and wayes of God to love and like and embrace the same for hereby seducers draw many into errors and false wayes to set them in and to keep them in It s difficult for one to go right alone 1 Kin. 11.3 4 It is a warning stone to kindle keep in and increase holy heat warmth of spirituall affections love and zeal one in another It is like Abishag that lay in Davids bosome to keep him warm Christians are like coals which laid together kindle one another and burn but being scattered go out and dye Such a warming stone was Christs discourse to the two Disciples hearts they said one to another did not our hearts burn within us while hee talked with us by the way and while hee opened to us the Scripture Luk. 24.32 If two lye together then they have heat Eccl. 4.11 but how can one be warm alone Christian conference is a whetstone to edge and sharpen one another as Iron sharpneth Iron though both bee blunt to whet one another to love and to good works It is a Sleetstone or a smoothing stone to make the ways of God plain and even smooth and easie to others to whom they appear rough and rugged and to take off the roughnesse that is upon the spirits of them who are not even cast It is a Touchstone for the trial of opinions spirits graces wayes and state of others Hereby It is probable the Angel of the Church of Ephesus tryed them that said Rev. 2.2 they are Apostles and were not and found them lyars and pul'd off their masks and Vizzards Christian discourse is a precious stone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a stone of grace Prov. 17.8 to communicate spirituall gifts and graces or the vertues of him that hath cal'd us one to another Rom. 1.11 as Paul desired to do to the Romans which prospers whithersoever it turneth whether to instruction reprehension or consolation It is a resting stone for many that come weary and heavy laden under loads of pressures by reason of troubles inward or outward into the company of Christians some or other may lend an helping hand to take off their burdens by Christian conference and give ease to their spirits and send them lightaway even as those that carry burdens find much ease by sitting down on stones in the way and setting their pack or sack thereon It is Eben-ezer a stone of help lastly Christian-conference is a burdensome stone to all the enemies thereof that spite it and oppose it as Satan and his Instruments the wicked seducers and deceivers as God threatned to make Jerusalem Zach. 12.3 to all people that gathered themselves against it and all that burden themselves with it by setting themselves against it shall bee crusht by it Reas 2 Because all sorts of persons conferre about their own matters as Merchants and trades men of their goods and traffick To this end they have exchanges common Halls to meet in and discourse together how to manage their merchandizing with best advantage Hunters will speak of their game souldiers of their marches and ingagings Fellow travellers of their journey business and place whither they are going Country men when they meet will talk of their own Country affairs And shall not Christians who are or should be wise Merchants trading in heavenly Commodities the goodly pearls of grace for eternity speak together of their Merchandizes which is better than that of silver and gold who are Country men that belong to heaven from whence they are begotten and born again where their Fathers house and their inheritance yea their Crown and Kingdome is And fellow-travellers that journey toward Heaven shall not they conferre together of their heavenly Country matters of the things pertaining to the Kingdome of Heaven whither they are a going Phil. 3.20 This is to have our conversation in Heaven for spirituall speech is a fruit of heavenly mindednesse and the language of Canaan And hereby wee declare plainly that wee are strangers on earth and Citizens of Heaven Let mee adde the wicked speak evill one to another familiarly to corrupt good manners carry on wicked designs to draw some to evill and discourage others from good by their evil communications The Devil drives a mighty trade of iniquitie by the tongues as well as by the hands of the wicked who are diligent and constant and unwearied in this service shall the Devills instruments speak evill oft one to another to advance the works and Kingdome of darknesse as they are going toward Hell together and shall Gods servants speak good seldome one to another of God or for God to promote the Kingdome of Christ and salvation of souls Reas 3. Because to this end variety of gifts are given by the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 12.7 to 12. who divideth to every one severally as he will for mutuall converse and communication to profit withall As one Country hath some commodities which another Country wants that there might bee mutuall trade and commerce among all that one member may not say to another I have no need of thee not the eye to the hand nor the head to the feet and that the abundance of parts in some 1 Cor. 12.21 2 Cor. 8.14 may
spirit to hear another brag and boast of himself For us by commending our selves to seek our own praise is as much as to suck our own breasts which is a strange thing Let us take heed to our spirits for desire of praise is a sin to which wee are all subject and is most suitable to corrupt nature and it is one of those corruptions that is last conquered in us Wee have diverse wayes and wiles to get praise As to praise our selves if no body else will and to commend others mightily for such things as wee had a hand in to speak of what wee have said or done to give others occasion to commend us for the same This is as one saith to open a back door to take praise into our selves When a soul is lifted up in pride the mouth is opened wide in praise of it self Answ 2 The abuse of a thing doth not debar or decry the lawfull use of it which God hath permitted and the Saints have practised As Self-commendation Idem fit à pio ab impio saith Peter Martyr In 1 Sam. 12. Both the godly and the wicked commend themselves but not with the same mind or intent which God the searcher of all hearts doth discern and will discover There is as great a difference between them as between right and wrong good and evill This is a tender point and must bee very warily handled and practised Here I shall shew what Self-commendation is lawfull in four respects to wit of the matter measure manner and end thereof 1 For the matter when the things for which wee commend our selves are 1 Good in themselves 2 Really ours 1 Good in themselves and praise worthy for if they bee evill wee glory in our shame as they do that boast of their drinking whoring cheating And not for our temporalls as Riches Honours Strength Wit or Learning In boasting of such things a man is little better than sounding brass or a tinkling Cymbal A Heathen could say Seneca a man should not bee commended for such things as may bee taken from him which all temporals may But Spiritualls as the Righteousness of Christ the Grace Love and Favour of God the work and service of God or doing and suffering for God These are a mans own for ever Thus saith the Lord Let not the wise man glory in his wisdome Jor. 9.23 nor the mighty man in his might nor the rich man in his riches but let him that glorieth glory in this that hee understandeth and knoweth mee that I am the Lord that is in the sound and saving knowledge of God Paul might have gloried in his external priviledges which were many and great Phil. 3.4 5 6. 2 Cor. 11.21 22 23. in which hee was inferiour to none but hee waves them all as not worth naming in comparison of Christ and his grace and fellowship with him Paul would glory only in things pertaining to God Rom. 15.17 not to the World as in his office and the diligent discharge and good successe thereof in his uprightness faithfulness unblameableness good conscience for vertue is the proper subject of praise Phil. 4.8 and in his sufferings for Christ I take pleasure in infirmities reproaches persecutions for Christs sake of which Paul makes large Catalogues 2 Cor. 11.23 to 28. 1 Cor. 4.9 to 14. 2 Cor. 6.4 5 8 9.10 which sufferings of Paul were spirituall things in the cause and end of them and in his manner of bearing them though temporal in the matter of them 2 When for the matter wee speak only of things that are really ours or what we have in truth and do indeed when for the truth of what wee speak in the justification or commendation of our selves wee can appeal to the Testimony of Gods Spirit and our own consciences as Paul did to the Romans 9. cap. 1 2 3. I say the truth in Christ I lye not my conscience also bearing mee witnesse in the Holy Ghost and of men also as Paul did to the Thessalonians yee are witnesses and God also 1 Thes 2.10 11. how holily justly and unblameably wee have behaved our selves Though I would desire to glory 2 Cor. 12.6 I shall not bee a fool saith Paul for I will say the truth the false Apostles who gloried in the face commended themselves for vizzards shews shaddows appearances for what they seemed to bee or do but without truth or reality Wee see it in experience that great boasters are many times grosse lyars 2 For the Measure when it is our care and fear not to over-reach herein but to speak rather under than over of any good wee have or do 2 Cor. 10.13 The Apostles would not stretch themselves or the praise of their abilities labours and successes beyond their due bounds that is Ver. 14 15 16. They would not boast of more than God had given to them or done by them no more than they would stretch themselves beyond the line of those places to which God sent them nor boast of things beyond their line and measure nor arrogate to themselves the praise of other mens labours but contain and content themselves within their own compass Paul durst not speak of any thing God had not wrought by him in his Apostolick function Rom. 15.18 3 For the manner in a Three-fold respect scil of our selves of God of others 1 In respect of our selves when we commend our selves forcedly humbly and modestly 1 Forcedly not forwardly when we are not free and forward of our selves to commend our selves but we are necessitated or strongly moved thereunto as Paul was I am a fool in glorying 2 Cor. 12.11 yee have compelled me and in Chap. 11.23 Are they Ministers of Christ I speak as a fool I am more q. d. my words would savour of folly and vain glory or carry a shew thereof if spoken spontaneously of my own accord and I was not necessitated thereunto as I am for the defence of my Office and Doctrin for the credit of the Gospel and the glory of God because the Corinthians think more highly of the false Apostles and more meanly of me than was meet It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory saith Paul that is ◠Cor. 12.1 in and of my self voluntarily There is great propensity in proud persons to praise themselves it is their proper dialect and delight it is the air they chuse to breathe in they seek occasion of Self-commendation being full of themselves they seek a vent this way they travel with ambition of their spirits as a Woman with childe longing to bee delivered by Self-commendation 2 Humbly out of sense of our own infirmities the evils that are in us and of our vileness and unworthiness notwithstanding all the good we have or do and out of fear lest others should think better of us than we are Cor. 12.6 or deserve This was Pauls fear Lest any man should think of me above
magnifie the free Grace of God p. 123 8 To prevent sin in others p. 123 What faults wee ought to confess to others and what wee may conceal p. 124 125 c. 2 To what persons wee should confess our faults p. 127 3 From what Principles and in what manner this should bee done p. 129 The causes of mens backwardness to confess sin p. 131 How sin is to be named p. 132 The second case in which Direction is given is The confession of Christ before men p. 134. Four Things concerning it are opened 1 What this confession is p. 134. 2 When it should be made p. 139 3 Why we should confess with the mouth p. 146 The Reasons are drawn 1 From God they are three p. 147 2 From Christ they are two ibid. 3 From our selves they are four p. 151 4 From others p. 151 4 How this Confession should be made p. 157 In seven Particulars 1 Freely without Compulsion 2 Plainly without obscurity p. 157 158. 3 Boldly without fear p. 159 4 Constantly without giving over p. 160 5 Innocently without giving offence p. 161 6 Sincerely out of Love p. 162 Zeal p. 163 7 Patiently with a resolution to suffer for our Testimony p. 163 The third case is Reprehension Touching which three things are declared scil Preparatives Rules and Reasons 1 Preparatives to it four 1 Wisdome 166 2 Righteousness 167 3 Faithfullness 167 4 Boldness 168 2 Rules for Reproof which respect four things 1 The matter to bee reproved that is 1 Sin the chief object of Reproof p. 168 2 What we know to be a fault both in it self and in them whom we reprehend p. 169 2 The persons to bee reproved p. 170 And who are not to be reproved 172 173 3 The manner how to reprove that is by observing five Rules 1 Rule Reproof must be given 1 In love to their Persons 174 2 In Pitty to their infirmities 174. 3 In Meekness without Pride passion bitterness 175 4 With respect to their credit 175 2 Rule Reproof must be seconded with Arguments p. 176. to set it home 3 Rule Reproof should bee formed in Scripture-terms 176 4 Rule Reproof should bee begun and ended with prayer 177 5 Rule Reproof for the manner of it should be suited 1 To the quality of the person to be reproved 178 There be two wayes of reproving 181 1 Directly 2 Indirectly by way 1 Of obsecration 2 Insinuation 181. 3 Illustration 4 Exemplification 182 2 To the Nature of the offence as it is 1 Open or secret 183 2 Great or smal ibid. 3 As committed out of weakness or wilfullness 184 4 As committed seldome or often 5 As the party offending hath been reproved either not before or often 184 4 The Season when to reprove others 185 The third thing is the reasons why wee should reprove others drawn from three heads 1 The Necessity of it in respect 1 Of our selves 187 2 Of others 188 2 The Commodity of Reproof in the effects thereof which are six p. 191 3 The Excellency of it 193 The Reasons inforce a double duty upon us 1 To give reproof to others Five Causes of our Averseness to it 195 What is required of us hereunto 195 196 2 To take Reproof well 199 To this end take notice of four things 1 Of our backwardness to it 199. and four causes thereof 201 2 The right manner of bearing Reproof 202 To wit 1 Humbly 2 Thankfully 3 Effectually 4 Patiently 203 3 The means of taking Reproof well scil three 1 A wise heart 103 2 An obedient ear 3 A tractable spirit 204 4 Motives to this duty from two heads 1 The good of receiving Reproof in four particulars p 204 2 The evill of rejecting it 1 The evill of sin in six particulars 207 2 The evill of punishment 210 The fourth case is Communication or conferring together of the matters of God 212 1 Rules for it 2 Reasons of it 1 Rules for it which are ten 1 In company improve time for profitable edifying discourse 214 2 Observe the dispositions and conditions of the persons present to suit your discourse 1 To their Necessities 214 2 To their capacities 215 3 Raise spirituall discourse from temporall occasions 215 4 Observe what subjects Gods providence puts into your minds and mouths 217 5 Get some Common heads into your minds and hearts that may bee of generall use to all and at all times 217 6 The asking and answering of questions aright conduceth much to mutuall edification 218 This wee find 1 Under Precept in the old Testament 218 2 Under practice example in the New 220 The right manner of asking questions 221 7 Its lawfull to discourse of natural moral and civill matters 222 Urbanity or the use of Recreationall speeches is lawfull 223 Your Rules for ordering the same 1 For matter 224. 2 For manner 3 For measure 4 For end 225. The use of Ironies 226 227 8 In speech seek not so much to shew wit or eloquence as efficacious power of speech 227 Eloquence may bee used proved by four Reasons 228 and how 230 9 Rule Speak of good things at home in your own families 230 231 10. Let your discourse proceed from good Principles as 1 The fear of God 2 Love to others souls 3 Delight in spirituall things 231 2 Reasons of it why Christians should confer together they are five Reas 1 This is part of the Communion of Saints 231 232 2 All sorts of persons confer about their own matters 233 3 To this end variety of gifts are given by the Spirit of God 235 4 This will augment our parts and further our Accounts 236 5 This service of godly discourse is very acceptable 1 To God 236 2 To Jesus Christ 237 The fifth Case is Consolation to comfort one another 239 Touching which are delivered 1 Rules 2 Reasons 1 Rules for comforting others which are six 1 Know their case what it is and the cause of their trouble 239 2 Then pity them and sympathize with them 240 3 Apply comforts suitable to their needs 240 1 If their case be Necessity ibid. 2 If it bee death of friends 241 3 If Persecution 242. 4 If desertion 243 5 If any other Affliction ibid. 4 Rule Chuse the best means to comfort others by as 1 Kind and loving speeches 244 2 Strong reasons or arguments 245 3 Plain Scriptures fitly applyed ibid. 4 Experience both our own 246. and others 247 5 The evidence and exercise of our Graces ibid. 6 Prayer to God 248 5 Râ—le Consider the persons who are fit to bee comforted 1 Gods people above all others 249 2 Weak and faint souls ibid. 3 Mourners for sin 250. For want of Gods presence 251. For Misery ibid. 4 Seekers of Christ 252 6 Rule write letters of Consolation 252. Send Messengers 253. And take journies to comfort others 254 II Reas Why we should comfort others drawn from four heads Reas 1 The Necessity and Commodity of comfort in respect of
to teach his Scholars or in a Magistrate to govern the Common-wealth As great skill and knowledge is required for ordering the Tongue well as any yea all the members of the body beside by Reason 1 Of the Difficulty of the task to rule an unruly Tongue in regard 1 Of Mans propensity to offend therein 2 Of the Cases and concernments thereof 2 Of the Discommodity or Commodity of the event thereof of all these I shall speak more fully afterwards Solomon the wisest of men shews all along in his wise sentences the need and profit of wisdome for wel-guiding the Tongue wherein hee makes wisdome the principle of speaking well or right Folly the principle of speaking ill or wrong Wisdome is required 1 To the opening of the mouth for the vertuous woman openeth her mouth with 〈◊〉 wisdome a Prov. 31.26 2. To the shutting of the mouth hee that refraineth his lips saith b Prov. 10.19 Solomon not onely from speaking many words at any time but from speaking any words at some time to wit when hee feeth cause to bee silent he is wise Wisdome keeps the doors of his mouth and opens and shuts them in due season Wisdome is profitable to direct how to dispense inward gifts for the good of others Hence it is said The Tongue of the wise useth knowledge d Prov. 15.2 aright Wisdome is the Art or skill of shaping right Answers Walk in Wisdome saith e Col. 44 5 6. Paul that yee may know how ye ought to answer every man scil warily and rightly so as your speeches may carry a grace and a force with them Wisdome is requisite to make you ready alwaies to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the Hope that is in you with meaknesse and f 1 Pet. 3.15 fear This wisdome to govern the Tongue well is obtainable three waies 1 It must bee beg'd of God by prayer for it is Gods gift If any lack wisdome saith g Jam. 1.5 James to wit to speak well as to do or suffer well let him ask it of God and it shall be given him But let him ask in faith nothing wavering Vers 6 2 It must bee learn't out of Gods word which is the Grammar of the Language of Canaan or the Art of speaking it perfectly The holy Scriptures contain all Rules requisite for the right government of the Tongue Have not I written to thee saith h Prov. 22.20 21 Solomon excellent things in Counsels and knowledge that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee Solomons Proverbs which are princely sayings rare and royall sentences were spoken and written to teach us to speak well and wisely or to order our speech aright Therefore search the Scriptures which are able to make you wise as to salvation so to elocution as to do well so to say well to make you perfect in speech and furnish you thorowly unto all good words 3 It must bee taught us and infused into us by the spirit of Christ who upon that account is cal'd the Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation i Eph. 1.17 the Spirit of Counsell and knowledge and of the fear of the k Isa 11.2 Lord the spirit of a sound mind 2 Tim. 1.7 which makes the tongue to be l Prov. 12.18 health and the speech to be sound that cannot be m Tit. 2.8 condemned through abundant clearnesse of expression and conviction This Wisdome from above which is absolutely needful to rule the Tongue here below is a fruit of the Spirit in us The Spirit hath a great influence into the good guidance of the Tongue in some cases especially wherein as our Saviour saith n Mat. 10.20 it is not wee that speak but the spirit of our Father which speaketh in us Ask the Holy Ghost by earnest prayer and your heavenly father will give him to o Luk. 11.13 you and wisdome from him The Second Preparative is Resolution Resolution bottom'd on Gods grace and strength for ruling the Tongue This was Davids resolve in my Text I said that is I determined in my self I will beware and observe my waies from offending with my Tongue I will keep my mouth with a bridle and I have purposed my mouth shall not p Psal 17.3 transgresse Job strengthened himself with this sinew of Resolution against q Job 27.3 4 Tongue-transgression to which hee bound himself by a double oath the one in the second ver As God liveth all the while my breath is in mee and the Spirit of God is in my Nostrils my lips shall not speak wickedness nor my Tongue utter deceit the other Oath is in the fourth verse as the words are in the Original If my lips shall speak wickednesse If my tongue shall utter deceit which is the form of an Oath Mereer in Job 27.4 familiar to the Hebrews what then Job then let mee perish or let the Lord punish mee severely for it Wisdome shuts the mouth against evil and Resolution barracado's it Wisdome unlocks the lips to good and Resolution sets the doors of the mouth wide open to let it forth A full and fixed purpose of heart against sin and vanity will put a bridle into the mouth to restrain it from corrupt speech and idle words and will loose the Tongue when it is tied even from good and cast out a dumb spirit The Tongue is a Bow words are Arrows wisdome sets them right Resolution bends the Bow and makes them flye To resolve well what to say is the way not to speak amiss When the heart is not bound up with resolution to order the mouth aright the tongue hangs loose and is lightly moved to evil Wel ordering of the heart The Third Preparative is the well-ordering and wel-furnishing of the heart This is required to the Government of the Tongue for three Reasons Reas 1. Because the heart is the guide of the Tongue that directs it and dictates to it The Scribe that indites matter good or bad the Tongue is the pen of r Psal 45.1 a ready-writer A good Scribe makes a good pen. The Heart is the Master of the Tongue and the Tongue is the scholar of the heart The heart of the wise saith Solomon ſ Prov. 16.23 teacheth his mouth and addeth learning to his lips A good Master makes a good Scholar so a good heart makes a good Tongue If the Heart go right the Tongue will follow and not go wrong If the Heart bee well framed the Tongue will be well taught Reas 2. The Heart is the root fountain and treasury of the Tongue it furnisheth the mouth with matter of discourse The words of the mouth are the fruits streams and stuff that proceed out of the heart for out of the abundance of the heart saith Christ t Mat. 12.34 the mouth speaketh A good man out of the good treasure of the Heart bringeth forth good
saith a Rom. 13.7 Paul that is in word as well as in deed By denying pitty and relief to others 4 Tongue-slanders by raising or spreading false reports of others as many did of b Jer. 20.10 Jeremiah who said report and wee will report it By bearing false witnesse against others By judging hardly of other mens 1 Sayings and doings as Eli did of Hannahs moving her lips when shee prayed in her heart onely Eli said to her how long wilt thou bee drunk put away thy wine from c 1 Sam. 1.13 14. thee and as they did of the Apostles speaking diverse Languages who mocking said These men are full of new d Act. 2.13 wine 2 Of other mens persons as Jobs friends condemned him for unrighteous because hee was so greatly afflicted and the Barbarians did Paul for a murderer when the viper came out of the fire and fastned on his hand Act. 28.4 Thus God hath shewed thee O man in his Law what is good and what the Lord thy God requireth thee to speak and what he forbids thee to say Speak good and not evil II Profitableness of Speech Eph. 4.29 Let your speech bee profitable and useful not vain and idle Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth saith Paul but that which is good to the use of edifying or to edify profitably that it may minister grace to the Hearers And in Eph. 5.3 4. neither filthinesse nor foolish talking nor jestings which are not convenient but rather giving of thanks Our Speech should bee profitable for four Reasons Reas 1. Because vain speech proceeds from a vain mind and is the badge of a vain man Scurrilous jests are the fome and froth of wit Though they seem to have the honey of mirth in their mouth yet they really carry a sting of grief and shame in their Tale which they leave behind them sticking and pricking in mens Consciences Reas 2. Because Christ saith that of every idle word viz. Mat. 12.36 which is frivolous and fruitlesse that men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement The Gospel which is the Law of Liberty by which Christians shall bee judged gives no license to vain thoughts or idle words but all men must be accountable to God for both another day Reas 3. Because vain speech is the Language of strange Children that is of such as are strangers to God and to his people and to speaking by the rule of Gods word David prayed to bee delivered from the hand of strange Children whose mouth speaketh c Ps 144.7 8 vanity Agur coupleth vanity and lies together and makes the one a step to the other f Prov. 30.8 Remove farre from mee vanity and lies It s a sign and fruite of the death and decay of Godly faithful men when they speak vanity every one with his g Psal 12.1 2. Neighbour Reas 4. Because idle words vain speech c. are not convenient but unbecomming the Saints their prudence and gravity seriousnesse and sanctity They are inconsistent with yea repugnant to the Excellency of their Tongues and Speech Prov. 10.20 The Tongue of the just is as choice silver then all its words should bee of worth and value Now idle words are drosse nothing worth a hundred of them are not worth a brasse farthing How unsutable and ill-becomming are drossy words to a silver Tongue A wholesome Tongue is a tree of life h Prov. 15.4 and a mans words are the fruite of the mouth Now a good Tree bringeth forth good fruite saith our k Mat. 7.17 Saviour This is true of the tree in the mouth to wit the Tongue as well as of the tree in the field What are idle words but chaff or worse How uncomely are chaffy words to a Tongue that is a tree of life The lips of knowledge are a precious l Prov. 20.15 Iewel Vain speeches are like pebbles and dust which are unseemly to come out of Jewellips Not only Ministers but private Christians Mat. 5.13 are the salt of the earth therefore their speech must be seasoned with salt of discretion m Col. 4.6 that will preserve the mouth from vanity and idle words which are altogether unsavory and from putrefaction by them For idle words may grow into putrid speeches Though words bee accounted light but as wind yet a wise man ought to order them so as they may blow profit to some body You say it is an ill wind that bloweth no body profit so that is an idle word that is not fit to do any good or good to any Thirdly 3 Manner of Speech Have respect to the manner how yee speak To this end Let your speech be alway with grace seasoned with salt n Col. 4.6 Grace is that to speech which salt is to meat and was to sacrifices to make it savory and wholesome to preserve it from putrefaction Our speech should taste of grace as meat doth of salt Salt feasoneth all things so doth grace it pouders and seasons heart and Tongue the thoughts affections and expressions Hence wee read not only of grace in the heart Heb. 13.9 but of grace in the lips also Prov. 22.11 The words of a wise mans mouth are grace Eccl. 10.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the people wondered at the words of Grace which proceeded out of Christs mouth o Luk. 4.22 When our speech is without grace it wants seasoning it doth not relish well I commend to you seven Graces for your lips ◠Graces of the Lips 1 Fitnesse of speech 2 Fewnesse of words 3 Meeknesse 4 Modesty 5 Reverence 6 Caution 7 Constancy The first Grace is fitnesse of speech and rightnesse of Answers to chuse out fit words 1 Fitnesse of Speech not only to expresse your minds but fitted to the matter persons and occasion spoken off or to which are required to make up the due manner of speech This grace of the Lips is a due observation of all circumstances viz. time Place and persons and an accommodation and commensuration of speech thereunto Jobs friends spake good words and excellent things for matter but being not fitly applyed to Jobs person and condition for they mistook him as if hee had been an Hypocrite by reason of his great afflictions they failed much in the manner of their speech So their words proved Corrasives to Job which should have been Cordials and they miserable comforters who should have been Physitians of great value great revivings and refreshings to Job Right words spoken plainly and directly Right words are effectual to purpose are effectual comely and pleasant 1 Effectual for they hit the mark light in the nick and strike on the right string How forcible are right words saith Job p Job 6.25 viz. to do great matters Abigail by a few right words overcame great wrath in David when hee and his men were upon their March to
making the Tongue which should be like choice silver precious as common as drosse or dust which God hath designed to speciall use The vanity of lightnesse rashnesse and inconsideratenesse There is a variety of vanity in many words answerable to what is found in many dreams In fond babling as many vanities are to be found as in plain doting To make up that in number or repetition of words which is wanting in weight of matter the practice of those that magnify their mouths above measure and love to hear themselves speak conceiting they please others because they please themselves this also is vanity Of many long speeches it may be truly said that a little were too much They that are full of words are like those Trees that are full of leaves but bear little fruit much chaffe little corn many evils arise of much speech Therefore Licurgus made few Laws for the Lacedemonians because they spake little for they did professe silence and were enemies to much speech 3 Iniquity In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin saith Solomon ◠Prov. 10.19 that is of rash superfluous words for in the multitude of pondered and wel-sealoned words there wants not Grace This Proverb directs us to a Compendium of speech pro re natâ as the matter doth require A vein of speaking too much causeth speaking amisse and venting of evil and is commonly attended and tainted with self-conceit and vain glory even in speaking that which is good Usually pride or passion sets the Tongue on work when it overfloweth with words Therefore let your words be 1 Few to God 2 Not over many to men 1 Few to God in your addresses to him This is the Preachers Counsel n Eccles 5.2 Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart bee hasty to utter any word before God either in prayer or in vows for God is in Heaven and thou upon earth therefore let thy words bee few Do not over-word it in holy duties without sufficient matter and suitable affections When yee pray saith our Saviour o Mat. 6.7 use not vain repetitions that is idle Tautologies needlesse and heartlesse multiplying of words for so do the Heathen who think to bee heard for their much speaking Not that all ingeminations or repetitions are unlawfull for there may be good use of them both in prayer to express earnestnesse of affection and also in preaching and in conference to make the people understand and remember better and to cause a deeper impression in them But they are idle as one fitly expresseth it when mens words exceed their matter or both words and matter exceed their attention and affection A man may pray much yet speak little if fervent in spirit as did the Publican 2 Let not your words be over many to men Prov. 23.2 but rather serious and short Avoid loquacity As ye should put a knife to your throat if yee bee given to appetite so put a bridle into your mouth if yee bee given to much talking For the babling of the tongue is like the turning of a Cistern Cock and the overflowing of words causeth a current of sin Who hath woe who hath babling vain frivolous talk They that tarry long at the wine saith the wise man p Prov. 23.29 30. Over-drinking produceth over-talking A babler is no better than a Serpent that will bite the passenger Eccles 10.11 if uncharm'd Reas 3 Because an open mouth bewrayeth an empty frothy heart as an open Vessel argues the commonnesse of the liquor that is in it When a Chest stands wide open we conclude there is no silver nor gold in it Wee keep our Coffers lockt wherein wee lay up our Rings Jewels and precious things wee keep the mouths of pots and glasses that have sweet or strong waters in them close stopt lest the giving of them full vent should let out or diminish the vertue of them When the heart hath a good Treasure in it the mouth is kept under lock and key and will not lavish out words prodigally to no purpose but lay them out frugally to the profit of others When the Tongue speaks without stint or restraint quicquid in buccam venerit the heart is common vain and vile The third Grace f the lips is Meekness and Humility 3 Meekness 1 Pet. 3.15 without pride Ostentation or harshnesse Bee ready saith Peter to give an answer to every man Tit. 3.1 2. c. with meekness and fear Put them in mind saith Paul to Titus tospeak evil of no man to bee no Brawlers but gentle shewing all meeknesse unto all men to wit in word as well as in deed Meek and kind language purchaseth good Will and a good Name Reas 1 Because Meeknesse makes both the Tongue and the words soft dips them both in oyl 1 The Tongue and a soft Tongue breaketh the bone q Prov. 25.15 that is peirceth and convinceth perswadeth and overcometh an angry implacable heart a stout stern spirit which else would not buckle 2 The Words and a soft answer turns away wrath r Prov. 15.1 As Abigails milde and meek answer diverted Davids rage and resolution to kil Nabal Gideons gentle speech allayed the sharp chiding of the Ephraimites ſ Judg 8.1 2 3. Then their anger was abated towards him when he had said that Hard to hard as the saying is will never do Hard speeches cannot break or mollifie hard hearts Grievous words stir up anger they adde oyl to the flame Soft words cast water upon it to quench it Be curteous or affable saith Peter t 1 Pet. 3.8 9. not rendring evil for evil or railing for railing but contrariwise blessing It s water not fire that can put out fire nor dirt that can wash off dirt Soft words and hard arguments proceeding from meekness of wisdome do convince and perswade powerfully Reas 2 Because pride in the mouth is a rod to strike others wherewith the fool layeth about him like a mad man u Prov 14.3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride saith the wise man Such at length shall bee beaten with their own rod for their own Tongue shall fall upon them A fools lips enter into contention w Pro. 18.6 and his mouth calleth for stroaks The Lord will cut off the Tongue that speaketh proud things x Psal 12.3 Though the Tongue bee but a little member yet it boasteth great things saith James y Jam. 3.5 Boasting is the usual sin of the Tongue and the Tongue is ordinarily the Servant of pride Therefore Hannah said to her adversary who insulted over her for her barrennesse Talk no more so exceeding proudly let not arrogancy proceed out of your mouth z 1 Sam. 2.3 Reas 3 Roughnesse or harshnesse of speech is an uncomlinesse ill beseeming the mouth either of a great or good man Nabals churlish answer to Davids Servants had like to have cost him his life
God in our souls How safe and sure are our tongues to bee well ordered when our mouths are kept and barracaded by God against evil within us that it go not out of them and against evil spirits without us that they get not into them Desire God to keep our keeping and to watch over our watching of our Mouths 4 God is Lord over the Tongue to purge it from all pollution for sin defileth the mouth as well as the heart the lips as well as the life and makes us not worthy that Christ should come under the roof of our mouths or to take his Name into our lips Sin made not only the men in the midst of whom Isaiah dwelt a people of unclean c Isa 6.5 lips but himself also woe is mee for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips by reason of some moral desect or default as in the delivery of his message it may be his not reproving the sin of the prince and of the people Sin made Moses a man of uncircumcised d Exod. 6.12.30 Ainsworth in Gen. 17.11 lips that is unclean unsanctified or of many superfluous words for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a superfluity or stoppage that hindreth the due effect or operation of a thing All sin is signified by the superfluous foreskin which God commanded to be circumcised or cut quite off This word as applyed to the lips implies superfluity in speaking which Stammerers use and others also Moses lips were not free from faults and the uncircumcision thereof hindred as he thought the Reception and operation of his message as he Spake before the Lord saying Behold the children of Israel have not hearkened to mee how then shall Pharaoh hear me who am of uncircumcised lips Exod. 6.12 Corruption in the heart pollutes the mouth and makes a man unfit to speak to God or from God or to appear before God yea the Tongue defiles the whole body saith e Jam. 3.6 Quod efficit tale illud magis est tale James therefore is it foul and filthy in it self A mouth full of iniquity or of vanity is a cage full of unclean birds that hath need to bee cleansed Now only the Lord can wash our mouthes as well as our hearts from wickednesse our Tongues as well as our hands from all the taint and filth of sin Hee can create in us a pure lip as well as a clean heart which he hath promised f Zeph. 3.9 For then will I turn to the people a pure or purified lip or language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one shoulder Let us pray with David g Psal 51.2 wash mee throughly O Lord from mine iniquity my tongue as well as my heart or hand and cleanse mee from my sin in word as well as in deed Pray the Lord to dip your Tongues in the blood of his Son 1 Joh. 1.7 then our language will bee pure and our words precious and our voice sweet Cant. 2.14 to circumcise our lips or pare off the foreskin of them that is superfluous words folly and vanity to touch our lips with a coal from this Altar the true type of Christ as he did the Prophet h Isa 6.6 7. Isaiahs that our iniquity may bee taken away and our sin purged that is to purifie them by his Spirit applying to our lips the vertue of Christs blood to purge them from the soil of sin as also to assoil from the guilt of sin and the grace of Christ to sanctifie our lips as a coal of fire fetcht from Heaven to put out the helfire of sin and to consume the dross of vanity out of our i Jam. 3.6 Tongues then wee shall bee as Gods mouth Jer. 15.19 The Holy Ghost set on fire the Apostles Tongues with zeal that flame of God Act. 2.3 5 God is Lord over the Tongue to prosper it and to make this little member an instrument of doing great things as some mens Tongues effect far more than other mens hands out of the mouths of Babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength said David to k Psal 8 2. God to still the enemy and the avengers that is out of the mouthes of those that are such or little more for age as the Children that cryed in the Temple Hosanna to the son of l Mat 21.15 16. David who thereby honoured Christ but sorely displeased the Scribes and Pharisees yet Christ did accept and own even the Childrens way of praising him as they were fit and able or that are Babes and Sucklings not for age but for meanness of persons and weaknesse of parts natural or acquired as the Prophets and Apostles some of them at least were indeed Act. 4.13 or in appearance and in account as Peter and John in the Pharisees esteem were idiots and illiterate men yet out of their mouths God ordained strength strong convictions to stop the mouthes of enemies strong reprehensions to affright the hearts of the ungodly strong perswasions to draw sinners out of the World unto Christ to move them to good and to mould them aright strong arguments to confute errors 1 Cor. 1.27 28. and to confound the wisdome of the world to bring great things to passe Out of the mouth of the Child Jeremy God ordained strength yea victory See saith God to him I have this day set thee over the Nations and over the m Jer. 1.10 Kingdomes to root out pul down destroy to build and to plant These bee mighty matters but how shall Jeremiah do them with what tool or instrument even with his Tongue or by the words that God puts into his mouth Jer. 1.9 10. And because the Jews said the Prophets words are but n Jer. 5.13 Vers 14. Hos 6.5 wind behold saith God I will make my words in thy mouth fire and this people wood and it shall devoure them God hewed Ephraim and Judah by his Prophets and slew them by the words of his mouth The word of God is a two-edged sword in the mouths of his servants It is foretold that fire shall go out of the mouthes of the two witnesses and devour their enemies that is Rev. 11.5 the word of their mouths shall be as fire to scorch and consume those that oppose or contradict their Testimony and by their Tongues they are said to have tormented them that dwell upon the earth Vers 10. Let us pray God would blesse all the words that proceed from our mouths that they may peirce and perswade prosper and prevail to all good intents and purposes for which they are spoken though they be weak as water and light as wind in expression and yet that God would make them weighty as silver and mighty as fire in operation both amiable and forcible that the words which come from our hearts may go to the hearts of them that hear us Intreat the Lord to delight to
use our Tongues as iustruments of much service praise and glory to his Name and of good to others For what God useth hee will blesse and to that end that God would speak by us as hee did by o 2 Sam. 23.2 3. David The Spirit of the Lord spake by mee and his word was in my Tongue though wee can desire and expect it but in an ordinary not in an oraculous way which made David to be the sweet Psalmist of Israel Vers 1. and a Pen-man of holy Scripture The Fourth Rule 4 Rule Observe bewail and amend the errors of your Tongues 1 Observe them Psal 119.59 what yee say amiss as what yee do amiss Christians should take account of their words as well as of their works for both of them are equally their wayes in which they walk on towards either Heaven or Hell Jer. 8.6 God hearkens to hear you ask your selves what have I said as well as what have I done For the Tongue is subject to more errors slips and failings than the hand or any other member of the body because it is so moveable voluble flexible indefatigable that speaks infinitly more words than the hand doth deeds or the foot goeth steps The Tongue is never tired with talking as other members are with moving viz. hand and feet Who can understand his errors Psal 19.12 saith David his unadvised inconsiderate sins to wit in speaking as well as in acting or in thinking Therefore think of your words and recollect them after yee have spoken them to find out the faults of them Then 2 Bewail the same Mourn for not only evil speeches but even for idle words impertinent unprofitable discourse Let us judge our selves for them for of every idle word Mat. 12.36 that men shall speak they shall give account in the day of Judgement A gracious heart will melt as kindly and mourn as bitterly for sinning with the Tongue as with the hand for unadvised words as for unbeseeming deeds The errors of a godly mans mouth fill his heart with grief and face with shame He can say my Tongue hath cost my soul many a sigh mine eye many a tear and put my cheeks to many a blush Gods servants have gained hereby When Moses complained of the uncircumcision of his lips God promised to bee with his mouth and teach him what to say and to make him a God to Pharaoh to command him in Gods Name to let Israel go and if he refused to execute judgement upon him by Gods power and Aaron his Brother should be his Prophet i. e. his spokesman for his readiness of speech Exod. 6.30 with 7.1 Job 42.3 When Job was convinced and humbled for uttering that hee understood not things too wonderfull for him which hee knew not that is for speaking rashly and ignorantly of the passages of Gods providence which were above his capacity Then God made out a clearer discovery of himself than formerly for saith Job Vers 5. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee When the Prophet Isaiah was sadly sensible of the pollution of his lips woe is mee saith hee I am undone â—â—a 6.5 6 7. c. then God touched his lip with a coal from the Altar by the ministry of an Angel and took away his iniquity and purged his sin This is part of the answer of a good conscience towards God to say I have sinned with my mouth but Lord thou knowest I have sorrowed with my heart for it Christians should weep sin to death sin in the mouth as well as sin in the heart or life 3 Mark and mourn for the errors of your Tongue to amend the same Take account of your speeches as well as of your wayes that you may turn your tongue as well as your feet to Gods testimonies So did p Job 40.4 Job Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay mine hand upon my mouth Once have I spoken presumptuously against thy providential proceedings but I will not answer or justifie what I have rashly spoken yea twice but I will proceed no further I will never say so again If you have spoken foolishly or wickedly idlely or vainly lay your hand upon your mouth and say so no more Happy is that observation which causeth repentance and that repentance which produceth reformation of faults in heart tongue or hand The fifth and last Rule â— Rule keep a good and constant correspondence as between heart and tongue to speak as yee think as was shewed before so between tongue and hand to do what you say to pay what you vow to God and perform what you promise to men and to say no more to either than you can and will do that there may bee an harmony between your words and your works that as your Tongues are the interpreters of your minds so your hands may bee the executors of your tongues to perform the Dicts and Ingagements thereof Good language joyned with real performance is as one saith as a pleasant sauce to wholesome meat Reas 1 Because this is a sign 〈◊〉 downright and throughout sincerity when a man speaks what he thinks or his words may bee read by himself in his heart and when a man doth what hee saith or his words may be read by others in his life Hee that doth not what he saith undoeth his sayings He that liveth not what hee speaks kils his words or unspeaks in his life what hee hath spoken with his mouth Reas 2 This is the image of God upon us who spake with his mouth to David and fulfilled with his hand what hee promosed q 1 King 8.15.24 Isa 46.11 him Gods Tongue and hand go together what he saith he will do Reas 3 This is a fruit and sign of love in deed and in truth to which the Apostle John exhorts r 1 Joh. 3.18 us When our love lyeth not in our lips only nor terminates in our Tongues but commeth forth into our hands and makes out it self in real actions as well as in verbal expressions Reas 4 This is the property of a Citizen of Å¿ Psal 15.4 Sion Hee sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not Hee will make good his word Tongue-ingagements by hand-performance though it be to his damage or prejudice 1 Joh. 3.7 Let no man deceive you saith the Apostle He that doeth Righteousnesse not he that sayeth it only is righteous Not words but deeds denominate a man righteous To say and not to do is to be like the Nightingale Vox praeterea nihil a voice and no more Reas 5 This is the practice of the wicked not only their Tongues but their hands or doings are against the Lord Isa 3.8 as Jerusalems and Judahâ— were to provoke the eyes of his glory which brought them to ruine The wicked make their word good even when they speak evil The Jews made wicked Vows
wee spoken so much against thee 2 From man as 1 From Superiours 〈…〉 10. 〈…〉 21. either Magistrates or Ministers Israel hated him that reproved in the Gate that is both the Prophets who reproved in the open Assemblies as in the Gates of the Temples Jer. 7.2 and in other places of publick resort and the Magistrates who reproved in the place of Judgement or in the Gates of the Cities John Baptists Reproof of Herod the King for keeping his Brother Philips wife was hatefull to him and it seems hee was willing to put him to death before Herodias provoked him to it Mat. 14.3 4 5. Luk. 3.19 It cost him his liberty for hee was imprisoned and his life for hee was beheaded 2 Much lesse can men bear Reproof from Equals and Inferiours The Sodomites rejected Lots fair and friendly Reproof and offered violence to him They pressed sore upon him and came near to break the door Gen. 19.9 Hence when wee reprove others they will retort it upon us and recriminate or seek occasion to reprove or reproach us or if they have known any thing amiss in us though twenty years ago which God and man have pardoned and is healed they will revive it to our disgrace or tell us in the generall that we have faults as well as they as the Pharisees said to the blind man Thou wast altogether born in sin and dost thou reprove us Joh. 9.34 and they cast him out and wee are apt to do the like to others when they reprove us Now consider the causes of our backwardnesse to bear reproof which are great Impediments of our taking it well Especially four 1 Prejudicate opinions harboured in our bosomes of those that reprove us as 1 That they are proud and usurp authority over us as our Judges or Lords and would seem better and holier than wee as Korah and his company said to Moses and Aaron the Reprovers of Israel yee take too much upon you Numb 16.3 seeing all the Congregation are holy and the Lord is among them As the Sodomites said to Lot Gen. 19 9. This one fellow came in to sojourn and hee will needs bee a judge When Moses midly admonished the Hebrew that smote his fellow he said who made thee a Prince Exod. 2.13.14 and a Judge over us intendest thou to kill mee as thou killedst that Egyptian When the Prophet reproved Amaziah King of Judah for his Idolatry presently the King reproved the Prophet with a scoff Art thou made of the Kings Counsell forbear why shouldest thou bee smitten q. d. wilt thou meddle with state affairs 2 Chron. 25.26 2 Or that they hate us and tell us of our faults out of malice or ill-will to cast disgrace upon us We are apt to count Reprovers our enemies as Ahab did Elijah 1 King 21.20 Hast thou found mee O mine enemy and the Galathians did Paul for reproving their backsliding Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the Truth Gal. 4.16 These Jealousies and prejudices should bee plucked up by the roots else they will imbitter Reproofs to us though they bee milde and sweet and they will imbitter our spirits against our Reprovers though they bee loving and faithfull to us The second Cause is Pride of heart self-love and self conceit that wee think our selves as good as others not inferiour whereas the reproved is some way under the Reprover and therefore we take it ill to be told of our faults Wee would have a Noli me tangere written upon us that none may come neer us to touch us with a Reproof Man is a cross Creature and cannot abide to be checked or controlled The Third Cause is too much love or liking of sin especially a Delilah or loathness to part with it as with a right eye or to have it touched The fourth is unwillingness to bear shame and grief for sin that makes us unwilling to bear Reproof for sin The removing of these Impediments will make way for receiving admonition with much fruit and comfort 2 Consider the right manner of bearing Reproof for the modality of an act hath a great Influence into the Efficacy and success thereof To take Reproof well will make it work well as Physick doth But to take Reproof wrong is like the taking of a dagger or knife by the wrong end scil by the point or edge and not by the heft then it may do us more hurt than good We should receive Reproof 2 King 5.13 14. 1 Humbly even condescend and stoop low to take an Admonition even from an inferiour or mean person Iob 31.13 1 Sam. 25.32 33. as Naaman did from his Servants and Job from his David from Abigail 2 Thankfully and affectionately as David did hee took Reproof as a kindnesse bless God and thank him for it Bid it welcome to our ears and hearts Wee should receive Reproof as sick folks do Physick with earnest desire it may work well with us to cure our Spirituall diseases and procure our souls health Receive Reprovers as the Angels of God as our soul-friends who should bee dear to us above all 3 Effectually to make use of Admonition for the emendation of our wayes and doings that wee may not need to be twice told of Heb. 13.22 or reproved for one fault 4 Patiently I beseech you Brethren suffer the word of Exhortation and Admonition bear it patiently and wear it as a Jewel in your ear by reforming and conforming your selves thereunto Reproof seems a burden therefore we have need of patience to bear it Hee that heaneth Reproof possesseth his heart Luk. 21.19 saith Solomon Pro. 15.32 that is in or through patience 3 The means of taking Reproof well are three which wee should labour for 1 A wise heart to understand the nature and end the use and benefit of reproof that it is an effect of mercy and means of grace and of much good from God to us an argument and expression of love and faithfulnesse from man to us 2 An obedient ear Prov. 25.12 to hearken to reproof as Gods ordinance to receive Admonition and Instruction as to what God speaks to us by them that reprove us 3 A tractable spirit to comply with a reproof as soft wax with the seal to receive a full and deep impression of it to apply it close as a plaister to the sore to heal our manners to yeeld our selves freely to it as mettal heated to the hammer or melted to the mould to bee new wrought or new cast to submit to a rod of Admonition as meekly as a child doth to a rod of correction to bee drawn from evil to good from vice to vertue as effectually by a coard of reprehension as wee can bee forcibly by a cable of compulsion To give up our selves as servants to Admonition to obey it is the way to become Masters over our selves to have rule over our own spirits and to command our corruptions 4 Is
s like Elijah informed Elisha of such things as should fall out in Israel after this transumption In Malachies time when mens words were stout against the Lord and said It s in vain to serve God then they that feared the Lord Mal. 3.13 16 spake often one to another Thus Christians should speak together often yea even in evil times to confirm comfort and strengthen one another when blasphemies and all iniquities abound yea daily while it is cald to day that is Heb. 3.13 continually and upon every occasion and at meat as Christ did familiarly The Christians in Tertullians time as hee reports in his Apology c. 39. in their Agapes or love-feasts did so conferre together as making account God heard all they said Ita fabulantur ut qui sciant Dominum audire Also in journies as the two Disciples did by the way as they were going to Emmaus and at home Deut. 6.7 when they sit in their house or rise up or lye down many texts in the new Testament imply this duty which I have mentioned before as Ephesi 4.29 Col. 3.16 and 4 5 6. 1 Cor. 12.7 1 Thes 5.14 Heb. 3.13 10.23 I shall give somes Rules for it and Reasons of it 1 Rules for Christian conference wherein I shall bee very short because the general rules premised for the Government of the Tongue serve fitly for this particular The First Rule In company improve the time for profitable edisying discourse thereby waving sinfull worldly or vain talk corrupt communication let us redeem time for so beneficiall a businesse to drive so thriving a trade remembring how much precious time wee have formerly squandred away in worthlesse foolish frothy speech The least minute of time is too good to spend in speaking an idle word The Second Rule Observe the dispositions tentations afflictions and conditions of the persons present to suit and apply your discourse to their necessities and capacities 1 To their necessities as to instruct the ignorant comfort the feeble-minded and convince gainsayers support the weak quicken the dull awaken the drousie to counsel them that are in doubt to confirm them that stagger and reduce such as wander Conference is a bow in which wee may shoot all sorts of arrows as lessons comforts checks reproofs restraints excitements incouragements with force and vigour and take aim aright to hit the party and that part of him whether his head heart or hand which wee intend and make our speech come home to his bosome and stick upon his spirit with good successe One saith Speech of touch toward others should bee sparingly used Sir Francis Bacons Essayes for discourse ought to bee as a field without comming home to any man I conceive if speech do not touch it will not take if not applyed home to the party it will not work so effectually 2 To their capacities who are dull and slow of apprehension wee should stoop to the understanding of the meanest which is to condiscend to them of low estate and parts Rom. 12.16 and to put milk into the mouthes of babes that is as necessary as to set meat before strong men to impart spiritual gifts to them as the rich give alms to the poor Christ accommodated his discourse to the capacity of his hearers as they were able to hear it Mar. 4.33 The Third Rule Raise spiritual discourse from temporal occasions either then present or spoken of whether creatures or occurrences either by way 1 Of Allusion or reference thus As food cannot nourish nor cloaths keep warm the body except eaten and put on no more can Christ unlesse applyed to the soul As physick cannot heal the body if not taken no more can the means of grace cure the soul if not used and the like 2 Of Conclusion or inference from what is said or done Luk. 14.7 to 12. Christ took occasion from the ambition hee observed in the bidden Guests to teach them humility in chusing roomes scil to sit down in the lowest and to teach the maker of the Feast charity in bidding Guests scil the poor the maimed the lame the blind Ver. 12 13 14. When one of the company petitioned him to command his Brother to divide the inheritance with him Christ cautioned them against Covetousness by the example of the rich man who built greater barns Luk. 12.13 14 15 16 to 22. and lost his soul Thus Christ took occasion from Gods providence to birds and flowers feeding the one and cloathing the other to speak of Gods provisional care for his Children shall hee not much more feed and cloath them Mat. 6.26 28 30. Joh. 4.10 are not they much better than these from the water of Jacobs well and his asking of it to speak to the woman of Samaria of the water of life and to provoke her to thirst after it and to ask it of him from meat and his Disciples putting him in mind of it when he was hungry faint and weary to speak to them of spirituall meat hee had to eat which they knew not of Joh. 4.31 to 35. my meat is saiâ—h hee to do the will of him that sent mee and to finish his work from the mention of bâ—ead Mat. 16 5 6. which the Disciples had forgotten to take hee presseth on them a caution to take heed of the leaven of the Pharisees Joh. 6.26 27. from the peoples secking him not for love but for loaves hee perswaded them to labour not for perishing but for enduring meat from the example of a little child Mat. 18.1.2 3 c. whom hee set in the midst of his Disciples hee taught them to bee humble harmlesse and to avoid offences Thus wee should in imitation of Christ watch for any occasion which the company or any present their words Acts Gestures or any accidents may afford us of speaking what may conduce to their souls good take any hint we can for the same to scrue and wind in good discourse by degrees that the company may bee better for us or wee for them before we part As Benhadads servants diligently observed whether any thing would come from King Ahab that they might make advantage of and did hastily catch it 1 King 20.32 33. to promote their Masters businesse therefore when hee said he is my Brother they said thy Brother Benhadad Paul praised what hee perceived was commendable in Agrippa and watched to take hold on every word hee spake Act. 26.27 28 29. to perswade him to become a Christian wee should learn the art of transition to pass from worldly to heavenly discourse or turn the current of it into a spirituall channel The Fourth Rule Observe what subjects Gods Providence puts into your minds and mouthes as Themes of meditation and communication as common mercies or calamities judgements felt or feared the Churches afflictions or the death of the Righteous c. Such things as God would have the hearts of all especially
upon Baals Priests in a heat of zeal scoffing at them Job on his friends to check their pride and conceit of their own wildome No doubt yee are the People Job 12.2 and wisdome shall dye with you And Paul upon the Corinthians for their Laodicean conceit and boast of fulnesse Now yee are rich 1 Cor. 4.8 1 Cor. 14.36 37 full c. and for their pride what came the word of the Lord out from you or came it to you only Beza saith this is a sharp objurgation of them least they should think themselves the only wisemen and all fools but they or that they were the first Christians none before them or none beside them God taught the Jews to take up a taunting Proverb in way of derision against the King of Babylon Isa 14.4 his state and City The Preachers speech to the young man was Ironical Rejoyce in thy youth Eccl. 11.9 q. d. seeing thou art wilful go on and take thy course but know that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement Such was Micaiahs answer to King Ahab when hee asked him 1 King 22.15 shall wee go against Ramoth Gilead to battel or not he said go and prosper q. d. thy Prophets have bidden thee go and thou hast a mind to go go thy way no doubt but thou wilt prosper Ahab resented it as a scoff An Irony is a nipping jeast or a speech that hath the honey of pleasantnesse in its mouth and a sting of rebuke in its taile There is a texterity in speaking truth in an Irony or in a pleasant sentence which may bee taken sometimes with lesse offence then a plain downright speech to be so addicted to joycing as to loose a friend rather than a jeast this becommeth Jewish friendship saith one rather then Christian love Mr. Bain◠Eighth Rule In speech speak not so much to shew wit or eloquence as efficatious power of speech to perswade others to good and to disswade them from evil Speak not out of affectation of praise or delight to hear our selves speak well but out of desire of doing good or of drawing others to do well Many speak against eloquence as they do against learning out of ignorance because they know not the worth or use of it for Art hath no enemy but an ignorant person but I speak only against the proud and vain use and shew of it Of Eloquence HEre I will shew you first That eloquence may be used and secondly how 1 Eloquence may bee used yea there may be good use of it because 1 Eloquence is the gift of God which hee bestows on some of his servants not on others as on Aaron I know saith God to Moses of him Fxo. 4.14 Vers 16 Vers 10 that hee can speak well and he shall be thy spokes-man to the people and instead of a mouth to thee Not on Moses for hee was not eloquent but slow of speech Paul was eminent in eloquence therefore the people of Lystra Act. 14.12 call'd him Mercurius because he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chief speaker or Master of speech Apollos was an eloquent man and mighty in the scriptures Act. 18.24 None of Gods servants should open their mouthes to speak against any of God gifts of which eloquence or the faculty of speech is one 2 Eloquence is a flower of speech both for beauty and sweetnesse which sets off speech with greater grace obtains audience with greater delight and insinuates with more efficacy Though the Gospel was preached at first with greatest plainness of speech 1 Cor. 1.17 and 2.4 yet God hath blessed it since to the furtherance of the gospel The sweetning of speech with eloquence hath been a means sometimes of winning others to hear embrace the Gospel Christ in it Doctor Sibs saith Souls Conflict while Augustine out of curiosity delighted to hear the Eloquence of Ambrose hee was taken with the matter it self sweetly sliding together with the words into his heart Peter Veretus sometime preacher at Geneva was so sweetly Eloquent that hee drew many to bee his hearers who were no friends to Religion and chained his hearers ears to his mouth so as they never thought him tedious but always wished his Sermon longer hee converted thousands to the truth and faith in Christ One saith of Gregory Nazianzen that the true beauty of his Soul did shine forth in his eloquence Rhetorick being both his Companion and his servant It is reported of Mr. Rogers and Mr. Bradford Martyrs that it was hard to say whether there was more force of Eloquence and utterance in their preaching or holinesse in their lives and conversations Both historyes and experience declare that God bestowed an excellent faculty of elocution upon many of his servants both ancient and modern divines whose labours hee blessed to the Conversion of many souls and to the edification of the Church 4 God threatens it as a judgement to take away from Jerusalem and from Judah Isay 3.3 the eloquent Orator or the man skilful in speech and powerful to perswade as well as the wise Counsellour or cunning Artificer Ornamentum maximum reipublicae est eloquentia Philosophorum saith Plato Thus it s made to appear that eloquence is lawfull and usefull 2 I must shew how it should be used 1 Eloquence should flow from us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a nattiral kind of facility as water out of a fountain some command good language as freely as others do speech Though it bee acquired yet it should not be strained or forced as some use it in imitation of others which to judicious cars sounds harsh and ungrateful 2 Whether our eloquence bee naturall or acquired how ever wee come by it wee should use it without affectation and ostentation and not pride our selves in wit words or phrases An humble Christian will forbear or change such expressions as he conceives may seem elegant to others and hee feels or fears his own heart would bee puffed up therewith when Eloquence is affected or boasted then it shews swelling vanity in the minds of the speakers and is not pleasing in the ears of the hearers 3 Wee should strive to bee rather solid then florid in our speeches yet we may use elegance therein so that our end and aim bee more to affect the hearts than tickle the ears of our Auditors Eccl. 12.10 The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words or words of delight such as are apt not only to sinke into the mind like Davids stone into Goliahs forehead but also to pierce to the heart like a dart of delight Good matter cloathed with good phrase procureth acceptation and suavity of elocution produceth efficacy of perswasion Ninth Rule Speak of good things at home in your own families as yee have occasion to inure your selves unto and to get an habit of fruitfull discourse abroad This was Solomons practice therefore the Queen of Sheba said to
supply the defects of others without any diminution of their own store The communication of our gifts by conference is the way to bring them into a common stock out of which every one may take forth supplies according to his needs God layes up treasures of knowledge and experience in the heads and hearts of some not to bear them up in themselves but to lay them forth freely to the enriching of others Hence Peter exhorts 1 Pet. 4.10 As every one hath received the gift even so minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold grace of God Hee is not fit to bee a member of Christs body that is not fit to bee usefull to the body by the exercise of such gifts as God hath given him This diversity of gifts is an upholder of unity and dispenser of commodity in Christian society for it enableth and ingageth men to mutuall help fullness Reas 4 This will augment our parts and further our accounts How shall I hide from Abraham saith God the thing that I do seeing hee will teach others what he knows Gen. 18.17 18. Prov. 11.24 This is to gather by scattering to get more by well using what wee have for to him that hath in the use of what hee hath shall bee given more to trade with our gifts for spirituall gains to wit the increase of them For in spirituall things no man is a looser but a gainer by communication for that tends to mutuall thriving by instructing others we increase knowledge by kindling or blowing up zeal in others wee inflame zeal in our selves by comforting others wee grow more expert and experienced therein and get more comfort to our selves by teaching wee learn to teach Gifts exercised even in conference are like as one saith the Widdows cruce of oyl Mr. Downam which filled in emptying or like milk in the Mothers breast which if it bee sucked by the child continually increaseth but if it bee not drawn it soon faileth and dryeth up Reas 5. Because this service of godly discourse is very acceptable not only to the Saints but even to God and to Christ 1 To God Mal. 3.16 who hearkens to hear what his people say in their meetings and keeps a book of remembrance for their words as if they were his delight as well as works It s an allusion to the Records of Kings who use to set down the good services done to them Esthar 6.1 as Ahasuerus did Mordecaies and when the book shall bee opened out of which the dead shall bee judged at last day it will bee then known to all the world what good communication Gods people have had among themselves This should make us carefull what wee say because God is an ear-witnesse of every word we speak hee hears and writes down all and records them to requite them even good words as well as good works and wee shall have a good reward from God for our labour Eccles 4.9 for the good wee do by our words as well as by our works 2 This is acceptable to Jesus Christ who the same day after hee was risen again associated himself above all others with the two Disciples going to Emmaus who were talking together of Christ Luk. 24.15 16. as they went by the way Jesus drew neer and went with them concealedly and covertly as to their knowledge of his person in the guise of a stranger for their eyes were held that they should not know him but very comfortably as to his discourse with them 1 Vers 17. Hee asked them what discourse they had of him by the way of which they gave him a particular account Vers 18. to 25. 2 Then hee reproved their folly and unbelief Vers 25.26 3 He expounded unto them all the Scriptures in Moses and the Prophets concerning himself Vers 27. 4 He spake so powerfully and effectually to them as made their hearts burn within them Vers 30. 5 Then hee condiscended or suffered himself to bee overcome by their intreaties to abide Ver. 28 29 30 with them at Emmaus 6 in conclusion Vers 31. hee made himself known to them by opening their eyes and by breaking of bread Ver 35. and by some expression gesture or action which hee used in his thanksgiving at meat Ver. 30. and then hee vanished out of their sight or ceased to bee seen of them Hereby Jesus Christ gave a most pregnant Testimony of his acceptance and complacence in Christian conference How well hee is pleased and what pleasure hee takes in his people when they are talking together of him and of the things of God as hee did in these two Disciples to whom hee joyned himself and made a third From hence Christians in their conferences may verily expect from Christ four things 1 His speciall presence with them in a spirituall not corporall way though they be but two or three met together in his name to conferre as well as to pray together Mat. 18.20 there am I saith Christ in the midst of them 2 His assistance of one or other to expound the Scriptures to open the matters concerning Christ or to speak something to edification 3 His blessing upon what is then spoken to set it home to them that hear it for their good either to open their eyes or to warm their hearts 4 Some clear discoveries of Christ to them therein to make them know him better that they may declare to others afterwards their sweet experiences hereof as the two Disciples went immediately to Jerusalem to the eleven Apostles Luk. 24.33 34 35. and told them and those that were with them what things were done in the way and how Christ was known of them thus they became witnesses of his resurrection The Fifth Particular case is consolation Consolation Christians ought to comfort one another this should bee mutuall and reciprocall amongst them Comfort one another 1 Thes 5.11 and edify one another even as also yee do this duty hath a double confirmation in the text 1 The Thessalonians practice they did so already 2 Pauls Precept to continue therein or to do so still for perseverance Crowns holy practices It may bee Paul meant more than hee spoke to wit that they should grow and increase therein as in love 1 Thes 4.9 10. As touching brotherly love yee are taught of God to love one another and indeed yee do it towards all the Brethren in all Macedonia but wee beseech you Brethren that yee increase more and more Touching this duty I shall give you 1 Rules 2 Reasons Rules for comforting others First Rule wee should know their case what is the kind and cause of their trouble whether it bee inward or outward spirituall or temporall respecting soul or body friends goods or name and the dimensions of their sorrow else wee cannot tell how to deal particularly and effectually with them the Physician must know his
to make you partakers of his holynesse Vers 10 6 Though afflictions bee sad and troublesome at present yet afterwards or in the issue they will bee comfortable for yee shall reap the peaceable fruits of righteousnesse thereby and bee both bettered and comforted thereby the rod of correction is like a tree that bears righteousnesse that is Reformation as the fruit of it and peaâ—â— of Conscience or inward tranquility and comfort of soul as the quality or effect of the fruit Fourth Rule Chuse the best means to comfort others by as kind and loving specches Consolatory speeches will revive and refresh the spirits of a disconsolate friend Thus Joseph comforted his brethren when cast down with fears scil hee spake kindly to them saying yee thought evil against mee c. Now fear yee not I will nourish you and your little ones Gen. 50.20 21 Boaz comforted Ruth by speaking friendly to her to the heart of his handmaid Ruth 2.13 that is courteously and kindly The Lord answered the Angel that talked with me saith Zachariah with good words Zach. 11.13 and comfortable words Hence it appears that good words are comfortable words 2 Strong Reasons or Arguments drawn from the several heads of Consolation as the Authour end and benefits of affliction and comparison thereof with what they deserve and what others suffer and the like Arguments to overcome the reason and over-power the passions of the disconsolate that may be stronger to support and refresh the drooping spirit than the affliction is to deject and contristate the same 3 Means Plain Scriptures properly and fitly applied unto the afflicted and their condition as precepts promises and examples recorded therein The Holy Scriptures are the Eden or Garden of God full of the flowers of consolation to make sweet Posies on to refresh sad and heavy spirits they are a Treasury of comfort that furnisheth not only the Man of God but every godly man with all kindes of Cordials and with the choycest consolatory arguments For this end they were written Rom. 15.4 that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope David experienced the same Psal 119.50.82 93 This is my comfort in my affliction thy word hath quickned me Scripture comforts are the chiefest comforts they have most spirits and life in them and come home to the heart and are most efficacious to revive recover fainting swounding souls they are commonly watered with the dew of Gods blessing for they have the consolations of God in them they being the Word of the God of all consolation they are the Wine sellars and the Orchards into which Christ brings his Spouse when she is sick of love and sad where her stayes her with Flaggons Cant. 2.5 and comforts her with Apples Hence Paul saith Comfort one another against death of Friends with these words 1 Thes 4.18 and hee might have added the same conclusion to his consolations against corrections in Hebr. 12. 4 Means of comforting others is experience both our own and others 1 Our own experience of Gods dealings with us in such like conditions and of the comforts wherewith God hath comforted us to the end that wee should comfort others therewith 2 Cor. 1.3 4 as Paul and Timothy did Blessed be God c. who comforteth us in all our tribulations that we may be able to comfort them that are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God ver 6. whether we bee afflicted or comforted it is for your consolation and salvation Experiences are principles of strong consolation these made Christ himself a more sympathizing and compassionate High Priest The heart is the place from whence comfort cometh in experience â—eb 4.15 and whither it goeth in influence the greatest experiencers are the greatest comforters yea we may comfort others not only with the comforts we have received immediately from God but which we have had in others 2 Cor. 7.6 7 God comforted Paul not by Titus his coming only Vers 13 but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in the Corinthians for his spirit was refreshed by them all Vers 13 Paul was comforted in the Corinthians comfort To this end we should comfort our selves bee Physians and practise upon our selves by applying Cordials of reason Scripture and experience to our selves according to our needs looking up to God for his blessing to set them home to our hearts and make them effectual This will make us able to comfort others which are in any trouble and that not from our heads but from our hearts also when we can tell others what supported revived or refreshed our spirits under such and such distresses and droopings Psal 119 1â— I remembred thy Judgements of old saith David and have comforted my self This is the way to prescribe Cordials to others with a Probatum est or experto crede when Peter is converted that is recovered from his fal Luke 22.31 then he must strengthen his brethren help them with his experience 2 We should comfort others by the experiences others have had of Gods mercies to them 5 Means of comforting others The exercise and evidence of our Graces for that is matter of great joy and comfort to the godly who see or hear the same of us as 1 Faith and love Rom. 1.18 12 I long to see you saith Paul to the Romans that I may impart unto you some spiritual gifts that is that I may bee comforted with you by the mutual love both of you and me thus writes Paul to the Thessalonians 1 Thes 5.6 â— when Timotheus came from you unto us and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity and that yee have good remembrance of us always desiring greatly to see us and wee were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress Phil. 2.1 by your faith There is great comfort in love not only in the exercise but in the evidence of it to others We have great consolation in thy love saith Paul because the bowels of the Saints are refreshed by thee brother Philem. 7 And other holy affections as Desire and Grief God comforted us saith Paul not by the coming of Titus only but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you When he told us your earnest desire 2 Cor. 7.7 your mourning our servent mind toward me so that I rejoyced the more 2 Constancy in the truth and work of the Lord. Now we live saith Paul meaning the life of consolation 2 Thes 3.8 9 if yee stand fast in the Lord. Aristarchus Marcus and Jesus who is called Justus were a comfort unto Paul because when others forsook him these only continued to bee his fellow-helpers unto the Kingdom of God Col. 4.11 2 Joh. 4. 3 Joh. 4 This was Johns great joy that he found of the elect Ladies children walking in truth that made Paul so desirous to hear of
consolatorie letters to the Churches Rome Corinth Ephesus Collosse c. and to particular persons as Timothy Titus and Philemon and the other Apostles James Peter John and Jude writ Epistles purposely to comfort as well as to instruct Jesus Christ did write letters by the hand of his Secretary John to the seven Churches of Asia to comfort them that were capable of it and fit for it Rev. 2.10 11. cap. 3.10 11. as the Church of Smyrna and of Philadelphia God useth the tongue to comfort them that are present with us and God blesseth the pen to comfort those that are absent and at a distance from us Some have done God and his people much good service this way as Divines both ancient and modern The Martyrs in prison and many since as Mr. Paul Baynes whose Christian pithy letters full of divine Counsels and Comforts have been and are of singular use 2 Send Messengers to comfort others as Paul a Prisoner at Rome sent Tichicus a faithfull Minister Col. 4.7 8 9. and Onesimus a beloved Brother to the Colosians purposely to know their state and to comfort their hearts Ephes 6 21 22. to perswade them to patience and perseverance and Tichicus to the Emphesians 1 Thes 3.1 2 5 Paul sent Timothe us from Athens to the Thessalonians to establish them and to comfort them concerning their faith Paul was greatly comforted by the return of his Messengers from the Churches and by the tydings they brought him of their gracious state and prosperous affairs 2 Cor. 7.6 7 as by the comming of Titus from the Church at Corinth and of Timothy from the Church of Thessalonians 1 Thes 3.6 7. 3 Take journeys to comfort such as are cast down and disconsolate even the presence and visits of friends are comfortable Paul beg'd of God hee might have a prosperous journey to the Saints at Rome for hee longed to see them to impart some spirituall gift to them to establish them to comfort them and to bee comforted in them Rom. 1.10 11 12. by the mutuall faith of them and him For the same end and purpose Paul prayed exceedingly night and day to see the Thessalonians face 1 Thes 3.9 10 11. and that God the Father and God the Son would direct his way unto them So much of the Rules Now follow the Reasons why wee should comfort others which may bee drawn from four heads 1 The necessity and commodity of comfort in respect of others 2 The misery of them that want it 3 The excellency of the duty it self 4 The equity of it in respect of our selves 1 Reas The Necessity and Commodity of comfort in afflictions in respect of others both souls and bodyes as well as our own 1 Comfort is needfull and usefull for the spirits of others in six respects 1 To support them or bear them up from sinking under the pressures of troubles inward or outward Comfort is that to an heart that is loadened with grief to uphold it which a prop or shore is to a house that is ready to fall which a hand is to one that is oppressed with a heavy burden to take it off or which a shoulder being put under is to help him to bear it Pro. 18.14 The spirit of a man being shored up with Comfort will sustain his infirmities but a wounded spirit that wants the healing plaister of Consolation is intollerable it is like a prick in the shoulder that hath a heavy burden upon it who can bear it 2 To quicken them or keep life in their spirits and to preserve or recover them from fainting and swounding Comforts are reviving cordialls Comfort is the life of our spirits yea the life of our lives without which life would bee no life but a lingring death Now wee live saith Paul if ye stand fast in the Lord that is 1 Thes 3.8 our lives are made comfortable to us by the joy and comfort we take in your stedfastnesse that is wee injoy the comfort of our lives by the joy and comfort we take in your perseverance The damned though they live in Hell are said to dye eternally because their state is void of all joy and comfort whereas to make the hearts of them sad by slanders revilings bitter speeches or otherwise and to impair the cheerfullness of their spirits and dead them Ezek. 13 22. is a kind or degree of murder It is murder in divinity though not in civill policie 3 Comfort is needfull and usefull for others to chear refresh and rejoyce their drooping spirits to raise them up from their sorrow and sadnesse which hath bowed down their souls even to the dust In the multitude of my sad troubled thoughts within me saith David Psal 94.19 thy Comforts which are breathed into mee by thy spirit or handed to mee by thy servants delight my soul Comforts poure the oyl of gladness into hearts full of heavinesse take off their mourning garments and cloath them with cheerfullness Joy is as one calls it the spring of our year Mr. Caryl the light of our day the Sun in our firmament Comfort is honey in the mouth melody in the ear and a Jubilee in the heart Comforts in season that is when others stand in need of them and are fit to receive them are very sweet like flowers in May or apples fully ripe or like the singing of birds in the Spring Right Comforters are birds of joy that sing most sweetly to sad souls to cheer them up with their pleasant Notes Cant. 2.12 when the season of comforting the afflicted commeth then the time of the singing of birds is come that is a time of great refreshing 4 Comfort is needfull to quiet and compose the spirits of others when inwardly disquieted and perplexed Comforts cause a calm in a tempested tumultuated soul which is like a troubled Sea they make all quiet they say to the winds and waves or storms of inward troubles peace and be still 5 To establish confirm and settle others in a good frame of spirit and in a right course of life in Gods truths and wayes and in the exercise of grace to hold their spirits fast and close from being shaken or removed or tossed too and fro as unsetled and unstable souls are 1 Cor. 16 13. Paul writ consolatory Epistles to the Corinthians that they might stand fast in the faith quit themselves like men and be strong to the Ephesians that thy might not bee carryed about with every wind of Doctrin Ephes 4.14 weather-cock-like to the Colossians that they might bee rooted and built up in Christ Coâ— 2.6 7. and stablished in the faith Paul sent Timotheus to the Thessalonians to establish them and comfort them concerning their faith that is to establish them in the saith by comforting them 1 Thes 3.2 Paul prayed God would comfort the hearts of the Thessalonians and establish them in every good word and work that
is establish them by comforting them 2 Thes 2.17 Ver. 2. and that they may not bee soon shaken in mind nor troubled Consolation is a means of confirmation 6 Comfort is commodious to edify others in holiness and obedience for consolation is a means of Edification Comfort as well as Counsell builds men up further into the body of Christ Phil. 3.13 for it corroborates the heart it heightens and raiseth up their spirits to a higher pitch of resolutions and indeavours with Paul to forget those things that are behind former attainments and performances and to reach forth unto those things which are before that is a greater measure of grace from God or of actings for God Hence the Churches in Judea and Galilee were edified and multiplied while they walked in the fear of the Lord and comfort of the Holy Ghost Act. 9.31 Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to comfort and edifie one another that is to edifie by comforting 1 Thes 5.11 1 For Comfort is a great incouragement to duties as Hezechiahs comfortable words were to the Levites hearts that taught the good knowledge of the Lord to excite them to go on 2 Chron. 30.22 and to the hearts of the people commanders and souldiers to fortifie and animate them against the fear of the King of Assyria and his multitude 2 Chron. 32.6 7 8 2 Consolation is a means to lead others forward towards perfection therefore Paul joyns them together 2 Cor. 13.11 finally brethren farewell be perfect be of good comfort Secondly 1 Comfort may bee needfull also in respect of the bodyes of others or outward man which would perish in their afflictions were not their souls strengthened by comforts to stand under the weight and pressure thereof Comforts are sinnews to the Soul and great repairers of strength and refreshers or cheerers of spirits even to the body Reas 2. From the misery of them that want comfort It s a most sad condition to be in affliction and to have no comforter Eccl. 4.10 for such are alone and woe to him that is alone and they bear their burdens alone and so are like to sink under them This was a great aggravation of Davids troubles when reproach had broken his heart Isal 69 19 20 and hee was full of heavinesse I looked for some to take pity but there was none and for Comforters but I found none And when hee was in the cave Psal 143.3 4 whither hee fled from Sauls persecution and his spirit was overwhelmed within him I looked on my right hand and beheld but there was no man that would know mee Lam. 1. verse 2.8 16 17.21 no man cared for my soul And of Sions miseries that shee had no comforter which is five times repeated in the first Chapter of Lamentations Solomon considered this to bee a great evil under the Sun scil the tears of the oppressed and the power of the oppressor Eccl. 4.1 and the oppressed had no Comforter This was the deplorable estate of the Jews in their captivity Isaiah 54.11 so some understand that in Isaiah O thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted This was Ninevehs said case in her miserable ruine she had none to bemoan her nor to comfort her Nah. 3.7 Reas 3. From the excellency of the duty in it self this is high and honourable imployment to comfort others for it is 1 The work of God 2 The practice of the godly 1 It is the work of God to comfort poor souls Isa 57.15 2 Cor. 7.6 of the highest God to comfort the lowest hearts even abjects God is not ashamed of the businesse no hee gloryeth in it as in a title of Excellency 2 Cor. 1.3 Isa 51.12 to be called the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort as in a beam of Majesty stream of mercy and exercise of delight I Ver. 3 even I am hee that comforteth you and the Lord shall comfort Sion as a Father doth his Sonne Psal 103.13 and a mother doth hers As one whom his mother comforteth saith God So will I comfort you Isa 66 13 and yee shall bee comforted in Jerusalem yea Gods compassions and comforts toward his people farre exceed those of the most tender hearted mother to her sucking child Isa 49.19 Can a mother forget her sucking child c. yea they may but I will not forget thee saith God to Sion To comfort is the act as of the Deity so of the Trinity and of every person in it 1 Of God the Father 2 Cor. 1.3 The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is the Father of mercies the God of all comfort 2 To comfort is the act of God the Sonne for hee as God-man and Mediatour is the fountain of all consolation If there be any Consolation in Christ saith Paul Phil. 2.1 Hee doth not question it but suppose it or takes it for granted q. d. seeing there is or as ever yee look to receive comfort from Christ fulfil yee my joy Isa 61.1 2 c. Christ is appointed by the Father and annointed by the Holy Ghost to comfort his people by office as their Prophet Christ suites comfort to the sufferings of his people for kind and proportions them for measure 2 Cor. 1.5 as Paul saith As the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ Joh. 14.18 Christ promiseth comfort to them as hee did to his Disciples I will not leave you comfortlesse Joh. 16.20 22 I will come to you 3 To comfort is the act of God the holy Ghost It is his proper work to speak or apply comforts to the hearts of Gods people from the father and the Son Hence 1 Hee is call'd the Comforter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prime and principal of all comforters 2 Hee is prayed for by the Sonne to the Father and promised both by the Father and the Sonne to bee sent as from both John 14 16.26 15.26 16.7 under this name and Notion or for this purpose to bee a comforter to his people God the father is the author of all comfort by destination or appointment of it to us for hee hath appointed us to obtain as salvation so consolation by Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 1.3 4 5 and hee comforteth us by his Son hence our consolation is said to abound by Christ 2 God the Son is the Author of Consolation 1 By redemption or purchase as of us so of joy and comfort for us by his bloud as the price thereof so that the Christians comfort is a dear-bought commodity to Christ it cost him not only exceeding sorrow but his bloud and his life 2 By reception of it as Christ bought it so he took it and keeps it for our use when he ascended up on high he received as gifts Psal 68 18 so comforts for men to give forth the same to them thus it
dominion of sin are Grace Reas 1 Because true desires have the nature and truth of grace in them though in a scantling and small measure As there is true fire in a spark as well as in a flame and true water in a drop as in a stream true light in a Beam as in the Sun The filings of gold are true gold as well as the whole wedge The least of any thing partakes of the nature of the whole Reas 2 Because Desires are the seeds or beginnings of grace in the soul out of which grace grows up to its measure of stature as a Corn sown in the Earth whence grows the blade Mar. 1.28 stalk Ear and full Corn in the Ear according to its kind As a Grain of Mustard-seed is the least of all seeds when it is sown but the greatest among herbs when it is grown Mat. 13.31 32 it becommeth a Tree So desires are grace in the feed Habits are grace in the blade or stalk Acts or works are grace in the Ear and perfect works are full Corn in the Ear. Grace is one of the least things at first but it is the property of grace even when it is lodged in desires or in the first and least degree of it to grow up and rise higher Reas 3. Because good desires are accepted and rewarded with God as well as deeds yea for deeds when power to perform and actuate them is wanting 2 Cor. 8.12 If there bee first a willing mind saith the Apostle it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that a man hath not God estimates his people rather according to their affections than their actions for ordinarily their hearts are larger than their hands and they desire to do more than they are able The first fruits of desires are well-pleasing to God as well as the whole lump of performance God took it kindly from David 1 King 8.18 that it was in his heart to build him a house though he would not accept it at his hand and for a recompence God promiseth to build him a house 2 Sam. 7.11 and from Abraham that he was willing to offer up his only Son Isaac to God he accepted it as done and blessed him for it Gen. 22.12 16. saying Because thou hast done this thing and hast not with-held thy Son thine only Son in blessing I will bless thee c. How highly did Christ commend the poor Widow that cast in her two Mites into the Treasury Mar. 12.42 43 44 because she did it out of plenty of good will though out of penury of her estate for these were here wealth all she had even all her living As on the contrary the evil desires and concupiscence of the heart are reckoned and punished by God as deeds Mat. 5.28 Whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery already with her in his heart saith our Saviour A man may commit Murther Theft Adultery as well in desires and affections in his heart as in deeds or action with his hand So a Christian may beleeve repent and do new obedience in desires after Christ and Grace to be made able to perform all these as in deed A Christians perfection here lies more in his Affections than in his Actions therefore Gods Servants have pleaded their wills and desires before God rather than their deeds as Nehemiah did Nehem. 1.11 Lord let thine ear bee attentive to the prayer of thy Servants Psal 38.9 who defire to fear thy Name and David Lord all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee And Paul Rom. 7.16 to 21. To will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I finde not Reas 4. Because good desires are the work of God in us as well as deeds Phil. 2.13 for God worketh in us both to will Chap. 1.6 and to do of his own good pleasure They are the beginning of Gods good work in us which he will perfect untill the Day of Christ God doth not his works by halves when I begin 1 Sam. 3.12 I will also make an end saith God which is as true of the work of Grace as of Judgement Psal 138.8 The Lord will perfect that which concerns us he will nourish up desires into habits and draw them both forth into Acts and increase the actings thereof unto perfection Christ is Heb. 12.2 as the Author of our faith in desires after it so is hee the finisher of it in assurance Desires are the smoak of the Flax or Wick which Christ will not quench the bruise of the Reed which he will not break Mat. 12.20 but nourish and cherish the same untill hee send forth Judgement unto Victory that is till he hath brought the small beginnings of grace even in desires unto perfection notwithstanding all obstructions and oppositions by the enemies of our Salvation Christ despiseth not the day of a Souls small things Reas 5. Because God hath made many promises to Desires as of acceptation 2 Corin. 8.12 of supply and satisfaction Psal 145.19 He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him he will hear their cry and will save them To this end God gives or stirres up desires that he may satisfie them as in Nature so in Grace Thou openest thine hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing saith David Mat. 5.6 vers 16. Promises of blessedness Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled Promises of the Water of Life of the Spirit Rev. 21.6 Luke 1.53 Joh. 7.37.39 of Spiritual Wine and Milk Isa 55.1 2. of all good things are made to hungrings and thirstings of soul true desires intitle a soul to all these by vertue of Gods Promises Ask poor doubting distressed souls who complain they have not a Christ nor Faith to beleeve they cannot repent nor obey nor depart from iniquity Are not your souls carried upon a wing of desires after Christ to look and long for him Do you not with your souls desire to beleeve to repent to do good and no evil Then spread the promised Reasons before them to convince and conclude them under the power and comfort of the present truth that true desires are grace Sometimes God lays a soul so low in darkness and in deeps of tentation as it cannor discern so much as desires in it self as Mr. Peacock who uttered a strange speech when his friends asked him Do you desire grace I cannot saith he I can as well leap over a Church Obj. If desires be grace who will want it or perish for lack of it for do not all desire to be saved and to go to heaven Ans Not all desires of grace are true grace but only true desires which may be discerned by the root fruit and properties of them 1 By the Root True desires of Christ and grace do
is a prejudice to faith Joh. 5.44 How can yee beleeve saith Christ which receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God only much less should we seek it 1 Thes 2 6 Paul sets us a good example therein Nor of men sought we glory neither of you nor yet of others 2 In respect of God when whatever wee speak of our selves that is good we do it for the glory of God wee commend our selves principally for this end that God may bee glorified in us and by us and for us and we give God the praise of all our praises and the glory of all the commendations men give us for our gifts or for our works and if God be glorified and his Name exalted we can be content to bee abased and to have our Names and Honours laid in the dust and to pass through dishonour as well as honour and bad report as good for Christs sake This my joy is fulfilled Joh. 3.29 30 saith John the Baptist He must increase but I must decrease Joh. 3.29 30 That self-commendationis lawful 1 Cor. 1.31 which is a gloriation in the Lord According as it is written let him that glorieth glory in the Lord that is 1 In Jesus Christ in the first place that hee is made unto us of God Wisdome Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 and that wee are in Christ and in God as reconciled to us through Christ 2 In the next place wee may glory in the graces which Christ hath conveyed into us and in the works Christ hath strengthened us to do and in glorying in these we glory in the Lord when wee speak of our graces and good works 1 As what wee have received from the Lord as the first efficient thereof or as our Heavenly Masters goods 2 As what wee have used or done for God his glory as the last end or as our Masters advantage This was Pauls care and aim not to glory in himself 2 Cor. 12.5 of his naturall morall ministeriall self no nor of his spirituall or sanctified self that is hee would not glory in these as either efficiently or finally his own as if hee had them from himself or used them for himself only nor of himself upon that account for them But hee gloried in the Lord as the only Author and Doner of them and that hee might have the whole praise honour and glory of them all We may glory in Christ as the Bridegroom of our souls and in our graces and good works as in the Jewels and ornaments Christ bestows on his Spouse wee should glory in Christs Righteousness as our title to Heaven and in our graces and the exercise of them as our evidences that Christ and his Righteousnesse is ours and that wee have thereby a good and sure title to life eternall 3 In respect of others when in commending our selves we aim at others good by way of example experience conviction incouragement or comfort when the commendation of our selves is thus ordered for matter measure manner and end then our own mouths and lips may warrantably praisâ—eus though another man do not or will not And those that thus commend themselves are approved of the Lord. Object 2 Doth not Job say Job 9.20 If I justifie my self my own mouth shall condemn mee If I say I am perfect it shall also prove mee perverse Ans Yet God restified of Job that he was perfect Job 1.8 2.3 might not Job say the same of himself and Job justified himself frequently in his book and continuedly in some Chapters why doth hee condemn himself for it now Ans Wee must find out an expedient sense to reconcile these seeming Repugnancies which is this 1 If I justifie my self saith Job that is before God If I should plead justification by my works in the Court of Gods justice then my own mouth would condemn mee for the justification of my self upon the account of my own righteousnesse would bee an accusation against mee and bring just condemnation upon mee Job 9.2 3. For how should man bee just with God If hee will contend with him that is If God will draw up a charge against him or call man to an account hee cannot answer to one thing of a thousand It was Davids petition to God Psa 143.2 Enter not into judgement with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no man living bee justified It was not permitted to an Abraham though the friend of God Rom. 4.2 to be justified by works Rom. 4.2 Job in these words as the best Epositors conceive holds forth that famous fundamental Truth of the Gospel to wit free justification before God not by the works of the Law Phil 3.7 8 9. Rom. 3.20 Paul accounted all his graces and good works but dung and drosse in the case of justification or in comparison of the Righteousness of Christ by which alone wee are justified in the sight of God 2 If I say I am perfect that is in my self If I should plead absolute perfection or boast that I have no sin it shall also prove mee perverse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies to walk in crooked wayes or to wander from the true way or way of truth This will prove mee unperfect wicked a vagrant or wanderer from Gods wayes If I say I am perfect that is wholly free from sin I shall sin greatly and discover much imperfection pride vain-glory Hypocrisie and folly in saying so yea I should lye for I have confessed my sins Job 7.20 21. I have sinned and why dost thou not pardon my transgression who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin saith the wise man Hee challenges all the world for it Pro. 20.9 If thy people sin against thee for there is no man that sinneth not 1 King 8.46 There is not a just man upon Earth that doth good and sinneth not saith the Preacher Eccles 7.20 If wee say wee have no sin saith the Apostle John we deceive our selves 1 Joh. 1.8 9. and the Truth is not in us If wee confesse our sins hee is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse All of us offend James 3.2 in many things and many of us in all things All wee have here is but in part wee know in part and we prophesie in part but when that which is perfect is come that which is in part shall bee done away 1 Cor. 13.9 10. which of the reall Saints ever said they have not sin Prov. 30.12 but only such persons whom God hath given up to strong delusions if not to a Reprobate sense The concurrent constant experience of all true Saints witnesse against this fancy dream or vain-conceit of absolute perfection in this life though Catharists Papists and spirituall Antichristians hold the same But Job did often and might justly 1 Justifie himself before
Piety though it come farre short of compleat perfection Thus the holy Scripture frequently call grown Christians in understanding and wisdom in grace obedience and experience perfect that is in comparison of VVeaklings Novices New beginners or Non-proficients in Christianity Heb. 5.12.13 14 Or of Babes who have need of Milk and not of strong meat but strong meat belongs to the perfect who by reason of habit got by long practice have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil In this sense we are to understand Perfect in the following places Wee speak wisdom among them that are perfect 1 Cor. 2.6 Let as many as be perfect be thus minded Phil. 3.15 If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man Jam. 3.2 The Apostle John makes three several Ages of Christians to wit Children Young men and Fathers John writ to each of them 1 Joh. 2.12 13 14. and a higher Age may bee said to be perfect in respect of a lower as young men in comparison of Children and Fathers being compared with Young men Thus high acts of Graces attainable in this Life are cald the perfection of them as 1 Of Faith as Abrahams leaving his Country in obedience to Gods call going he knew not whither Heb. 11.8 and his offering up Isaac vers 17. and his beleeving he should beget I saac in his Old age when his body was dead and his Wives barren Rom. 4.19 20. these were high acts of his faith the sincerity officacy excellency or sublimity whereof was manifested by his works Jam. 3.22 By works saith James his faith was made perfect that is declared so to be 2 So high acts of Patience as to endure many and heavie and tedious afflictions and persecutions for Christs Name are the perfection of Patience that is cald perfect patience Let patience have her perfect work Jam. 1.4 saith James that yee may be perfect and intire wanting nothing 3 So high acts of Love as to love God with all our hearts to love others as our selves even our enemies to lay down our lives for the Brethren to serve God without servile fear these and the like are call'd perfect love 1 Joh. 4.17 18. This is call'd Perfectio viae the perfection which the Saints can attain unto in or by the way to Heaven That is the greatest measure of God which God hath decreed to give to every one of his Elect in this world which some conceive to be Pauls meaning in Ephes 4.7 The height of our grace here proceeds from the measure of Christs Gift To every one of us is given Grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ To this perfection Paul laboured to bring the Colossians by his Ministry as every faithful Minister of Christ should do his people that hereby he might prepare them for and lead them forward to their absolute perfection in Heaven Col. 1 2◠We preach Christ saith Paul warning and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ That which is called Perfectio patriae is that plenary perfection which the Saints injoy in their own Country when they go home to their Fathers house in Heaven not before 3 In respect of uprightness This is generally call'd perfection both in the Old and New Testament To be sincere and simple-spirited without guile in our Principles and intentions or aims this is not Legal perfection which is absolute conformity to the Law of God exacted in the Governant of VVorks but Evangelical required in the Covenant of Grace wherein new obedience performed with a sincere heart and willing minde is accounted perfection 2 Cor. 8.12 yea God hath promised therein to accept of us in Christ according to that we have and not according to that wee have not even of the will for the deed and not to impute unto us our imperfections For God measureth not our new obedience by the perfection of our performance but by the sincerity of our affections and purpose of our hearts In this sense Perfection is opposed not to imperfection but to Hyprocrisie A sincere Christian is a perfect that is a true real Christian An hypocrite is but the picture of a Chri-Christian In our militant state integrity and infirmities are consistent in the same soul What is done uprightly is said to bee done with a perfect heart Iob 1.1 Psal 37.37 and with the whole heart in this sense as I shewed before Job was cald a perfect man and Noah Gen. 6.9 Mark the perfect man behold the upright saith David Asa's heart was said to be perfect with the Lord all his days 2 King 20.3 1 King 15.14 Hezekiah walked before God in truth and with a perfect heart 1 Chro. 28.9 David commands his Son Solomon to serve the God of his Father with a perfect heart and with a willing minde Pauls simplicity and godly sincerity was his perfection in this world 2 Cor. 1.12 Revel 3.2 I have not found thy works perfect before God saith Christ to the Church of Sardis that is sincere but hypocritical 4 We are said to bee perfect in respect of Furniture when we are furnished with Gifts and Graces for the place God hath set us in or for the work God hath called us to do and we are made able and ready thereunto All Scripture saith Paul is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrin reproof 2 Tim. 3.16 17. instruction in righteousness that the man of God that is the Minister may be perfect What is that Throughly furnished for every good work that is the discharge of his whole duty A supply of what is lacking in Grace attainable here or a furnishing to duty is cald perfection in Gods Word Ephes 4.12 When Christ ascended on high he appointed Ministers in his Church for the perfecting of the Saints that is to supply what is wanting in their holiness and obedience to build them up further Acts 20.32 Pauls earnest desire and endeavour was to perfect what was lacking in the Thessalonians faith 1 Thes 3.10 Heb. 13.21 The God of peace prays Paul for the Hebrews make you perfect in every good work to do his will or prepare and fit you for every good work or accomplish that in you which yet is defective as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intimates To bee able in some measure to do his will on earth is a Christians perfection on earth a setting of things in good frame and comely order in the Church which formerly were amiss is call'd perfection 2 Cor. 13.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Beza expounds that place This also wee wish even your perfection your restauration or reconcinnation that the members which were shaken out of joynt might bee restored and things amiss among them in faith and manners rectified 5 In respect of desire and indeavours after perfection to advance in Gods ways as farre and fast