Caution 2: Against the Evil of the Tongue

The Second Evil I shall deal with, is the evil of the Tongue, which, as St. Iames says, is full of deadly Poyson, Oathes, Curses, Blasphemies: and this poyson it scatters up and down the World in all places; an untamed member that none can rule, Iam. 3. 7, 8. The fiercest of beasts have been tamed by Man, (as the Apostle there observes) which is a relique of his old superiority and dominion over them; But this is an unruly Member that none can tame, but he that made it: no beast so fierce and crabbed as this is. It may be, I may be bitten by it for my labor and indeavours to put a restraint upon it: but I shall adventure it. My design is not to dishonour or exasperate you: But if my faithfulness to God and you should accidentally do so, I cannot help that.

Friends, Providence oftentimes confines many of you together within the narrow limits of a Ship, where you have time enough, and if your hearts were sanctified, many choice advantages of edifying one another. O what transcendent subjects does Providence daily present you with, to take up your discourses! How many experiences of extraordinary mercies and preservations have you to relate to one another, and bless the Lord for! Also, how many works of wonder do you daily behold, who go down into the deeps? O what heavenly employment is here for your Tongues! How should they be talking of all his wonders! How should you call upon each other, as David did, Psalm 66:16. Come here, and I will tell you what God has done for my soul, at such a time, in such an extremity. How should you call upon one another, to pay the vows your lips have uttered in your distress? Thus should one provoke another to this Angelical Work, as one lively Bird sets the whole Flock a Chirping.

But tell me, Sirs, Should a Man come abaord you at Sea, and ask of you, as Christ did of those two Disciples going to Emmaus, Luke 24. 17. Vvhat manner of communication is this that you have hy the way? O what a sad account would he have from most of you! It may be he should find one Iesting, and another Swearing, a third Reviling Godliness and the Professors of it, so that it would be a little Hell for a serious Christian to be confined to your Society. This is not (I am confident) the manner of all. We have a company of more sober Seamen, and blessed be God for them; but surely thus stands the case with most of you. Oh what stuff is here from persons professing Christianity, and bordering close upon the confines of Eternity, as you do!

It is not my purpose to write of all the diseases of the Tongue; that would fill a Volume, and is inconsistent with my intended brevity. Who can recount the evils of the Tongue? The Apostle says, It is a world of Iniquity, Jam. 3. 6. And if there be a world of Sin in one member, Who can number the Sins of all the members? Laurentius reckons as many sins of the Tongue, as there are Letters in the Alphabet. And it is an observable Note that one has upon Romans 3:13, 14. That when Paul anatomizeth the natural Man there, he insisteth longer upon the Organs of Speech, than all the other members. Their throat is an open sepulchre, with their tongues they have used deceit, the poyson of Asps is under their Lips, their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.

But to be short, we find the Spirit of God in Scripture comparing the Tongue to a Tree, Proverbs 15:4. A wholesome Tongue is a Tree of Life. And words is the fruit of the Tree, Isaiah 57:12. I create the fruit of the Lips. Some of these Trees bear precious fruits, and it is a lovely sight to behold them laden with them in their seasons, Proverbs 25:11. A word fitly spoken, is like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver. Such a Tongue is a Tree of Life. Others of these Trees bear evil Fruit, Grapes of Sodome, and Clusters of Gomorrah. I shall onely insist upon two sorts of these fruits, namely (1.) Withered sapless fruit; I mean, idle and unprofitable words. (2.) Rotten and corrupt fruit; I mean, prophane Oathes, and prophanations of the sacred Name of God. No fruit in the world so apt to corrupt and taint, as the fruits of the Lips. When it is so, the Scripture calls it [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], corrupt [•]r rotten communication, Ephesians 4:29. To prevent this, the Spirit of God prescribes an excellent way to season our words, and keep them sweet and sound, that they may neither wither nor become idle and sapless, nor putrifie and become rotten, as prophane words are, Colossians 4:6. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how to answer every man. Oh if the salt of Grace were once cast into the fountain, the Heart, the streams must needs become more savory and pleasant, as the waters of Marah when they were healed. My present work is to attempt the cure of this double evil, of idle words, and prophane Oathes, whereof thousands among you are deeply guilty. I shall begin with the first, namely

1. IDLE WORDS: that is, useless Chat, unprofitable Talk, that is not referred any way to the glory of God: This is a common evil, and little regarded by most men, but yet a sin of severer aggravations than the most imagine. Light words weigh heavy in Gods ballance.

Arg. 1. For first, the evil of them is exceedingly aggravated by this: They abuse and prevert the Tongue, that noble member, from that employment and use which God by the law of Creation designed it to. God gave not to man the Organs and power of Speech (which is his excellency above the Beasts) to serve a passion, or vain humour, to vent the froth and vanity of his spirit: but to extol his Creator, and render him the praise of all his admirable and glorious works. For though the Creation be a curious well tuned Instrument, yet man is the Musician that must touch it and make the melody; this was the end of God in forming those Instruments and Organs: but now hereby they are subject to Satan and Lust, and employed to the dishonour of God that made them. God is pleased to suspend the power of Speech (as we see in Children) till Reason begin to bud in them; they have not the liberty of the one, till they have the use of the other: which plainly shows, that God is not willing to have our words run waste.

Arg. 2. It is a sinful wasting of our precious time, and that puts a further aggravation upon it. Consider, Sirs, the time of Life is but a little spot between two eternities. The long-suffering God wheels about those glorious Celestial Bodies over your heads in a constant revolution, to beget time for you; and the preciousness of every minute thereof results from its use and end: It is intended and afforded as a space to you to repent in, Revelation 2:21. And therefore great things depend upon it: no less than your eternal Happiness or Misery, hangs upon those precious opportunities. Every minute of it has an influence into Eternity. How would the damned value one hour of it, if they might enjoy it! The business you have to do in it, is of unspeakable weight and concernment; this great work, this Soul-work, and Eternity-work lies upon your hands, you are cast into streights of time about it. And if so, Oh what an evil is it in you, to waste it away thus to no purpose!

Arg. 3. It's a sin that few are sensible of, as they are of other sins, and therefore the more dangerous. It's commonly committed, and that without checks of Conscience. Other sins, as Murther and Adultery, though they be horrid sins, yet are but seldom committed, and when they are, Conscience is startled at the horridness of them: Few, except they be prodigious wretches indeed, dare make light of them. But now for idle and vain words, there are inumerable swarms of these every day, and few regard them. The intercourse between the heart and tongue is quick; they are quickly committed, and as easily forgotten.

Arg. 4. And then 4thly, They have mischievous effects upon others. How long does an idle word or foolish jest stick in mens minds, and become an occasion of much sin to them? The froath and vanity of your Spirit, which your tongue so freely vents among your vain Companions, may be working in their minds, when you are in the dust, and so be transmitted from one to another; for to that no more is requisite than an objective existence of those vain words in their memories. And thus mayst you be sinning in the persons of your Companions, when you are turned into dust. And this is one reason that Suarez gives for a general Judgment, after men have past their particular judgment, immediately after their death, Because (says he) after this, multitudes of sins by their means will be committed in the world,, for which they must yet be judged to a fuller measure of wrath. So that look as many of the precious Servants of God now in glory, have left many weighty and holy Sayings behind them, by which many thousands of souls have been benefitted, and God glorified on Earth, after they had left it▪ So you leavest that vanity upon the mind of others behind you, by which he may be dishonoured to many generations.

And then 2. For PROPHANE OATHES, th[•] corrupt fruit of a graceless heart; Oh how common are these among you! indeed, the habit of swearing [〈◊〉] so strengthened in some, that they have lost all Sens[•••] and Conscience of the sin. Now, Oh that I migh[•] prevail with you to repent of this wickedness, an[•] break the force of this customary evil among you▪ Will you but give me the reading of a few page[•] more; and weigh with the reason of men, what yo[•] read? If you will not hearken to counsel, it is a fat[•] sign, 2 Corinthians 2:15, 16. and you shall mourn for th[•] obstinacy hereafter, Proverbs 5:12, 13. Desperate that evil that scorns the remedy. And if you ha[••] patience to read it, the Lord give you an heart [〈◊〉] consider what you read, and obey the Counsels of God; or else it were better your eyes had never [•]een these lines. Well then, I beseech you consider,

Arg. 1. That prophane Oathes are an high abuse of the dreadful and sacred Name of God, which should neither be spoken or thought of without the [••]eepest awe and reverence. It is the taking of that [•]acred Name in vain, Exodus 20:7. Now God is [•]xceeding tender and jealous over his Name: it is [•]ear to him: his Name is dreadful and glorious, Malac. 1. 14. I am a great King, and my Name is [•]readful among the Heathens. The Heathen would [•]ot ordinarily mention the names of such as they [•]everenced. Suetonius says, that Augustus pro[•]ibited the common use of his name: he thought it [〈◊〉] indignity to have his name tossed up and down in [•]very one's mouth. Indeed, saies Dr. Willet on Exod.[〈◊〉]. it was a use among them to keep secret such [•]ames as they would have in reverence. They durst [•]ot mention the name of Demogorgon, whom they [•]eld to be the first God: They thought when he [•]as named, the earth would tremble. Also the [••]me of Murcurius Trismegistus was very sparingly [•]ed, because of that reverence the people had for [〈◊〉]. Now consider, shall poor worms be so tender [〈◊〉] preserving the reverence of their names? Shall [〈◊〉] Heathens dare to use the names of their Idols; [〈◊〉] shall the sacred and dreadful name of the true [〈◊〉] be thus bandied up and down by tongues of his [〈◊〉] Creatures? Will not God be avenged for these [•]ses of his Name? Be confident, it shall one day [〈◊〉] sanctified upon you in judgment, because you did [〈◊〉] sanctifie it according to your duty.

Arg. 2. Swearing is a part of the Worship of [〈◊〉], and therefore prophane swearing can be no less than the profanation of his worship, and robbing[••] him of all the glory he has thereby, Deuteronomy 6:13.[•]You shalt fear the Lord your God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his Name. So Jeremiah 4:2. You shal[•] swear, the Lord lives, in Truth, in Judgment, and [〈◊〉] Righteousness. If a man swear by God after thi[•] manner, God is exceedingly glorified thereby▪ Now that you may see what revenue of Glory Go[•••] has from this part of his worship, and how it be[•]omes a part of Divine Worship; you must know▪ That an Oath is nothing else, but The asking o[•] desiring a Divine Testimony, for the confirmation of th[•] truth of our testimony. Hebrews 6:16. For men veril[•] swear by the greater, and an Oath for [confirmation] is to them an end of all strife. The corruption o[•] humane nature by the fall, has made man such a fals[•] and [•]ickle creature, that his single testimony canno[•] be sufficient Security for another, (especially i[•] weighty Cases) to rest upon: and therefore i[•] swearing, he calleth [•]od for a witness of the trut[•] of that he affirms, or promiseth. I say, calleth Go[•] to be a witness of the truth of what he says, becau[••] he is Truth it self, and cannot lie, Hebrews 6:18. No[•] this calling for, or asking of a Testimony from Go[•] makes an Oath become a part of Gods Worshi[•] and gives him a great deal of Glory and Honor▪ For hereby he that sweareth, acknowledges [〈◊〉]Omnisciency, and Infallible Truth and Righteousne[•••] His Omnisciency is acknowledged; for by this appe[••] to Him, we imply and acknowledge him to be [〈◊〉]Searcher of the hearts and reins; that he knows [〈◊〉] secret intents and meaning of our spirits. His [〈◊〉] preme and Infallible Truth is also acknowledged; [〈◊〉] this is manifestly carried in an Oath, That thoug[•] am a false and deceitful Creature, and my affirmati[••] cannot obtain universal and full credence, yet that is greater than I, by whose Name I swear, cannot deceive. And lastly, his Righteousness is acknowledged in an Oath: for he that sweareth does either expresly or implicitly put himself under the curse and wrath of God, if he swear falsely, Every Oath has [•]n execration or imprecation in it, Neh. 10. 29. They entered into a curse and an oath to walk in Gods law. And so 2 Corinthians 1:23. I call God for a record upon my soul. And the usual form in the Old Testament was, The Lord do so to me, and more also. Now hereby God has the Glory of his Righteousnes and Justice given him by the Creature, and therefore it is a [•]hoice part of the Divine Worship, or of that homage which a creature oweth to his God. And if this [•]e so, then how easily may the sin of rash and pro[•]ane Oaths be hence argued and aggravated? The more excelle[•]t any thing is by an institution of God, [•]y so much more horrid and abominable is the abuse [•]hereof. O how often is the dreadful Majesty of Heaven and Earth called to witness to frivolous [•]hings! and oft to be a witness of our rage and fu[•]y! as 1 Samuel 14:39. Is it a light thing to rob him of his peculiar Glory, and subject poor souls to his [•]urse and wrath, who has said, He will be a swift wit[•]ess against you? Malachi 3:5. Your tongues are nimble [〈◊〉] committing this sin, and God will be swift in pun[•]shing for it.

Arg. 3. It is a sin which God has severely threatn[•]d to punish, and that with temporal and corporal [•]lagues: For by reason of Oaths, the land mourns, Hos. [•]. 2, 3. That is, it brings the heavy Judgment of God upon whole Nations, under which they shall [•]ourn. And in Zechariah 5:2, 3, 4. you have there [〈◊〉]Roll of cuses, (i. e.) a Catalogue of judgments and [•]oes, the length thereof twenty Cubits (i. e. ten yards.) [•]o set out the multitude of woes contained in it▪ it's a long Catalogue: and A flying Rill, to denote the swiftness of it; it flyes towards the house of the Swearer, it makes haste. The Judgments that are written in it linger not, but are even in pain to be delivered. And this flying Roll full of dreadful Woes, flyes and enters into the house of the Swearer: and it shall therein remain, says the Lord, it shall cleave to his family; none shall claw off these woes from him: And it shall consume the Timber thereof, and the Stones thereof, (i. e.) bring utter subvertion, ruine, and desolation to his House. O dreadful sin! What a desolation does it make! Your Mouths are full of Oathes, and your Houses shall be full of Curses. Wo to that wretched Family into which this flying Roll shall enter; Wo, I say, to the wretched Inhabitants thereof. The Curse of the Lord (says Solomon) is in the house of the wicked; but He blesses the [habitation] of the just, Proverbs 3:33. Tuguriolum, (i. e.) says Mercer, his poor little Tenement or Cottage. There is a Blessing, the promises like Clouds of Blessing, dwell over it, and drop mercies on it: but a Curse is in the house of the wicked. Ah, how many stately Mansious are there, in which little other language but Oathes and Curses are heard! and these are as so much Gunpowder laid under the foundation of them, which when Justice shall set fire to, Oh what work will it make! Wo to the Inhabitants thereof. Well then, break off this sin by Repentance, unless you intend to ruine your Families, and bring all the Curses of God into your Houses. If you have no pity for your selves, yet pity your Posterity; have mercy for your Wives and Children, don't ruine all for the indulgence of a lust▪

Arg. 4. But that is not all; It brings Soul-judgments and spiritual plagues upon you: It brings Hel[•] along with it. And if you be not afraid to sin, yet methinks you should be afraid to burn if the love of God can work nothing upon your brawny heart, yet methinks the Terrors of the Lord should startle and affright it. To this purpose, I beseech you, weigh these Scriptures; and methinks, unless God has lost all his Authority with you, and Hell all its Terrors, it should startle you. The first is that dreadful Scripture, James 5. 12. But above all things, my Brethen, swear nat; neither by Heaven, neither by the Earth, neither by any other oath, but let your indeed, be indeed; and your in fact, in fact; lest you fall into [Condemnation.] O view this Text seriously. Methinks it should be like the [•]ingers that came forth and wrote upon the wall, that dreadful Sentence that changed the Countenance of a King, and that in the height of a frolick humour, and made his Knees smite together. Mark, [Above all things] a form of vehemency and earnestness, like that, Ephesians 6:16. But above all, taking the shield af Faith. As Faith has a prelation there before all the Graces, so Swearing here before all other Vices. [Swear not] (i. e.) vainly, rashly, profanely; for otherwise 'tis a lawful thing, and a part of Gods worship, as I have showed: but swear not vain Oaths, by the Creatures, Heaven, or Earth, &c. Which is to advance the creature into the room of God. A sin to which the Jews were much addicted. But, Let your indeed, be indeed! and in fact, in fact? (i. e.) accustom your selves to short and plain Affirmations and Negations, to a simple and candid expression of your minds. And the thundering Argument that backs it, is this; [lest you fall into Condemnation] (i. e.) lest for these things the Judge of Heaven and Earth pass a Sentence of condemnation to Hell upon you. Oh Sirs Dare you touch with this hot iron? Dare you from henceforward commit that Sin, that you know will bring you under the condemnation and judgment of God? Do you know what it is for a soul to be cast at Gods bar? Did you never see a poor malefacter tried at the Assizes, and observe how his face gathers paleness, how his Legs tremble, and Death displays its colors in his cheeks, when sentence is given upon him? But what's that to Gods condemnation? What is a Gallous to Hell? Another Text I would commmend to your consideration is that Exodus 20:7. The Lord will not hold him guiltless that takes his Name in vain. Where vain Oathes are especially included. Now what does God mean, when He says, He will not hold him guiltless? The meaning is plain, his sins shall be reckoned and imputed to him, they shall lie upon his Soul; he shall be bound over to answer God for them. O terrible sentence! What Soul can bear it, or stand before it! Blessed is the man (says David) to whom the Lord imputeth not inquity. Surely then, cursed is that man, to whom God will impute them. And to the Swearer they shall all be imputed, if he break not off his sin by repentance, and get a Christ the sooner. O Soul! How dar'st you think of going before the Lord with the guilt of all your sins upon you? When Christ would administer the very spirit of Joy in one sentence to a poor Sinner, Matth. 9. 4. He said, Son be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven. And when God would contract the sum of all misery into one word, He says, His sins shall lie down with him in the dust, Job 20. 11. Ah soul! One of these days you shalt be laid on your Death-bed, or see the waves that shall entomb you leaping and roaring upon every side; and then you will surely have other thoughts of the happiness that lies in remission of sin, than you hast now. Observe the most incorrigible Sinner then; hark how he sighs, and groans, and cries; Ah Lord! and must I die? And then see how the tears trickle down his Cheeks, and his heart ready to burst within him. Why, what's the matter? Oh, the Lord will not pardon him, he holds him guilty. If he were sure his sins were forgiven, then he could die; but oh! to appear before the Lord in them, appals him, daunts him, kills the very heart of him. He would fain cry for mercy, but Conscience stops his mouth. Oh, says Conscience, how canst you move that tongue to God in prayer for mercy, that has so often rent and torn his glorious Name, by Oaths and Curses? Sirs! I pray you, do not make light of these things: they will look wishly upon you one of these days, except you prevent it by sound conversation.

Arg. 5. And then lastly, to name no more, I pray you consider, that a custom of vain words and prophane Oaths, is as plain an indication and discovery of an unregenerate Soul, as any in the world. This is a sure [•]ign you are none of Christs, nor hast any thing to do with the promises and priviledges of his people: for by this the Scripture distinguishes the state of Saints and Sinners, Ecclesiastes 9:2. There is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth▪ and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner: and he that sweareth, as he that fears an Oath. Mark; he that sweareth, and he that fears an Oath, do as manifestly distinguish the Children of God from wicked men, as clean and unclean, righteous and wicked, sacrificing▪ and not sacrificing This fruit of the tongue plainly shows what the tree is that bears it, Isai. 2. 6. The vile person will speak of villany; and out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Loquere, ut videam, said one; Speak, that I may see what you are. Look what is in the heart that is vented by the Tongue: where the treasures of Grace are in the Heart, words ministring Grace will be in the Lips, Psalm 37:30. The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talketh of Judgment; for the law of the Lord is in his heart. To this sense we must understand that Scripture, att. 12. 27. By your words you shalt be justified, and by your words you shalt be condemned. Certainly, Justification and Condemnation, in the day of Judgment, shall not pass upon us meerly for the good or bad words we have spoken; but according to the state of the Person, and frame of the heart. But the meaning is, that our words shall justifie or condemn us in that day, as evidence of the state and frame of the Soul. We use to say, such Witnesses hang'd a man; the meaning is, the Evidence they gave cast and condemned him. O think seriously of this; if words evidence the state of the Soul, what an woful state must your Soul needs be in, whose mouth overflows with Oathes and Curses! How many witnesses will be brought in, to cast you in the great Day? Your own tongue shall then fall upon you, as the expression is, Psalm 64, 8. And out of your own mouth, God will fetch abundant evidence to condemn you. And thus I have opened to you the evil of vain words, and prophane Oathes; and presented to your view their several aggravations. If by these things there be a relenting pang upon your heart, and a serious resolution of reformation, then I shall commend these few helps or means to your perusal, and conclude this Head. And the first help is this.

Help. 1. Seriously fix in your thoughts that Scripture, Matth. 12. 36. But I say to you, that every idle word that Men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of Judgment. Oh let it soun[•] in your ears day and night! Oh ponder them in your heart. [I say to you] I that have always been in the Fathers bosome, and do fully know his mind, I that am constituted the Judge of quick and dead, and do fully understand the rule of Judgment; and the whole process thereof, I say, and do assure you, that [every idle word that men shall speak,] (i. e.) every word that has not a tendency and reference to the Glory of God though there be no other obliquity or evil in them than this, that they want a good end. How much more then scurrilous Words, bloody Oathes and Blasphemies! [Men shall give an account thereof] that is, shall be cast and condemned to suffer the wrath of God for them; as appears by that parallel Scripture, 1 Peter 4:4, 5. For as the Learned observe, there is plainly a Matalepsis in these words; The Antecedent, to give an account, is put for the Consequent, punishment, and condemnation to hell fire; the certainty whereof admits but of this one exception, namely intervenient repentance, or a pardon obtained through the blood of Christ here, before you be presented at that judgment-seat. Oh then, what a bridle should this Text be to your extravagant tongue! I remember Hierom was accustomed to say, Whether I eat or drink, or whatever I do, methinks I still hear the sound of these words in mine ear, Arise you dead, and come to judgment. O that the sound of the words may be always in your ears!

Help. 2. Consider before you speak▪ and be not rash to utter words without knowledge. He th[••] speaks what he thinks not, speaks Hipocitically[〈◊〉] he that thinks not what to speak, sperks inconsi[••]rately. You have cause to weigh your words, before you deliver them by your tongue; for whether you do, or do not, the Lord pondereth them. Records are kept of them; else you could not be called to an account for them, as I showed you you must.

Help. 3. Resign up your Tongues to God every day, and beg him to guide and keep it. So did David, Psalm 141:3. Set a watch, O Lord before my mouth, and keep you the door of my lips. Beg him to keep you from provocations and temptations; or if you fall into them, intreat him for strength to rule your spirits in them, that you may not be conquered by temptations.

Help. 4. But above all, labor to get your Souls cleansed and purified by Faith, possest with saving and gracious Principles: All other means will be ineffectual without this. Oh see the vileness of your nature, and the necessity of a change to pass upon it▪ First make the tree good, and then his fruit good: a new Nature will produce new words and actions. To binde your souls with Vows and resolutions, while you are strangers to a regenerate work, is to bind Sampson with green withs, while his locks remain upon his head. I will shut up this with the Advice of that divine Poet, Mr. George Herbert it may be it may affect you, and run in your thoughts when you are alone.

Take not his Name, who made your mouth, in vain; it gets you nothing, and has no excuse. Lust and wine, plead a pleasure; avarice gain: but the cheap Swearer, though his open sluce, Lets his Soul run for nought, as little fearing. Vvere I an Epicure, I could hate swearing.

Vvhen you dost tell another jest, therein Omit the Oathes, which true Vvit cannot need; Pick out of tales the mirth, but not the sin. He pares his apple, that will cleanly feed. Play not away the virtue of that Name, Vvhich is your best stake, when grief makes you tame.

The cheapest sins most dearly punisht are, because to shon them also is so cheap: For we have wit to mark them, and to spare. O crumble not away your Souls fair heap. If you will die, the gates of Hell are broad. Pride, and full sins, have made the way a road.