2. Against Sinful Words

As I have endeavored before to clear the heart, so now to clear and cleanse the mouth, that as there might not be an evil thought in that, so not an evil word in this: persons too many are apt to think that words are but wind, things that they shall not account for, and therefore are so bold and daring as to say, as (Psalm 12:4), with our tongue will we prevail, our lips are our own, who is Lord over us? We may speak what we will, and we will speak what we may: Oh, what an unruly tongue has that man, who can say his tongue is his own! Patient Job in a fit of passion did say, let me alone that I may speak, and come of me what will (Job 13:13). Alas, isn't it thus with many, when we tell them of the sinfulness of sin and of tongue-sins, they fly in our faces, and say, hold your peace, we will speak, let there come on us what will. Oh, desperate!

But if you will be a little serious, I would ask you (when cool and calm) this question, Would you not live and see good days? Yes, we would, who is there that does not desire life, and to see good days while he lives? Many say, who will show us any good? And every one says, life, life, skin for skin, and all for life. [reconstructed: Come] then, come, you children, listen to me, and I will teach you the fear of the Lord; what man is he that desires life, and loves many days that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking guile (Psalm 34:11-13). Oh, that all the parents in the world would call their children together to read them such lectures as this: many say, come, my children, I will teach you the way to grow rich and great, how to be [reconstructed: fine] and in fashion, etc. But few call them and say, come, my children, I will teach you the fear of the Lord, the best wisdom; and godliness, the best and most enriching trade, good for this life, and that to come. Oh that they would ask them, would you see life? Etc., yes, but how? Why, if you be for life and good days, keep your tongue from evil, etc. This is confirmed in the New Testament (1 Peter 3:10). The next and best way to live and live well is (as the proverb has it) to keep a good tongue in our heads, and have no evil words in our mouths: for as the wise man assures us (Proverbs 21:23), whoever keeps his mouth and tongue, keeps his soul from troubles: and this is not only a political, but a divine assertion, and is true between God and man, as it is between man and man.

Holy David was so afraid of his tongue, lest he should offend with it, that he put a bridle into his mouth (Psalm 39:1). And surely the tongue is an unruly thing, that it must be bridled like a horse or a donkey; indeed, it is so unruly, that one may better rule horses, and manage them, and more easily turn such unwieldy things as great ships are, than keep the tongue in order; and therefore Saint James pronounces him a perfect man, that offends not in word, and one that is able with ease to bridle the whole body, when he has the mastery of his tongue (James 3:2-4). Oh, it is a rare thing to use the tongue well!

Now to help you against this evil, that you may not sin with your mouths, tongues, or lips (which are all one in signification) let me entreat you to consider,

1. That sinful words are wholly forbidden us, and the contrary to them are enjoined us; God has told us what we shall not, and what we shall say, what words we ought not, and what we ought to use. For the negative; let no corrupt, or filthy, and rotten, unsavory communication (no kind of it, no degree of it) proceed out of your mouth; but (affirmatively) that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers (Ephesians 4:29). So again (Ephesians 5:3-4), but fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, filthiness, foolish talking, and scurrilous jesting and gibing, let it not be named, that is, let not these be subject and matter of your discourse and talk; but giving of thanks, or that which is graceful and thankworthy, fit to season and edify others by ministering grace to them, as it was said before: and again (Colossians 4:6), let your speech be always with grace, let it be as becomes saints, graceful and comely, seasoned and savory, that which may not defile any, but edify all. Though a Christian be not always to talk of grace, yet he is always to talk so, as to show himself a gracious person. Our very table talk, as well as our meat, should be seasoned with salt, it should be with the first and second course; for salt is the first put on, and the last taken off, that all may be seasoned and savory, and so should all our discourse be, and not like salt that has lost its savor, which is not good, no not for the dunghill (Luke 14:35).

2. Unless a man take heed to his words, and bridle his tongue, that man's religion is vain, and consequently in vain: it is unprofitable, idle, and impertinent (James 1:26). He does but seem to be religious, and thereby both flatters and deceives himself: it is too much to seem to be evil, and too little but to seem to be good: appearance in evil is too much, but appearance of or in good, is not enough. If he seem to be religious, and does not bridle his tongue, notwithstanding his seeming to be, he is not religious: A seeming religion is worse than none, as vanity is less than nothing (Isaiah 40:17). He that has a form, and but a form of godliness, denying the power thereof, is worse than he that has not so much as a form, or makes no profession of godliness. Oh, how should this oblige us to take heed of tongue-sins!

3. Sinful words are arguments of sinful hearts; words are the image of the mind, and the declaration of it: as a man is known by his picture, so a heart by its words. You are a Galilean, your speech reveals or discovers you. We may know what countrymen any are by their language, whether French, Dutch, etc., whether of the heavenly or hellish world. It is out of the abundance (the fullness and overflowing of) the heart, that the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). Broach any full vessel, and what's there will come out; words are as the broaching of the heart, and giving it vent, and then out comes that which was within. It is indeed both possible and common for persons to speak well, when they mean ill, peace is in their mouth, when war is in their heart; but that heart is hypocritical, and out of that double heart, which is full of hypocrisy, they speak with their tongues, as (Psalm 12:2; Jeremiah 42:20). So that if wicked men speak well, yet it is still from an evil heart of hypocrisy, and out of that abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

4. Evil words corrupt men and their manners: our great care should be, not to be corrupt, and the next to that, not to corrupt others; but evil words corrupt both: they corrupt and defile ourselves (Matthew 15:17-18). What goes into the mouth (that is, meat) defiles not the man, but what comes out of the mouth (that is, evil words) proceeds from the heart, and they defile the man. The tongue is but a little member, yet it boasts great matters, it is but as a spark of fire, but it kindles a great deal of wood, a world of iniquity, the whole course of nature, and defiles the whole body (James 3:5-6). It defiles, not only a man's own body and course, but the body and community of them with whom we converse too, a little leaven leavens the whole lump: be not deceived, evil communication corrupts good manners (1 Corinthians 15:33). What is the ill language or evil discourse the Apostle means? That which he had mentioned, verse 32: let us (say and do like Epicures, as they say and do) let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die. Such loose Epicurean and atheistical discourses do debauch men and their manners. Many an ingenuous and hopeful person has been corrupted by such ill discourse: they have no good conversation, who use evil communication; persons of evil words are seldom persons of good manners, or if so for a while (for nemo repentè fit pessimus) none being suddenly wicked, or worst at first, yet they degenerate and grow immoral and ill-mannered more and more. Lying frequently makes men at last so unacquainted with truth, that they scarce think any difference to be between them; and they jest so long, that they forget to be in earnest, till awaked by the quarrels that these things beget in and among themselves.

5. The tongue is either man's glory or shame, worth much or nothing, as it is good or evil. God made man's tongue his glory, but sin makes it his shame. Says holy David to his tongue, awake, my glory (Psalm 57:8), and (Psalm 16:9) my glory rejoices; which the Apostle (according to the Septuagint) renders, my tongue was glad (Acts 2:26). And when is our tongue our glory, but when it speaks to the glory of God? When its words are savory and gracious; but if our tongue be a lying tongue, a slandering tongue, or any other way evil, it is then our shame. Oh, the vast difference that there is between a good and a bad tongue! (Proverbs 10:20) The tongue of the just is as choice silver (a precious commodity) but the heart of the wicked (and therefore his tongue) is little worth, it is but dross; he pays too dear by a farthing, that pays but a farthing for that which is nothing worth: and this is so little worth, that he cannot tell how little, worth nothing, or if you will, it is worse than naught in being naught. Again (Proverbs 12:18) there is that speaks (daggers, as we say) like the piercing of a sword, dangerous and killing words, but the tongue of the wise is (not only a medicine or wholesome, but in the abstract) health. There is as much difference between a good and bad tongue, as between soundness and wounds, health and sickness. Yet once more (Proverbs 15:4) a wholesome tongue is a tree of life (which is for healing) but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit: and a wounded spirit who can bear? Or who can bear up under a broken spirit?

Sixthly and lastly consider this, God will judge us for and by our words, as well as by our works and actions. There is a place may make us tremble, and should engage us to take heed of our words, while we have a day to live, it is in (Matthew 12:36): I say to you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment; and verse 37: for by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned. If we must give an account of idle, what account shall we give of filthy and ill-working words! of words that are corrupt, and do corrupt others! Solomon upon this account tells us (Proverbs 18:21), death and life are in the power of the tongue; a man shall be judged and sentenced according to it. There is such a connection between heart, tongue, and deed, that he who is judged by one, is judged by all of them, for they agree in one. It is observable, that though all the charge, or most of it, in Psalm 50 is for words, the sin of the tongue — 1. In abusing God's good Word. 2. Using their own ill words, they gave their mouth to evil, etc. — yet that the heart was consenting, and the deed executing, there was a concurrence and co-working of all three: after his words are spoken of, says God, these things have you done, and it follows, you thought, etc., verse 21: but I will judge you, namely, for all this, yet especially for your words, according to what is said (Jude 15): Behold, the Lord comes to execute judgment upon all, to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly committed, and of all their — mark it — their hard speeches which they have spoken against him: indeed, against him in his members. It is said, verse 16, their mouth speaks great swelling words, namely, as murmurers and complainers use to do: they will jeer the people of God, and twit them with the name of holy and spiritual, and utter hard speeches against them; but when Christ comes to judgment, he will call to account for all the hard speeches, and all the great swelling words, which by way of complaint they have spoken against his members; or by way of flattery and admiration (for lucre's sake) they have spoken in commendation and praise of wicked and cruel men. Oh, take heed of tongue-sins; when Dives was in Hell, the part that (it seems) was most tormented, was his tongue; for he begs water to cool his tongue, which gives some occasion to think that (even in relation to Lazarus) he had sinned much with his tongue, and used hard speeches against poor Lazarus; for it was by him he would have the water brought: In quo peccamus, in hoc plectimur, as and in what we sin, we smart and are pained and plagued, as Dives with and in his tongue. If the tongue be set on fire of Hell while on earth, ah, how will it be set on fire when in Hell! The sins of the mouth cry for vengeance with an open mouth, and make others cry for it too (Psalm 59:11-13), the holy man (not yet king, but prophet) prays, scatter them, bring them down, O Lord! Why, David, why so severe, what have they done? Oh, it is for the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips, for their cursing and lying; and then he is at it again, consume them, consume them in your wrath. This is the dreadful imprecation that the sin of their mouth occasioned this merciful and good person to make against them, and to beg God to execute it upon them. Sad will the account be that men will have to make for speaking, as for working of iniquity.

On all these considerations, let me beseech you to take heed as to your words, and, first, let your words be few; and that not only in your commerce and conversation with men, but in your addresses to God (Ecclesiastes 5:2). God is in Heaven, and you upon Earth, therefore let your words be few; which is much of the meaning of our Savior in the Prayer which he taught his Disciples, as will appear by comparing the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth verses of Matthew 6. It is a vanity that attends men in religion, that they think to be heard for their loud and much speaking; silence were better than ill-speaking, indeed (and many times) than much-speaking. It is true, there is a time to speak, as there is to be silent (and happy they that improve it well) but yet it is seldom that a multitude of words are without sin; and therefore he that refrains his lips is wise (Proverbs 10:19). Silence discovers wisdom, and conceals ignorance, and it is a property so much belonging to wise men, that the Oracle tells us (Proverbs 17:28): That a fool when he holds his peace, is accounted wise, and he that shuts his lips, is esteemed a man of understanding. And as a very worthy and noble person expresses it, If silence were as much in fashion, as it is charitable to mankind to wish it, the regions of Hell would be far more thinly peopled, than now they are like to be. Many have repented for using their tongues too much; it is true, a man that holds his peace may offend with his tongue, but it is a more scarce and seldom crime, than that of much (which is usually too much) speaking. It is gospel doctrine which teaches us to be swift to hear, and slow to speak (James 1:19). Moses's imperfection or defect would be an excellency in some persons, to be slow of speech; and it were well with some, if they had got such a cold, as would keep them from speaking. Oh, the prittle-prattle that abounds among the busybodies of this world! And there are many, not only vain, but unruly talkers (Titus 1:10), that a man had need of more patience to hear them, than to hear the beating of an unbraced drum. And, alas, it is not only the chat and tattle of idle gossips (such as in 1 Timothy 5:13) who spoke unbecomingly, and things which they ought not; but much of the discourse that wastes men's time (who would be loath to drink and swear it away) consists of talk that flatters the present, or detracts from the absent; censuring of superiors, or despising of inferiors! What empty and ridiculous, if not frothy discourses (that excite to carnality) are the common entertainments, even among them that pretend to better things! What is such company and converse good for, but to quench zeal and fervency, indeed, the ready way to lose credit and good name; and if not innocency, yet always time, which is too precious to be squandered away and lost, much more to be sinned away! Shall a man of much talk be justified (Job 11:2)? Oh no, much talk is full of folly; for a dream comes through a multitude of business, and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words (Ecclesiastes 5:3); and in the multitude of dreams and many words, are diverse vanities; but fear God (verse 7), as if multitude of words were inconsistent with the fear of God; for to that purpose the words sound. We cannot well speak too little, unless we speak by command from God, and in obedience to it. Therefore,

Second, if we will, or must be speaking, let us speak as we ought, let our words be wholesome words, such as carry medicine and health in them: safe and sound speech that may not be gainsaid nor reproved — that may do no hurt, but that may do good. We should speak that which is good to edify men, that which is good for ourselves and others, either naturally, civilly, morally, or spiritually good, as occasion offers and requires. I intend no particular enumeration of tongue-sins to be avoided, nor any distinct and particular discourse about speaking and ordering our tongues; but only to hint these things in general, leaving the particular application and improvement to be made by every man, as his own case calls for; and therefore to conclude this, I shall commend but these two things in relation here.

First, look well to your hearts; if they be not well kept, your tongues will be ill kept; and therefore it is said (Proverbs 4:23), keep your heart with all diligence, or (as it is in the Hebrew) above all keeping: it needs more keeping than anything else, for all the rest are at the heart's dispose, both faculties and members; therefore keep a strict watch and strong guard over your heart. The speaking of the tongue is from the musing of the heart, which is as fire in the bosom that cannot be hid, but will break out into a flame of words, as the phrases are used (Psalm 39:3). When you are heart-full, your mouth will run over, and if the fountain of your heart be bitter, the streams of your words cannot be sweet. When Holy David prayed that the words of his mouth might be acceptable, he prays for this in relation to it, Let the meditations of my heart be acceptable (Psalm 19:14). If the latter, namely our meditations, be not; the former, namely our words, are not like to be acceptable. When our heart speaks our words, our words speak our heart, and it is but one thing: and no sooner does our heart compose a good matter, but our tongue will be as the pen of a ready writer (Psalm 45:1). The heart of the wise teaches his mouth (Proverbs 16:23) — the Hebrew is, makes his mouth wise: the fool speaks with an open mouth, anything that is uppermost; but a wise man opens his mouth and speaks, gravely, wisely, and upon deliberation. The mouth needs going to school, and if we will have it wise, let us get it a wise heart to be its tutor, to teach it the art and grace of speaking wisely and well; the heart of the wise teaches his mouth.

Pray to God, for prayer is the means-general for preservation and sanctification of heart, tongue, and life: lift up your heart and soul to him, and pray as (Psalm 19:14), of which I newly spoke; and say as (Psalm 51:15), O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth your praise; and as (Psalm 71:8), let my mouth be filled with your praise, and with your honor all the day. And again (Psalm 141:3-4), set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and keep the door of my lips, and incline not my heart to any evil thing. That's well kept that God keeps, and if he keep not the city, the watchmen watch in vain. Commit yourself to the Keeper of Israel, and all will be well (Proverbs 16:1-3).