SERM.

I need not enumerate them all. But it is XVII. very obvious, that they are numerous. Some are guilty of a light and frequent use, or bold profanation, of the name of God. Others are murmurers and complainers. And because every thing in the world is not to their mind, they take great liberties in complaining of the methods of Providence, or the conduct of their superiors and governours.

There are obscene discourses, called by the
Eph. iv.
Apostle corrupt, and filthie communication,
Col. iii. 8. which ought not to proceed out of the
mouth of a Chriftian.

29.

Falshood is supposed to be a very common fault in the dealings of men one with another: where truth ought to be strictly regarded, as the great bond of fociety, and of confidence in each other.

Abusive speeches, proceeding from anger, or contempt, are too common among men. Our blessed Lord has condemned all fuch expressions, when he shews the guilt of those who say to their brother Racha, or thou fool. How apt are some, upon occasion of flight provocations, to break forth into very abufive and contemptuous language against those who

who have, or are fuppofed to have dif- SERM. obliged them!

Calumnie is another great fault of the tongue, which too many are guilty of, for carrying on selfish designs, and to weaken and disparage their enemies, or rivals. And many arts of detraction there are, divulging lesser faults that might be concealed, or paffed by, without detriment to any: aggravating the known offenses of men, lessening the merit of good and commendable actions, or converting actions that are innocent, or at the most suspicious only, into heinous tranfgreffions.

Flatterie is another fault of the tongue, and an abuse of the noble faculty of speech: when, to carry on designs of private interest, we deceive men, by ascribing to them excellences they are destitute of, and thus fill them with an empty conceit of imaginarie worth, and encourage floth and indolence, or otherwise misleading them to their great detriment.

Ridicule, ill applied, is another fault of the tongue. Some make a mock at fin, and would fcoff away the weighty and awful truths of religion. Some endeavor to bring the Sacred Scriptures into contempt. Others

XVII.

SERM. Others expose their neighbours by ridiculing XVII. the natural defects and infirmities of the bo

dy, or the mind, which are no real faults, but their own unhappinesse.

There is a fault, which we may stile the uncharitablenesse of the tongue: When men strive to lessen all those who differ from them in opinion, representing them, as prejudiced, or destitute of a love of truth, and out of the favour of God, and the way of salvation. And accordingly they pronounce hard and unmerciful sentences of condemnation upon them. St. James seems particularly to have an eye to this conduct. And he shews, that it cannot proceed from a principle of true religion. It may indeed consist with a profession of religion. But it is inconsistent with virtue and true piety. Sincere praises of God, and severe and unrighteous sentences against our neighbour, can no more proceed from the fame mind, than bitter and sweet water from one and the fame fountain. Consequently, if men fo condemn their brother, their love of God is not fincere and genuine. So in his argument ver. 9. 10. Therewith bless we God, and therewith curse we men, made after the fimilitude #ude of God. Out of the fame mouth proceed- SERM. eth bleffing and curfing. My brethren, thefe XVII. things ought not fo to be. Doth a fountain fend forth at the fame place fweet water and bitter?

Another fault of the tongue, which we are sometimes guilty of, is too great severity of reproof and censure of real offenfes and miscarriages. This is one thing, which St. James has an eye to in this context, when he cautions against being many masters: intending to soften the rigour of those, who are forward in taking upon them that character. St. Paul has particularly cautioned against the fame thing. Brethren, if a man Gal. vi. be overtaken in a fault, ye that are spiritual, restore fuch an one in the spirit of meeknesse, confidering thy-felf, least thou also be tempted. Another fault of the tongue is talkativenesse, or a multitude of words, in which, as Solomon says, there wanteth not fin. This fault Pr. x. St. James has an eye to in several of his directi- 19. ons and observations in this epistle, particularly, in the text above cited: Let every man be fwift to bear, flow to speak. Where he seems to condemn talkativenesse, abstracting from the confideration of what is faid; when men вь speak

P

SERM. speak with little or no regard to, or thought
XVII. of doing good or harm. Which, though it

Tim. i. 7.

may feem an indifferent matter, or of no great consequence, yet an indulgence of such a difpofition leads men into many offenses : inasmuch as when innocent, or indifferent, topics of discourse are exhausted, such will not fail, in order to gratify that disposition, to go into defamation and scandal.. So it is in conversation. And the like temper will shew itself on other occafions. Some may defire to be teachers of the law, who are unacquainted with it's design: and may affect prolixity of discourse, and use a multitude of words, not because their subject requires it, but to gratify the disposition to discourse, and an ambition of shining as very knowing men, and fluent speakers.

These and other faults there are of the tongue. And this is one thing, that shews the difficulty of governing it.

3. And we shall be farther fatisfied of this, if we confider the causes and springs of these faults. And there are many of them. This was observed by St. James. Does he say of the tongue at ver. 6. That it fetteth on fire the whole course of nature? He adds:

And