And it is fet on fire of hell. There are, within, bad principles, that give the tongue this wrong direction, and fet it on work for mifchief. Blafphemie, or evil-fpeaking, is one of those defilements, which our Lord fays come from the beart, that is, from fome bad difpofition there. And St. James ver. 14. 15. If ye have bitter envying and ftrife in your hearts, glory not, and lye not against the truth. This wisdom is not from above, but is earthly, fenfual, devilish. The causes of the offenfes of the tongue are fuch as thefe. Unbelief, and difcontent. Thefe were the causes of the murmurings and complaints of the people of Ifrael againft God, and Mofes, in the wilderneffe. And the many murmurings and complaints of men in all ages are owing to the like caufes. Other fprings and principles of faulty dif courfe are inordinate felf-love, pride, arrogance, envie and ill-will, contempt of other men, and a difregard to their interefts, covetoufneffe, emulation, and ambition. These lead men into falfhood, and defamation, for promoting their own gain, and leffening those whom they envy, or whofe influence ftands in their way. St. Paul fpeaks of fome, who SER M. Matt. xv. Tit. i. SERM. taught things which they ought not, for filthie XVII. lucre's fake. Some depart from the truth, and forward erroneous conceits, because they are pleasing. Detraction is one way of lef fening those who are eminent, and of carrying a point against them. St. John had experience of this, and therefore fays in his third epiftle: I wrote unto the church. But Diotrephes, who loveth to have the pre-eminence, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which be does, prating against us with malicious words. These, and other caufes there are of the offenfes of the tongue. And when it is confidered, how difficult it is to root all these bad pinciples out of the heart of man ; it must be apparent, that governing the tongue Matt. xii. is no eafie thing. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth Speaketh. The streams 34. will partake of the qualities of the fountain. And according to the root, fo will the fruit be. II. In the fecond place fome arguments fhould be mentioned, to induce us to ufe our beft endeavours to bridle the tongue. And And St. James does prefently furnish us SERM. with three confiderations to this purpose: XVII. first the importance of the thing to the good of the world. Secondly, it's importance to us: forafmuch as without it our religion would be vain. And thirdly, it is a great perfection. 1. The importance of this matter. St. James has illuftrated this by several instances and comparisons, the bit in the horse's mouth, the helm of ships, and fire, a spark of which kindles into a devouring flame. That is, the use or abuse of the tongue is of much importance, and great things, for good or evil, are effected thereby, in the fate, in leffer focieties, and among particular persons. By the right ufe of the tongue truth is recommended, virtue promoted, the peace and happineffe of mankind advanced. By a perverse employment of fpeech the peace of fociety, of families, and particular perfons is interrupted and difturbed: the interefts of errour are promoted, instead of thofe of truth: good defigns are obftructed, or quite defeated the reputation of innocent, and even excellent men is blafted: feeds of animofity and diffenfion are fown among brethren, friend Bb 3 SERM. friendships broken and diffolved, and many XVII. bad effects produced, more than can be easily 2 Sam. xvi. 2 Sam. xix. numbred. t How much did Jofeph fuffer by the calumnie of his mistreffe! how long, before his reputation could be vindicated, or his innocence cleared up! And fometimes the reputation of the innocent and virtuous is for ever ruined by malicious and artful detraction. We have a remarkable inftance of the bad effect of a studied mifreprefentation of things, in the hiftorie of David. When he fled from Jerufalem, on occafion of Abfalom's rebellion, Ziba, fervant of Mephibosheth, fon of Jonathan, came to David, bringing him prefents. And David faid to him: Where is thy mafter? And Ziba faid unto the King: Bebold, be abideth at Jerufalem. For be faid: To day fhall the boufe of Ifrael restore me to the kingdom of my father. Then faid the King to Ziba: Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibofheth. But when David returned victorious, and in fafety, to Jerufalem, it appeared, that during the time of his absence, Mephibofheth had lived with all the outward tokens of mourning and affliction, without putting on his usual ornaments, or taking the refresh refreshments, customarie in times of peace SERM. and profperity. And when he met the King, XVII. David faid unto him: Wherefore wenteft thou not with me, Mephibofheth? And he answered: My Lord, o King, my fervant deceived me. For thy fervant faid: I will faddle me an affe, that I may ride thereon, and go to the King, because thy fervant is lame. And he has flandred thy fervant unto my Lord the King. But my Lord the King is as an angel of God. Do therefore what is good in thy eyes. What now is the answer, which David makes to Me phibofheth, after fo fubmiffive a fpeech, and fo full a defense of himself? It is this. The King faid unto him: Why Speakeft thou any more of thy matters? I have faid: Thou and Ziba divide the land. An anfwer, if we may prefume to judge, unworthie of David. It feems to fhew, that Ziba's ftorie still made impreffions upon him, and that he was not fully reconciled to Mephibofheth or elfe, that he was unwilling to own, how much he had been deceived, and impofed upon by the artifice of Ziba, Mephibofheth's fervant. Such effect had flatterie, and flander, improbable flander, upon the mind of King David, Bb 4 David |