that good treasure laid up in the heart would bring | made ashamed of his confidence; confide therefore forth good things to the use of edifying, which would in divine strength only. manifest grace in him that speaks, and minister grace unto the hearers. The fear of God always before your eyes will be an effectual restraint upon you from saying that by which either his name is dishonoured, or his law violated. The grace of God is a coal from the altar, which if it touch the tongue, the iniquity of it will be purged away, Isa. vi. 7. | 3. Keep out of the way of bad company. Speech is learned by imitation, and so is corrupt speech. We are apt in discourse to conform to those with whom we do associate; and therefore, if we would keep those commandments of our God which relate to the government of the tongue, we must say to evil doers, Depart from us, Ps. cxix. 115. Converse not familiarly, and of choice, with those who accustom themselves to any evil communication, lest you learn their way, lest you learn their words, and get such a snare to your souls as you will not easily disentangle yourselves from. That dread and terror, and abhorrence of swear Let the throne of Christ be set up in your hearts, and his love shed abroad there, and then you will not call it a needless preciseness to be thus careful of your words, but a necessary strictness, because by our words we must be justified or condemned. Then you will not call it a task and a slavery to being and cursing, and all profane discourse, which thus tied up, and to speak by rule, but an honour and a pleasure; for assuredly this blessed change, wrought in the soul by the renewing grace of God, will open such surprising springs of present joy and comfort, as will abundantly balance all the uneasiness which corrupt nature will complain of in these restraints. 2. Solemnly resolve against these and all other tongue-sins. Let holy David's vow be yours, and bind your souls with it this day, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue; and remember, as he does there, that you have said it, that you may not break your promise, Ps. xxxix. 1, 2. While the result of your convictions is no more but this, that you hope you shall govern your tongues better for the future, and that, for ought you know, you will not swear so much as you have done, and in the mind you are in, you will not speak so many idle filthy words as you have spoken-if this be all, you leave room for Satan to thrust in with his temptations; faint purposes are soon shaken, and prove to no purpose: but when you are come to a point, and without equivocation, or mental reservation, will solemnly promise that by the grace of God you will never swear nor curse any more; you will never take God's name in vain any more; you will never speak a lewd or scurrilous word any more; this fortifies the strong hold against the tempter, who (like Naomi, Ruth i. 18.) when he sees you are stedfastly resolved, will leave off speaking to you. Renew this resolution every day, especially if you have a prospect of any occasion which will be a more than ordinary temptation to you. Thus set a guard upon the door of your lips, and at some times double your guard, where you find yourselves weakest and most exposed. Try the strength of your resolutions, and do not for shame suffer yourselves to be baffled in them. Only remember to make and renew these resolutions, in a dependence upon the grace of Jesus Christ, which alone is sufficient for you. Peter resolved against a tongue-sin in his own strength, but it failed him, and he was all who are virtuously and piously educated, are conscious to themselves of at first, is apt to wear off by frequent and free conversation with those who use such language. It is excused as a slip of the tongue, which does nobody any harm; nay, it is justified as a fashionable ornament of speech; and so by degrees the debauched conscience comes to be reconciled to it, and at last the tongue is taught not only to lisp the same cursed language, but, with a great deal of art and assurance, to speak it plain. Joseph himself, in the court of Egypt, had unawares got the courtier's oath, By the life of Pharaoh. If you love your souls, therefore, be very careful what company you keep; choose to converse familiarly with those of whom you may learn that which is edifying, and by whose discourse and example you may be made wiser and better; and avoid the society of those by whom, without a greater degree of wisdom and watchfulness than you can pretend to, you will certainly get hurt to yourselves. Improper words are sooner learned than unlearned. Therefore, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not, (Prov. i. 10.) though they do not say, (as they there, v. 11. Come, and let us lay wait for blood,) “Come, and let us swear and curse, and bid defiance to all that is sacred;" but palliate the temptation, and make it look very harmless, "Come, and let us take a glass and be merry over it." If they be such as are commonly profane and lewd in their discourse, fear a snare in their company, and keep at a distance from it. Walk not in their counsel, stand not in their way, sit not in their seat, Ps. i. 1. Make no friendship with those who make no conscience of their words, and who show that they have no veneration for the blessed name of God. Remember Solomon's advice, (Prov. xiv. 7.) and be ruled by it; Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge. 4. Think twice before you speak once. We often speak amiss, because we speak in haste; when that comes out which comes uppermost, what can it be but froth and dross? Moses spake unadvisedly with | forget God, (Ps. 1. 21.) stand in awe of this, and sin his lips, not consulting with himself before he spake, not with your tongues. Take heed, God hears; and then he said that which shut him out of Canaan, were you in the presence of some grave men that Ps. cvi. 33. What we speak in haste, we often find you had a reverence for, you would have a care what cause afterwards to repent of at leisure. David more you say, and shall not the presence of the great God than once reflects with regret upon what he said strike an awe upon you? in his haste, and we have all a great deal of reason to do so. Our second thoughts, if we would take time for them, would correct the errors of the first; and we should not offend with our tongues so often as we do, if we would but consider what we say, before we say it. The heart of the righteous studieth to answer | that which is fit and seasonable, while the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. Be sparing of your words, and then you will not have so many bad words to answer for as most have; for, in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin, and divers vanities. You have often been the worse for speaking, but seldom the worse for keeping silence. Many a thing which you have said, you would have smothered and suppressed if you had but allowed yourselves the liberty of a serious and impartial thought upon it. "Little said, soon amended." You durst not profane God's blessed name with your unhallowed breath, if you would but think seriously what a God he is whom you thus blaspheme and provoke. You durst not curse yourselves or others if you would but consider the weight of the curse, and what a fearful thing it is to fall under it. You durst not scoff at religion if you did but consider how sacred and honourable it is. Reason in other cases is of use to rectify the mistakes of imagination; use it here then. 5. Have a care to the account that is now kept, and must shortly be given, of all your idle wicked words. You believe the Holy Scriptures, you do well. Now they tell you what will be in the end hereof. The word of God will judge you shortly, therefore, let it rule you now. Notice is now taken of all you say, whether you are aware of it or no. There is not a word in your tongue, though spoken in haste, and not regarded by you, but God knows it altogether, and a book of remembrance is written. God told the prophet Ezekiel what the people said of him by the walls, and in the doors of their houses, (Ezek. xxxiii. 30.) and he can make a bird of the air to carry the voice of that which is said in the heart, or in the bedchamber, Eccl. x. 20. You think you may curse and swear securely when you are out of the reach of those who would reprove you, or inform against you; and because God for the present keeps silence, you think he is altogether such an one as yourselves, as careless of his government as you are of your duty; but he will reprove you, and set them in order before you, and make it to appear that he kept an exact account of all you said: Now consider this, ye that But this is not all, the day is coming when there will be a review; when the books that are written will be opened, and all your profane oaths and curses, and corrupt communications, will be found upon record there, and produced as evidence against you. He that is to be the Judge in that day, has himself expressly told us, (Matt. xii. 36.) Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment; and if for every idle word, much more for every profane and wicked word. What an account will they have to make, all whose breath was corrupt, till their days were extinct; who always allowed themselves a boundless liberty of speech from under the dominion of religion and right reason, and never took care by repentance, and prayer, and reformation, to empty the measure of guilt they had filled, nor to balance the account in the blood of Christ which cleanses from all sin. Think not that any profession of religion which you make will excuse you, or stand you in any stead in that day, while you thus contradict it, and give the lie to it, by the extravagances of your tongues. The word of God has laid it down as a certain rule, (Jam. i. 26.) If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, that man's religion is vain; and if your religion be vain, it will never bring you to heaven, and then I need not tell you whither your irreligion will bring you. It will be the eternal doom of those who persisted in their tongue-sins, and would not be reformed, that their own tongues shall fall upon themselves, (Ps. Ixiv. 8.) and if they do, they will sink them to the lowest hell, in which the remembrance of all the sins of an ungoverned tongue will be very bitter, and bring oil to the flames We read of it, as the misery of condemned sinners, that they are tormented in a flame, where they have not a drop of water to cool their tongues. Words are soon spoken, and when they are spoken are soon gone, and yet words spoken against an earthly prince, though repented of, have cost many a man his life; and shall it then be difficult to us to believe, that words spoken against the King of kings, and never repented of, shall exclude men from his kingdom, and lay them for ever under his wrath? It is commonly said, "Words are but wind," but wicked words will prove such a mischievous wind, as will not only keep the soul out of the blessed haven of rest and happiness, but sink it into the gulf of everlasting destruction. 6. Reflect upon it with sorrow and shame, and great regret, if at any time you have, ere you were aware, spoken any wicked word. Keep conscience tender in this matter, and if, through the surprise of temptation, you any way offend with your tongue, let your heart presently smite you for it, humble yourselves greatly before God for it, pass it not over with a slighty careless, "God forgive me," but be in pain and bitterness at the remembrance of it; abhor yourselves, as holy Job, when he was reflecting upon his tongue-sins, and repent in dust and ashes. If you can easily forgive yourselves what is past, it is to be feared you will easily be brought to do the like again. Lastly, Pray earnestly to God for his grace, to keep you from sinning with your tongue. Though the tongue be an unruly evil, yet he can tame it who sets bounds to the proud waves of the sea, and once stopped the lions' mouths. To him, therefore, you must apply yourselves by faithful and fervent prayer, and put yourselves under the conduct and custody of his grace, which will be sufficient for you if you seek it, and improve it, and go forth in the strength of it. Let David's prayer be yours daily, (Ps. cxli. 3.) Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, keep the door of my lips; for without his assistance we can do nothing. Pray against provocations to these sins, and pray for wisdom wherewith to govern yourselves in the midst of provocations; Watch and pray, that either you may not be led into | temptation, or, however, not overcome by it. If any man lack wisdom, let him ask it of God. And now what shall be the success of this endeavour? Shall all our reasonings with you, in love to your souls, be slighted and laughed at like the foolish banter of your vain companions? Can we not prevail for a reformation of your language, when we plead the honour of God, the law of Christ, the good of your brethren, and the welfare of your own souls, and you have nothing to plead to the contrary but a foolish, wicked custom? I hope better things, and things that accompany salvation. Your tongue is your glory, do not turn this glory into shame, but use it as your glory, by honouring God and edifying one another with it; so shall the tongue which is thus accustomed to the language of Canaan, sing Hallelujahs eternally in the New Jerusalem. I WAS far from any thoughts of publishing these two plain discourses, when I preached the former of them, at the request of Mr. Billingsley and his catechumens, the 25th of the last month, being Monday in Whitsun-week, a day of leisure; having designed not to trouble the press any more till the fifth volume of EXPOSITIONS was ready for it, which, if God spare my life and health, and continue his gracious assistances, I hope will be by the end of this year, and which (to answer a question that I am often asked) I purpose shall contain the four Evangelists and the Acts, if the Lord will. The importunity of the many who earnestly desired me to publish that sermon, should not have overcome me to alter my purpose, if the advice of some of my brethren, whose judgment I have a value for, had not overruled me, to think it might be worth while to take so much time from my greater work, as the preparing and enlarging of that sermon for the press would require. And this made me the more easily to yield to those who very earnestly pressed me to publish the latter sermon, which was preached the day following, at the request of Mr. Gordon and his catechumens. It grieves me, (yet not so much as it should,) to see among the children of my people, a great carelessness and unconcernedness about the things that belong to their everlasting peace. I lament it in myself, and therefore I hope I shall not be blamed, if I thus endeavour, as God enables me, to awaken myself and others to a due seriousness in those things which relate to the soul and eternity; I think it can do harm to none; I hope it may do good to some. And nothing more likely to cool and compose the heated and disquieted minds of men, than thus to turn their zeal into the right channel. SOLOMON's proverbs being generally designed to instruct us in our duty to God and man, many of them are particularly intended to dispose us to receive those sacred dictates, and to make way for the rest, by opening the ear to instruction, and bowing the heart to comply with it. If people were but willing and desirous to learn, the teacher's work were half done; but (as says the proverb of the ancients) " They who will not be counselled cannot be helped." How should those attain to knowledge and grace, who will not be reconciled to the means of knowledge and grace? In this text Solomon gives such an account of those (in a few words) whom he found he could do no good to, as makes their folly manifest before all men. Though this princely preacher made it his business still to teach the people knowledge; though his sermons were elaborate and well studied, for he gave good heed, and sought out and set in order many proverbs; though his discourses were plain | their credit, and keep up their reputation among and practical, sententious and methodical; though he took pains to find out acceptable words, and that which was written was upright, even words of truth; yet there were those who were never the better for such a preacher, and such preaching. Now Solomon gives this short account of them, and then leaves you to judge concerning them; they refuse instruction, and in so doing they despise their own souls. We who have the gospel preached among us, and Wisdom herself by it teaching in our streets, may truly say, Behold, a greater than Solomon is here; and yet, as to multitudes, he stretches out his hand in vain; even Israel is not gathered, his ministers labour in vain among them. And what is the reason? I. They refuse instruction. The fool in the text, (and he is, without doubt, more despicable than the fool in the play,) is described to be one who refuseth instruction, y. We have the same words, and thus translated,-Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction; that neglects instruction, (so some,) puts it far from him, and sets himself at a distance from it; not only because he hates it, but because he fears it. That strips himself of instruction, (that is another signification of the word, not only elongare, but denudare,)—shaking off his education, as a garment he will not be heated with, or hampered with, makes himself naked, to his shame. Nay, the original word has a further signification, (ulcisci,) he that will be revenged on instruction; that takes it for an affront, and studies revenge, if he be told of his faults. men, missu non mordet-and being dismissed it no longer stings, but the close and powerful application of the word, as a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, they cannot bear. They cannot go so far as Ezekiel's hearers, to whom his preaching was as a lovely song, charming enough, and which, as they heard it, helped to lull them asleep; but it is to them as the sound of a trumpet, the alarm of war; it makes their ears to tingle, and therefore they get as far as they can from it. 2. They refuse to heed it; like the deaf adder, they (if they should come within hearing of it) stop their ears, and will not hearken to the voice of the charmer, charm he never so wisely. If they cannot keep it from sounding in their ears, they keep it from sinking into their hearts, and, if possible, will keep it from going any further. They do not value instruction, they see no need of it, and, therefore, do not desire it. The word of the Lord is to them a reproach, they are weary of it; yea, though it should come from the mouth of Christ himself; witness the lawyer that complained, Master, in so saying, thou reproachest us also, Luke xi. 45. 3. They refuse to comply with it; they will do as they have a mind, whatever they are told or taught to the contrary; they have loved strangers, and whatever you can say to put them out of love with them, after them they will go. They hold fast deceit, though they are told of the deceitfulness of it, and refuse to return. This is the way of many, who are running headlong upon their own ruin, and hate to be stopped. The word for instruction the margin reads correc- But it may be thought improper for me to insist tion; for in our fallen state, when we are all wrong, upon this now, when I am called to address myself that which instructs us must correct us; we cannot to a number of serious young men, who are every be taught to do well, but we must be showed wherein Lord's-day evening catechised in this place, and we have done ill. The rod and reproof give wisdom. who are so far from refusing instruction, that they The corrections of providence are intended for in- covet it, they delight in it, they are forward to restruction; Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest|ceive it, and, as the good ground, drink in this rain, and teachest. But many, though they cannot help that comes often upon them; who have piously probeing chastened, yet refuse and reject the instruc-jected and combined to set up this exercise, and tion designed them by the chastening, and will not diligently attend it, not only for their own benelearn any of the many good lessons designed to be fit, but for the benefit of many; for what is said to taught them by the chastening: instead of that, they them, is said to all; and whoever will, may come strive with their Maker, and kick against the pricks; and feed upon that bread of life which is broken to they will not comply with the correction, or answer them. the ends of it. They refuse discipline; they will not be under check and control, will no more be admonished. Yet to them it may be of use to hear of the sin and folly of them who refuse instruction, of the many that do so. (1.) Bless God, who made you to differ; and let his grace have all the glory, which has given your hearts, by nature corrupt as others, such a different bent from what it was, from what others are; that 1. They refuse to hear instruction; they turn their backs upon the word, and will not come where it is preached, if they can help it. Wisdom cries, and they get out of the hearing of her cries, one to his farm and another to his merchandise. A little for-you are crying after knowledge, when others are mality of devotion they can dispense with, to save crying out against it; are seeking it as silver," when |