Direct.III. If thou wouldst be free from lust, keep far enough from the tempting object. If possible, dwell not in the house with any person that thou feelest thyself endangered by; if that be not possible, avoid their company, especially in private: abhor all lascivious and immodest actions. Dost thou give thyself the liberty of wanton dalliance, and lustful embracements, and yet think to be free from lust? wilt thou put thy hand into the fire, when thou art afraid of being burnt? Either thou hast the power of thy own heart, or thou hast not: if thou hast, why dost thou not quench thy lust? if thou hast not, why dost thou cast it upon greater temptations, and put it further out of thy power than it is? Fly from a tempting object for thy safety, as thou wouldst fly from an enemy for thy life. These loving enemies are more dangerous than hating enemies: they get the key of our hearts, and come in and steal our treasure with our consent, or without resistance; when an open enemy is suspected and shut out.
Direct.IV. Command thy eyes, and, as Job xxxi. 1, make a covenant with them, that thou mayst not think on tempting objects: shut these windows, and thou preservest thy heart. Gaze not upon any alluring object. A look hath kindled that fire of lust in many a heart, that hath ended in the fire of hell. It is easier to stop lust at these outward doors, than drive it out when it hath tainted the heart. If thou canst not do this much, how canst thou do more?An ungoverned eye fetcheth fire to burn the soul that should have governed it.[464]
Direct.V. Linger not in the pleasant snares of lust, if thou feel but the least beginnings of it; but quickly cast water on the first discerned spark, before it break out into a flame. The amorous poet can teach you this, Ovid. de Rem. Am.[465]If ever delay be dangerous, it is here. For delay will occasion such engagements to sin, that you must come off at a far dearer rate. If the meat be undigestible, it is best not look on it; it is the next best, not to touch or taste it; but if once it go down, it will cost you sickness and pain to get it up again; and if you do not, you perish by it.
Direct.VI. Abhor lascivious, immodest speech: as such words come from either vain or filthy hearts, and show the absence of the fear of God, so they tend to make the hearer like the speaker. And if thy ears grow but patient and reconcilable to such discourse, thou hast lost much of thy innocence already. Christians must abhor the mentioning of such filthy sins, in any other manner, but such as tends to bring the hearers to abhor them. "Be not deceived; evil words corrupt good manners," 1 Cor. xv. 33. "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers; and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God." Corrupt communication is rotten, stinking communication; and none but dogs and crows love carrion. But "fornication and all uncleanness and (πλεονεξια) inordinate lust or luxury, let it not once be named among you, as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting," &c.
Direct.VII. Abhor the covering of filthy lust with handsome names to make it the more acceptable. Their discourse is more dangerous that would thus dress up an ugly lust, than theirs that speak of it in nasty language. Thus among the brutish party, it goeth under the names of love, and having a mistress, and courting, and such like. But (as one said that is cited in Stobæus) it is doubled. Lust, that is commonly called love, and doubled love is stark madness. If filthiness will walk abroad, let it go for filthiness, and appear as it is.
Direct.VIII. Avoid the reading of romances, and love stories; which are the library of Venus; or the devil's books of the lustful art; to cover over filthiness with cleanly names, and bewitch the fantasies of fools with fine words; to make men conceive of the ready way to hell, under the notions and images of excellency, beauty, love, gallantry; and by representing strong and amorous passions, to stir up the same passions in the reader. As he that will needs read a conjuring book, is well enough served if devils come about his ears; so they that will needs read such romances and other books of the burning art, it is just with God to suffer an unclean devil to possess them, and to suffer them to catch the fever of lust, which may not only burn up the heart, but cause that pernicious deliriation in the brain, which is the ordinary symptom of it.
Direct.IX. Avoid all wanton stage-plays and dancings, which either cover the odiousness of lust, or produce temptations to it.[466]As God hath his preachers, and holy assemblies and exercises, for the communion of saints, and the stirring up of love and holiness; so these are Satan's instruments, and assemblies, and exercises, for the communion of sinners, and for the stirring up of lust and filthiness. They that will go to the devil's church deserve to be possessed with his principles, and numbered with his disciples. The ancient christians were very severe against the seeing of thesespectacula, shows or plays; especially in any of the clergy.
Direct.X. Avoid all tempting, unnecessary ornaments or attire, and the regarding or gazing on them upon others. It is a procacious, lustful desire to seem comely and amiable, which is the common cause of this excess. The folly, or lust, or both, of fashionists and gaudy gallants, is so conspicuous to all in their affected dress, that never did pride more cross itself, than in such publications of such disgraceful folly or lust.[467]They that take on them to be adversaries to lust, and yet are careful when they present themselves to sight, to appear in the most adorned manner, and do all that harlots can do to make themselves a snare to fools, do put the charitable hard to it, whether to believe that it is their tongues or their backs that are the liar. As Hierom saith, Thou deservest hell, though none be the worse for thee; for thou broughtest the poison, if there had been any to drink it. Let thy apparel be suited not only to thy rank, but to thy disease. If thou be inclined to lust, go the more meanly clad thyself, and gaze not on the ornaments of others. It is folly indeed that will be enamoured of the tailor's work: yet this is so common, that it is frequently more the apparel than the person that enticeth first; and homely rags would have prevented the deceit; as the poet saith,
Auferimur cultu: gemmis auroque: tegunturOmnia: pars minima est ipsa puella sui.[468]
Auferimur cultu: gemmis auroque: tegunturOmnia: pars minima est ipsa puella sui.[468]
Direct.XI. Think on thy tempting object as it is within, and as it shortly will appear without. How ordinary is it for that which you call beauty to be the portion of a fool; and a fair skin to cover a silly, childish, peevish mind, and a soul that is enslaved to the devil. And as Solomon saith, Prov. xi. 22, "As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman without discretion." And will you lust after such an adorned thing? Think also what a dunghill of filth is covered with those ornaments; that it would turn thy stomach if thou sawest what is within them. And think what a face that would be, if it were but covered with the pox; and what a face it will be when sickness or age hath consumed or wrinkled it; and think what thy admired carcass will be, when it hath lain a few days in the grave: then thou wouldst have little mind of it; and how quickly will that be! O man, there is nothing truly amiable in the creature, but the image of God; the wisdom, and holiness, and righteousness of the soul. Love this then, if thou wilt love with wisdom, with purity and safety; for the love of purity is pure and safe.
Direct.XII. Think on thy own death, and howfast thou hastest to another world. Is a lustful heart a seemly temper for one that is ready to die, and ready to see God, and come into that world, where there is nothing but pure and holy doth abide?
Direct.XIII. Consider well the tendency and fruits of lust, that it may still appear to your minds as ugly and terrible as it is indeed. 1. Think what a shame it is to the soul, that can no better rule the body, and that it is so much defiled by its lusts. 2. Think what an unfit companion it is to lodge in the same heart with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Shall a member of Christ be thus polluted? Shall the temple of the Holy Ghost be thus turned into a swine-sty? Is lust fit to dwell with the love of God? Wilt thou entertain thy Lord with such odious company? What an unkindness and injury is this to God, that when he that dwelleth in the highest heavens condescendeth to take up a dwelling in thy heart, thou shouldst bring these toads and snakes into the same room with him. Take heed lest he take it unkindly and be gone. He hath said he will dwell with the humble and contrite heart; but where said he, I will dwell in a lustful heart? 3. Think how unfit it makes thee for prayer, or any holy address to God. What a shame, and fear, and deadness it casts upon thy spirit. 4. And think how it tends to worse. Lust tendeth to actual filthiness, and that to hell; cherish not the eggs if thou wouldst have none of the brood. It is an easy step, from a lustful heart to a defiled body, and a shorter step thence to everlasting horror than you imagine. As St. James saith, "Every man is tempted when he is drawn aside of his own lust and enticed; then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin, and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death," James i. 13, 14. Gal. vi. 8, "If ye sow to the flesh, of the flesh ye shall reap corruption." Remember that lust is the spawn of sin, and sin is the way to hell.
Direct.XIV. Be sure to keep up a holy, constant government over thy thoughts. Suffer them not to go after tempting, filthy, sensual things. As soon as ever a thought of lust comes into thy mind, abhor it and cast it out. Abundance of the cure and of thy safety lieth upon thy thoughts. They that let their thoughts run uncontrolled, and feed on filthiness, are already fornicators in the heart; and are hatching the cockatrice eggs; and no wonder if from thoughts they proceed to deeds. Oh what a deal of uncleanness is committed by the thoughts, which people are little ashamed of, because they are unseen of men! If the thoughts of many were open to beholders, what wantonness and lust would appear in many adorned sepulchres! Even in the time of holy worship, when once such give the unclean spirit possession of their thoughts, how hardly is he cast out! they can scarce look a comely person in the face without some vicious thought. If Hierom confess, that in his wilderness his thoughts were running among the ladies at Rome, what may we think of them that feed such filthy fantasies? Say not, you cannot rule your thoughts: you can do much if you will, and more than you do. If money and honour can make an ungodly preacher command his thoughts to holy things, in the studies of divinity, through much of his life, you may see that your thoughts are much in your power. But of this before.
Direct.XV. If other means serve not, open thy case to some friend, and shame thyself to him, as I advised under the former title. Confession, and shame, and advice, will help thee.
Direct.XVI. Above all go to Christ for help, and beg his Spirit, and give up thy heart to better things. Oh, if it were taken up with God, and heaven, and the holy life that is necessary thereto, these things are so great, and holy, and sweet, and of such concernment to thee, that they would leave little room for lust within thee, and would make thee abhor it as contrary to those things which have thy heart. No such cure for any carnal love as the love of God; nor for fleshly lusts, as a spiritual, renewed, heavenly mind. Thou wouldst then tell Satan that God hath taken up all the room, and thy narrow heart is too little for him alone; and that there is no room for lust, or the thoughts that serve it. A true conversion which turneth the heart to God, doth turn it from this with other sins, though some sparks may still be unextinguished. It was once noted that many turn from other sects to the Epicureans, but none from the Epicureans to any other sect; the reason was because nature is inclined to sensuality in all, and when it is confirmed by use and doctrine, philosophy is too weak to master it. But Christ calleth and saveth epicures, and publicans, and harlots, and hath cleansed many such by his grace, which teacheth men to "deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in the world." Philostratus tells us of a sudden change upon one Isæus, that turned him from luxury to exceeding temperance: so that when one asked him, Is not yonder a handsome woman? he answered, The diseases of my eyes are cured. When they asked him which dish was the pleasantest, he answered,Desii curare, I have done regarding such things: and told them the reason, that marvelled at his change, Because he found that he did but gather fruits out of Tantalus' garden. They are "deceitful lusts," Eph. iv. 22, and Satan himself will reproach thee for ever, if he can deceive thee by them. As Alexander when he had taken Darius, his gallantry, and sumptuous houses, and furniture, reproaches him with it, saying,Hoccine erat imperare?Was this to rule? So Satan would show thee thy lusts and say, Was this to be a christian and seek salvation?
Of this, something is said already, chap. v. part i. and more afterwards in the directions against idleness. Therefore I shall say but little now. 1. I shall show you when sleep is excessive. 2. Wherein the sinfulness of it consisteth. 3. What to do for the cure of it.
I. Sleep is given us for the necessary remission of the animal operations, and of the labour or motion of the exterior parts, by the quieting of the senses, or shutting them up: that the natural and vital operations may have the less disturbance. It is necessary, 1. To our rest. 2. To concoction. Therefore weariness and want of concoction are the chief indications, to tell us how much is needful for us. Sleep is sinfully excessive, 1. When it is voluntarily more than is needful to our health. 2. When it is unseasonable, at forbidden times.
It is not all weariness or sleepiness that maketh sleep lawful or needful; for some is contracted by laziness, and some by many diseases, and some by other constant causes which make men almost always weary. Nor is it all want of concoction that sleep is a remedy for; some may be caused by excess of eating, which must be cured a better way; and many diseases may cause it, which require other cure. Therefore none must indulge excess upon these pretences. Nor must a present sense of the pleasure of sleeping, or the displeasure of waking, be the judge; for sluggards may think they feel itdo them good, and that early rising doth them hurt; but this good is but their present ease, and this hurt is but a little trouble to their head, and eyes, and lazy flesh, just at the time. But reason and experience must judge what measure is best for your health, and that you must not exceed. To some five hours is enough; to the ordinary sort of healthful persons six hours is enough; to many weak, valetudinary persons seven hours is needful: to sick persons I am not to give directions.
2. Sleep is excessive at that particular time when it is unseasonable. As, 1. When we are asleep when we should be doing some necessary business which calls for present despatch. 2. Or when we should be hearing the sermon, or praying, in public or private. In a word, when it puts by any greater duty which we should then perform. As, when the disciples slept when Christ was in his agony: "Could ye not watch with me one hour? watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation," Matt. xxvi. 40, 41.
It is a foppery and abuse of God and ourselves, to think that the breaking of our sleep is a thing that of itself pleaseth God; or that rising to pray at midnight is more acceptable to God than at another hour: usually such rising to pray is sinful, 1. Because it is done in an erroneous conceit that God accepts it better than in the day time. 2. Because they waste time in dressing and undressing. 3. Or else hurt their health by cold in the winter, and so lose more time than they redeem by shortening their lives. 4. And usually they are more drowsy and unfit. But to rise in the night to prayer is meet on some extraordinary occasion that calls for it; as to pray with or for a dying person, or such like; or when an extraordinary fervour and fitness prepareth us for it; and when we can stay up when we are up, and not lose time in going to bed again. But ordinarily that way is to be chosen that best redeemeth time; and that is, to consider just how much sleep our health requireth, and to take it if we can together without interruption, and to rise then and go about our duties. But those that cannot sleep in the night, must redeem that time as discretion shall direct them.
It is the voluntariness of the excess that the sinfulness principally consisteth in; and therefore the more voluntary the more sinful. In a lethargy or caros it is no sin: and when long watching, or some bodily weakness or distemper, make it almost unavoidable, the sin is the smaller: therefore in case of long watching and heaviness, Christ partly excused his disciples, saying, "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak," Matt. xxvi. 41. But when it cometh from a flesh-pleasing sloth, or from a disregard of any holy exercise that you are about, it is a grievous sin. And though it be involuntary just at the time, and you say, I would fain forbear sleeping now if I could; yet if it be voluntary remotely and in its causes, it is your sin. You would now forbear sleeping; but you would not forbear that pampering your body, and stuffing your guts, which causeth it; you would not deny the flesh its ease to avoid it.
II. The sinfulness of excess of sleep lieth in these particulars: 1. That it is a sinful wasting of every minute of that time which is consumed in it.[469]And this is a very grievous thing, to a heart that is sensible of the preciousness of time: when we think how short our lives are, and how great our work is, it should tell us how great a sin it is to cast away any of this little time in needless sleep. And yet what abundance of it with many is thus spent! Almost half their whole lives is spent in bed, by many drones, that think they may sleep because they are rich, and have not a necessity of labouring to supply their wants. I was never tempted (that I remember) so much to grudge at God's natural ordering of man, in any thing, as that we are fain to waste so much of our little time in sleep: nor was I ever tempted to grudge at my weakness so much on any account as this, that it deprived me of so much precious time, which else might have been used in some profitable work. The preciousness of time makes excessive sleeping to be a great sin, according to the measure of the excess.
2. It is a neglect of all our powers and parts which should all that time be exercised. Reason is idle and buried all that while: all your wisdom and knowledge are of no use to you.[470]All the learning of the greatest scholar in the world, is of no more service than if he were illiterate; nor all the prudence and policy of the wisest, than if they were mere idiots. All the strength and health of the strongest are of no more service than if they were sick; nor the skill of the greatest artist, than if he had never learnt his art; nor any of your limbs or senses, than if you were lame, or blind, or deaf, or senseless. And I leave it to any man's consideration and judgment, whether if drunkenness be so odious a sin, because it depriveth a man voluntarily of the use of his reason and parts, it must not be a very great sin to do the same by sleeping, by frequent, voluntary, excessive sleeping. For no man I think is drunk so often as the sluggard is dead in sleep: sluggards quite kill their reason, when most drunkards do but maim it, or make it sick. Sluggards bury their wits and parts usually ten times as long in the year, as the filthiest drunkards do. And hath God given you reason, and parts, and strength for no better use, than to bury it for so considerable a part of your lives?
3. Excess of sleep is guilty of all the omissions of those duties, which should all that time have been performed: of the omission of every holy thought, and word, and deed which should have been then exercised; and of the omission of all the duties of your callings: of the omission of every prayer you should have then prayed, and every chapter you should have read; and all the good which you should have got to yourselves, or done to others, to wife, husband, children, parents, servants, neighbours. And you know that omissions are one half, and the greater half, of the sins of the world; and that God will condemn the wicked at last for their omissions; for not feeding the poor, not clothing them, not visiting: and that he requireth the improvement of all his talents; and that it is his terrible sentence, Matt. xxv. 26, 30, "Thou wicked and slothful servant, &c. Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." What then shall we think of the wilful omission, not of one duty, but of all duty whatsoever; not now and then, but constantly for an hour, or two, or three once in four and twenty hours! No love of God, no desires towards him, no good is exercised all that time.
Whether love of sleep may be a mortal sin?
Quest.Can the love of sleep alone be the mortal, reigning sin in any one? The reason of the doubt is, because that the mortal sin is a sin of mistaken interest, that is, such as hath a man's chiefest love, and is preferred before God; which it seems so small a thing as sleep or ease cannot be, but it seems a mere neglect or remissness in the way of duty, and not to be chosen as any man's felicity.
Answ.The sin that is set up against the love of God, as a man's ultimate end and happiness, is flesh-pleasing in the general, or carnal self-love: and he that is guilty of this can hardly be imagined to exercise his sensual desire only in the way of sloth and sleep. It is certain that he preferreth the greatest pleasure of his flesh which he can attain before the less: and therefore as to the habit or inclination, he is as much addicted to covetousness, gluttony, ambition, or other ways of sensuality; and if they are within his reach, that he can hope to attain them, he will actually desire such greater pleasures, more than this. For there is no man that is an unregenerate sensualist, that hath mortified covetousness, luxury, and pride, and yet is captivated only by sleep or sloth: the same grace which truly mortifieth the greater would mortify the less. But it is possible that a beggar, or some such person, that hath no other sensual pleasure but idleness in view or hope, may exercise his sensuality principally this way. Not but that radically he preferreth riches and honour before his beggarly sloth and ease; but those desires having no matter to work upon, do not stir in him, because he hath no hope of reaching such a thing. The sum is, 1. Carnal self-love is the great opposite to the love of God. 2. This self-love worketh towards carnal pleasure, and to the greatest most. 3. Habitually therefore the love of riches, honour, and voluptuousness, is stronger than the love of ease. 4. Actually the love of ease may be the strongest in some. 5. But if those persons were as capable of the higher fleshly pleasures, they would love them actually more. 6. It is not the omitting of some particular duties through the love of ease, which proveth such a sensual, unsanctified state of soul; but the preferring of men's ease before a holy life in the main; as when men so far love their ease, that they will not make it the chief of their desires and employments, to "seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness," Matt. vi. 33.
The overcoming of excessive sleep is easy, if you be but thoroughly willing.
Direct.I. The first thing to be done, is to correct that sluggish, phlegmatic temper of body which inclineth you to it, which is chiefly to be done by such an abstinence or temperate diet, as I gave directions for before. A full belly is fit for nothing else but sleep or lust. Reduce your diet to that measure which is needful to your health, and eat not any more to please your appetites. And let fasting cure you when you have exceeded.
Direct.II. Labour hard in your callings, that your sleep may be sweet while you are in it; or else you will lie in bed on pretence of necessity, because you cannot sleep well when you are there. Then you will say, you must take it out in the morning, because you sleep not in the night. But see that this be not caused by idleness. Weary your bodies in your daily labours; "for the sleep of the labouring man is sweet," Eccl. v. 12.
Direct.III. See that thou have a calling which will find thee employment for all thy time, which God's immediate service spareth. Yea, which somewhat urgeth thee to diligence. Otherwise thou wilt lie in bed, and say, thou hast time to spare, or nothing to do. You can rise when you have a journey to be gone, or a business of pressing necessity to be done: keep yourselves under some constant necessity, or urgency of business at the least.
Direct.IV. Take pleasure in your callings, and in the service of God. Sluggards themselves can rise to that which they take much pleasure in; as to go to a merriment, or feast, or play, or game, or to a good bargain, or any thing which they delight in. If thou hadst a delight in thy calling, and in reading the Scripture, and praying, and doing good, thou couldst not lie contentedly in bed, but wouldst long to be up and doing, as children to their play. The wicked can rise early to do wickedness, because their hearts are set upon it: they can be drunk, or steal, or whore, or plot their ambitious and covetous designs, when they should sleep.[471]And if thy heart were set as much on good, as theirs is on evil, wouldst not thou be as wakeful and as readily up?
Direct.V. Remember the grand importance of the business of your souls which always lieth on your hands, that the greatness of your work may rouse you up. What! lie slugging in bed, when you are so far behindhand in knowledge, and grace, and assurance of salvation; and have so much of the Scripture and other books to read and understand? Hast thou not grace to beg for a needy soul? Is not prayer better work than excess of sleeping? Great business in the world can make you rise, and why not greater?
Direct.VI. Remember that thou must answer in judgment for thy time: and what comfort wilt thou have, to say I slugged away so many hours in a morning? And what comfort at death when time is gone, to review so much cast away in sleep?
Direct.VII. Remember that God beholdeth thee, and is calling thee up to work. If thou understoodest his word and providence, thou wouldst hear him, as it were, saying as the mariners to Jonah, "What meanest thou, O sleeper? Arise, call upon thy God." Wilt thou lie sleeping inordinately when God stands over thee, and calls thee up? If the king, or any great person, or friend, did but knock at thy door, thou wouldst rise presently to wait upon them. Why, God would speak with thee by his word, or hear thee speak to him by prayer; and wilt thou lie still and despise his call?
Direct.VIII. Remember how many are attending thee while thou sleepest. If it be summer, the sun is up before thee, that hath gone so many thousand miles while thou wast asleep: it hath given a day's light to the other half of the world since thou laidst down, and is come again to light thee to thy work, and wilt thou let it shine in vain? All the creatures are ready in their places to assist thee, and art thou asleep?
Direct.IX. Consider whether thou wilt allow thy servants to do the like: they must be up and at work, or you will be offended, and tell them that they are no servants for you, and that you hire them not to sleep. And do you not owe God more service than they owe you? Doth God hire you to sleep? Is it any lawfuller for you than them, to sleep one minute more than is needful for your health? No, not a minute: if you are sicklier than they, that is another matter; (but see that fulness and idleness cause it not;) but otherwise your riches are no excuse to you. Will you loiter more than they, because you receive more? and do less service, because you have more pay? Or is it your privilege to be so miserable, as to lose that time which poor men save?
Direct.X. Remember that your morning hours are the chiefest part of all the day, for any holy exercise, or special employment of the mind. The mind is fresh and clear, and there is less interruption by worldly business; whereas when others are up and about their business, you will have interpellations. Those that have tried it can say by experience, that the morning hours are the flower of their time, for prayer or studies; and that early rising is a great part of the art of redeeming time.
Direct.XI. Remember how many are condemning you by their diligence, while you are slugging away your time. How many holy persons are then at prayer in secret, wrestling fervently with God for their salvation; or reading and meditating in his word! What do they get while you are sleeping! The blessed man doth delight in the law of the Lord, and meditate in it day and night; and you love your ease, and are sleeping day and night: will not all these be witnesses against you? So will the diligent in their callings; and so will the worldlings and wicked that rise early to their sin. How many thousand are hard at work while you are sleeping! Have you not work to do, as well as they?
Direct.XII. Remember that sensuality or flesh-pleasing is the great condemning sin that turns the heart from God: and if it be odious in a drunkard or fornicator, why is it not so in you? Mortify the flesh, and learn to deny it in its inordinate desires, and your sin is almost cured.
Direct.XIII. For then the executive part is easy when you are willing: it is but agreeing with some one to awaken you, and a little cold water will wash away your drowsiness if you consent.
Dreams are neither good nor sinful simply in themselves, because they are not rational and voluntary, nor in our power; but they are often made sinful by some other voluntary act: they may be sinful by participation and consequently. And the acts that make them sinful, are either such as go before, or such as follow after.
I. The antecedent causes are any sinful act which distempereth the body, or any sin which inclineth the fantasy and mind thereto; or the omission of what was necessary to prevent them. 2. The causes which afterwards make them objectively sinful, are the ill uses that men make of them; as when they take their dreams to be divine revelations, or trust to them, or are affrighted by them as ominous, or as prophetical; and make them the ground of their actions, and seduce themselves by the phantasms of their own brains.
Direct.I. Avoid those bodily distempers as much as you can which cause sinful dreams, especially fulness of diet: a full stomach causeth troublesome dreams, and lustful dreams; and hath its ill effects by night and by day.
Direct.II. Endeavour the cure of those sinful distempers of the mind which cause sinful dreams. The cure of a worldly mind is the best way to cure worldly, covetous dreams; and the cure of a lustful heart, is the best way to cure lustful dreams; and so of the rest: cleanse the fountain, and the waters will be sweeter day and night.
Direct.III. Suffer not your thoughts, or tongue, or actions to run sinfully upon that in the day, which you would not dream sinfully of in the night.[472]Common experience telleth us, that our dreams are apt to follow our foregoing thoughts, and words, and deeds. If you think most frequently and affectionately of that which is good, you will dream of that which is good. If you think of lustful, filthy objects, or speak of them, or meddle with them, you will dream of them; and so of covetous and ambitious dreams, and they that make no conscience to sin waking, are not like much to scruple sinning in their sleep.
Direct.IV. Commend yourselves to God by prayer before you take your rest, and beseech him to set a guard upon your fantasy when you cannot guard it. Cast the cure upon him, and fly to him for help by faith and prayer in the sense of your insufficiency.
Direct.V. Let your last thoughts still before your sleep be holy, and yet quieting and consolatory thoughts.[473]The dreams are apt to follow our last thoughts. If you betake yourselves to sleep with worldliness or vanity in your minds, you cannot expect to be wiser or better when you are asleep, than when you are awake. But if you shut up your day's thoughts with God, and sleep find them upon any holy subject, it is like to use them as it finds them. Yet if it be distrustful, unbelieving, fearful thoughts which you condole with, your dreams may savour of the same distemper. Frightful and often sinful dreams do follow sinful doubts and fears. But if you sweeten your last thoughts with the love of Christ, and the remembrance of your former mercies, or the foresight of eternal joys, or can confidently cast them and yourselves upon some promise, it will tend to the quietness of your sleep, and to the savouriness of your dreams: and if you should die before morning, will it not be most desirable that your last thoughts be holy?
Direct.VI. When you have found any corruption appearing in your dreams, make use of them for the renewing of your repentance, and exciting your endeavours to mortify that corruption. A corruption may be perceived in dreams, 1. When such dreams as discover it are frequent: 2. When they are earnest and violent: 3. When they are pleasing and delightful to your fantasies: not that any certain knowledge can be fetched from them, but some conjecture as added to other signs. As if you should frequently, earnestly, and delightfully dream of preferments and honours, of the favours of great men, suspect ambition, and do the more to discover and mortify it. If it be of riches, and gain, and money, suspect a covetous mind. If it be of revenge or hurt to any man that you distaste, suspect some malice, and quickly mortify it: so if it be of lust, or feasting, or drinking, or vain recreations, sports and games, do the like.
Direct.VII. Lay no greater stress upon your dreams than there is just cause. As, 1. When you have searched, and find no such sin prevailing in you as your dreams seem to intimate, do not conclude that you have more than your waking evidence discovers. Prefer not your sleeping signs before your waking signs and search. 2. When you are conscious that you indulge no corruption to occasion such a dream, suppose it not to be faulty of itself, and lay not the blame of your bodily temperament, or unknown causes, upon your soul, with too heavy and unjust a charge. 3. Abhor the presumptuous folly of those that use to prognosticate by their dreams, and measure their expectations by them, and cast themselves into hopes or fears by them. Saith Diogenes, "What folly is it to be careless of your waking thoughts and actions, and inquisitive about your dreams? A man's happiness or misery lieth upon what he doth when he is awake, and not upon what he suffereth in his sleep."
Direct.I. Understand in general of what moment and concernment it is, that the tongue be well governed and used. For they that think words are inconsiderable, will use them inconsiderately. The conceit that words are of small moment (as some say of thoughts, that they are free) doth cause men to use their tongues as if they were free, saying, "Our lips are our own: who is lord over us?" Psal. xii. 4.
The greatness of the sins and duties of the tongue.
1. The tongue of man is his glory;[475]by which expressively he excelleth the brutes; and a wonderful work of God it is, that a man's tongue should be able to articulate such an exceeding number of words: and God hath not given man so admirable a faculty for vanity and sin; the nobler and more excellent it is, the more to be regarded, and the greater is the fault of them that do abuse it. Hilary compareth them to an ill barber that cuts a man's face and so deformeth him, when his work was to have made him more neat and comely. So it is the office of the tongue to be excellently serviceable to the good of others, and to be the glory of mankind; the shame therefore of its faults is the more unexcusable.
2. The tongue is made to be the index or expresser of the mind; therefore if the mind be regardable, the tongue is regardable. And if the mind be not regardable, the man is not regardable. For our Lord telleth us, that the tree is known by its fruit; an evil tree bringeth forth evil fruits: and "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh."[476]And Aristotle saith, that "such as a man is, such are his speeches, such his works, and such his life."[477]Therefore by vain or sinful words you tell men the vanity and corruption of your minds.
3. Men's works have a great dependence on their words; therefore if their deeds be regardable, their words are regardable. Deeds are stirred up or caused by words. Daily experience telleth us the power of speech. A speech hath saved a kingdom, and a speech hath lost a kingdom. Great actions depend on them, and greater consequents.
4. If the men that we speak to be regardable, words are regardable. For words are powerful instruments of their good or hurt. God useth them by his ministers for men's conversion and salvation; and Satan useth them by his ministers for men's subversion and damnation. How many thousand souls are hurt every day by the words of others! some deceived, some puffed up, some hardened, and some provoked to sinful passions! And how many thousand are every day edified by words! either instructed, admonished, quickened, or comforted. Paul saith, 2 Cor. x. 4, "The weapons of our warfare are mighty through God." And Pythagoras could say, that "tongues cut deeper than swords, because they reach even to the soul." Tongue sins and duties therefore must needs be great.
5. Our tongues are the instruments of our Creator's praise, purposely given us to "speak good of his name," and to "declare his works with rejoicing."[478]It is no small part of that service which God expects from man, which is performed by the tongue; nor a small part of the end of our creation: the use of all our highest faculties, parts, and graces, are expressively by the tongue: our wisdom and knowledge, our love and holiness, are much lost as to the honour of God, and the good of others, if not expressed. The tongue is the lantern or casement of the soul, by which it looketh out, and shineth unto others. Therefore the sin or duty of so noble an instrument is not to be made light of, by any that regard the honour of our Maker.
6. Our words have a great reflection and operation upon our own hearts. As they come from them, so they recoil to them, as in prayer and conference we daily observe. Therefore for our own good or hurt, our words are not to be made light of.
7. God's law and judgment will best teach you what regard you should have to words. Christ telleth you, that by "your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned," Matt. xii. 37. And it is words of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which are the unpardonable sin. James iii. 2, "If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able to bridle the whole body." Ver. 6, "The tongue is a fire; a world of iniquity: so is the tongue amongst our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire of hell." James i. 26, "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain." 1 Pet. iii. 10, "For he that will love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile." Matt. xii. 36, "But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." The third commandment telleth us, that "God will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain." And Psal. xv. 1-3, "Speaking the truth in his heart, and not backbiting with the tongue," is the mark of him that shall abide in "God's tabernacle, and dwell in his holy hill." And the very work of heaven is said to be the perpetual "praising of God," Rev. xiv. 11. Judge now how God judgeth of your words.
8. And some conjecture may be made by the judgment of all the world. Do you not care yourselves what men speak of you and to you? Do you not care what language your children, or servants, or neighbours give you? Are not words against the king treasonable and capital, as well as deeds? The "wheel of affairs or course of nature is set on fire by words," James iii. 6. I may conclude then with Prov. xviii. 21, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue:" and Prov. xxi. 23, "Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from trouble."
The duties of the tongue.
Direct.II. Understand well and remember the particular duties of the tongue; for the mere restraint of it from evil is not enough; and they are these: 1. To glorify God by the magnifying of his name; to speak of the praises of his attributes and works. 2. To sing psalms of praise to him, and delight our souls in the sweet commemoration of his excellencies. 3. To give him thanks for the mercies already received, and declare to others what he hath donefor our souls and bodies, for his church and for the world. 4. To pray to him for what we want, and for our brethren, for the church, and for the conversion of his and our enemies. 5. To appeal to him and swear by his name when we are called to it lawfully. 6. To make our necessary covenants and vows to him, and to make open profession of our belief, subjection, and obedience to him, before men. 7. To preach his word, or declare it in discourse, and to teach those that are committed to our care, and edify the ignorant and erroneous as we have opportunity. 8. To defend the truth of God by conference or disputation; and confute the false doctrine of deceivers. 9. To exhort men to their particular duties, and to reprove their particular sins; and endeavour to do them good as we are able. 10. To confess our own sins to God and man as we have occasion. 11. To crave the advice and help of others for our souls; and inquire after the will of God, and the way to salvation. 12. To praise that which is good in others, and speak good of all men, superiors, equals, and inferiors, so far as there is just ground and cause. 13. To bear witness to the truth, when we are called to it. 14. To defend the cause of the just and innocent, and vindicate them against false accusers; and excuse those causes and persons that deserve excuse. 15. To communicate and convey to others the same good impressions and affections of mind, which God hath wrought on us, and not only the bare truths themselves which we have received. 16. Lastly, to be instruments of common converse; of expressing our mutual affections and respects, and transacting all our worldly business: for learning, arts, manufactures, &c. These are the uses and duties of the tongue.[480]
The sins of the tongue.
Direct.III. Understand and remember what are the sins of the tongue to be avoided. And they are very many, and many of them very great: the most observable are these:
1. (Not to say any more of the sins of omission; because it is easy to know them, when I have named the duties, which are done or omitted,) among the sins of commission, the first that I shall name is, blasphemy, as being the greatest; which is the reproaching of God: to speak contemptuously of God, or to vilify him, or dishonour him, by the denying of his perfections, and to debase him, by false titles, doctrines, images, resemblances, as likening him to man in any of our imperfections; any thing that is a reproaching of God is blasphemy. Such as Rabshakeh used when he threatened Hezekiah; and such as infidels and heretics use, when they deny his omnipresence, omniscience, government, justice, particular providence or goodness; and affirm any evil of him, as that he is the author of sin, or false of his word, or that he governeth the world by mere deceit, or the like.
2. Another sin of the tongue is, false doctrine, or teaching things false and dangerous as from God. If any falsely say, he had such or such a point by divine inspiration, vision, or revelation, that maketh him a false prophet. But if he only say falsely, that this or that doctrine is contained in the Scripture, or delivered by tradition to the church, this is but to be a false teacher; which is a sin greater or less according to the aggravations hereafter mentioned.
3. Another of the sins of the tongue is, an opposing of godliness indirectly, by false application of true doctrine, and an opposing of godly persons for the sake of godliness, and cavilling against particular truths and duties of religion; or indirectly opposing the truth or duty under pretence of opposing only some controverted mode or imperfection in him that speaketh or performeth it: a defending of those points and practices which would subvert or undermine religion: a secret endeavour to make all serious godliness seem a needless thing. There are many that seem orthodox, that are impious and malicious opposers of that truth in the application, which themselves do notionally hold, and positively profess.
4. Another great sin of the tongue is, the profane deriding of serious godliness, and the mocking, and jesting, and scorning at godly persons as such; or scorning at some of their real or supposed imperfections, for their piety sake, to make them odious, that piety through them might be made odious. When men so speak, that the drift and tendency of their speech is to draw men to a dislike of truth or holiness; and their mocks or scorns at some particular opinion, or practice, or mode, doth tend to the contempt of religion in the serious practice of it. When they mock at a preacher of the gospel, for some expressions or imperfections, or for truth itself, to bring him and his doctrine into contempt; or at the prayers and speeches of religious persons, to the injury of religion.
5. Another great sin of the tongue is, unjustly to forbid Christ's ministers to preach his gospel, or speak in his name; or to stand up against them and contradict, resist, and hinder them in the preaching of the truth; and, as Gamaliel calls it, "to fight against God," Acts v. 39. Yet thus they did by the apostles; ver. 46, "When they had called the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go." So Acts iv. 18, 19, "And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus; but Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye; for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." 1 Thess. ii. 15, 16, "Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men. Forbidding us to speak to the gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost." As Dr. Hammond paraphraseth it, "And this generally is the ground of their quarrel to us, that in spite of their prohibition we preach to the gentiles."——
6. Another sin of the tongue is, profane swearing, either by God or by creatures: and also all light and unreverent use of the name and attributes of God, of which more afterwards.
7. Much more is perjury or forswearing a most heinous sin, it being an appealing to God, the author and defender of truth, to bear witness to an untruth, and to judge the offender; and so a craving of vengeance from God.
8. Lying also is a great and common sin of the tongue: of which more anon.
9. Another sin of the tongue is, hypocritical dissembling, which is worse than mere lying: when men's tongues agree not with their hearts, but speak good words in prayer to God, or conference with men, to cover evil intentions or affections, and to represent themselves to the hearers as better than they are.
10. Another is, ostentation or proud boasting,either of men's wit and learning, or greatness, or riches, or honour, or strength, or beauty, or parts, or piety, or any thing that men are proud of.[481]As the faithful "do make their boast in God," Psal. xxxiv. 2; xliv. 8, and in the "cross of Christ," by which "they are crucified to the world," Gal. vi. 14; so the covetous "boast themselves in the multitude of their riches," Psal. xlix. 6, and the "workers of iniquity boast themselves against the righteous, and the proud do triumph and speak hard things," Psal. xciv. 2-4. "Even against the Lord," do they boast, in their boasting against his people, Ezek. xxxv. 13. So far as pride prevaileth with men, they are apt to "boast themselves to be somebody," Acts v. 36. Either openly, as the more foolish do, or cunningly by the help of fair pretences, as the more ingenious proud ones do.
11. Another sin of the tongue is, unseasonable speaking of common things when holy things should be preferred; as on the Lord's day, or at the time of public worship, or when the company, occasion, or opportunity call for holy speeches: worldlings are talking, as Saul, of their asses, when they should talk of a kingdom, 1 Sam. ix. x. To speak about your callings and common affairs is lawful, so it be moderately and in season; but when you talk all of the world and vanity, and never have done, and will scarce have any other talk in your mouths, and even on God's day will "speak your own words," Isa. lviii. 13, this is profane and sinful speaking.
12. Another common sin of the tongue is, a tempting and persuading others to sin, enticing them to gluttony, drunkenness, wantonness, fornication, or any other crime; as men that "not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them," Rom. i. 32. This is to be the instruments and servants of the devil, and most directly to do his work in the world. The same I may say of unjust excusing, extenuating, or defending the sins of others, or commanding, alluring, affrighting, or encouraging them thereto.
13. Another is, a carnal manner of handling the sacred things of God, as when it is done with lightness, or with unsuitable curiosity of words, or in a ludicrous, toyish manner, especially by the preachers of the gospel themselves; and not with a style that is grave and serious, agreeable to the weight and majesty of the truth.
14. Another is, an imprudent, rash, and slovenly handling of holy things; when they are spoken of so ignorantly, unskilfully, disorderly, or passionately, as tendeth to dishonour them, and frustrate the desired good success.[482]
15. Another sin of the tongue is, the reviling or dishonouring of superiors; when children speak unreverently and dishonourably to or of their parents; or subjects of their governors; or servants of their masters, either to their faces, or behind their backs. "They are not afraid to speak evil of dignities," 2 Pet. ii. 10; Jude 8.
16. Another is, the imperious contempt of inferiors, insulting over them, provoking and discouraging them. Eph. vi. 4, "Fathers, provoke not your children to wrath."
17. Another sin of the tongue is, idle talk and multitude of useless words; a babbling loquacity, or unprofitableness of speech; when it is speech that tendeth to no edification, nor any good use for mind, or body, or affairs.
18. Another sin is, foolish talk, or jesting in levity and folly, which tendeth to possess the minds of the hearers with a disposition of levity and folly like the speakers. Eph. v. 4, "Foolish talking and jesting are things not convenient." Honest mirth is lawful; and that is the best which is most sanctified, as being from a holy principle, and about a holy matter, or to a holy end: as "rejoicing in the Lord always," Phil. iv. 4. "If any be merry let him sing psalms," James v. 13. But such a light and frothy jesting, as is but the vent of habitual levity by idle words, is not allowable. But especially those persons do most odiously abuse their tongues and reason, who counterfeit idiots or fools, and use their wit to cover their jests with a seeming folly, to make them the more ridiculous, and make it their very profession to be the jesters of great men. They make a trade of heinous sin.
19. Another sin is, "filthy speaking," Eph. v. 4; obscene and ribald talk; which the apostle calls "corrupt or rotten communication," Eph. iv. 29; when wanton, filthy minds do make themselves merry with wanton, filthy speeches. This is the devil's preparative to whoredom and all abominable uncleanness; for when the tongue is first taught to make a sport of such filthy sins, and the ear to be delighted in it, or be indifferent to it, there remaineth but a small step to actual filthiness.
20. Another sin of the tongue is, cursing; when men wish some mischief causelessly or unwarrantably to others. If you speak but in passion or jest, and desire not to them in your hearts the hurt which you name, it is nevertheless a sin of the tongue, as it is to speak blasphemy or treason in a passion or in jest; the tongue must be ruled as well as the heart. But if really you desire the hurt which you wish them, it is so much the worse. But it is worst of all, when passionate, factious men will turn their very prayers into cursings, calling for fire from heaven, and praying for other men's destruction or hurt; and pretending Scripture examples for it; as if they might do it unwarrantably, which others have done in other cases in a warrantable manner.
21. Slandering is another sin of the tongue; when out of malice and ill will, men speak evil falsely of others to make them odious or do them hurt: or else through uncharitable credulity, do easily believe a false report, and so report it again to others; or through rashness and unruliness of tongue, divulge it, before they try it, or receive either just proof, or any warrantable call to mention it.
22. Another sin is, backbiting and venting ill reports behind men's backs, without any warrant. Be the matter true or false, as long as you either know it not to be true, or if you do, yet vent it to make the person less respected, or at least without a sufficient cause, it is a sin against God, and a wrong to men.
23. Another sin is, rash censuring, when you speak that evil of another, which you have but an uncharitable surmise of; and take that to be probable which is but possible, or that to be certain which is but probable against another.[483]
24. Another sin is, railing, reviling, or passionate, provoking words, which tend to the diminution of charity, and the breach of peace, and the stirring up of discord, and of a return of railing words from others, contrary to the love, and patience, and meekness, and gentleness which become saints.
25. Another sin is, cheating, deceiving, overreaching words; when men use their tongues to defraud their neighbours, in bargaining for their own gain.
26. Another sin of the tongue is, false witness-bearing, and false accusing; a sin which cries to God for vengeance, who is the justifier of the innocent.
27. Another sin of the tongue is, the passing an unrighteous sentence in judgment: when rulers absolve the guilty or condemn the just, and call evil good and good evil, and say to the righteous, "Thou art wicked," Prov. xxiv. 24.
28. Another sin of the tongue is, flattery; which is the more heinous by how much more hurtful. And it is most hurtful, 1. When it tendeth to delude men in the greatest things, even the state of their souls. The flattery of a preacher that deceiveth men as in the name of Christ, is of all other flattery the most pernicious; to make the unregenerate believe that they are regenerate, and the ungodly to believe that they are godly, and the unjustified to believe that they are justified, and the children of Satan to believe that without conversion they may be saved; to make a worldling, a swearer, a glutton, a drunkard, a fornicator, a formal hypocrite, or a hater of holiness, believe that such as he may come to heaven without the sanctifying, renewing work of the Holy Ghost; this is the most eminent service of the devil that the tongue of any man can do him, except it be the very open opposers of religion. As the devil useth more to flatter men to hell, than to frighten them thither, so do his ministers and instruments. And all doctrines of libertinism and looseness, which warrant men to do evil and to neglect a holy life, are of the two a more dangerous way of flattery, than that which consisteth but in misapplication. Thus also carnal friends do use to flatter a sinner into presumption and false hopes, when they see him convinced of his sin and misery, and say, Trouble not yourself; God is merciful, and you have lived well, and been a good neighbour, and done nobody harm, and if such as you be not saved, God help a great many. Thus when a convinced sinner is striving to get out of the devil's snares, the servants of Satan rock him asleep again, by false and flattering speeches and deceit. 2. Flattering is pernicious when it tendeth to the hurt of many; as when rulers are deceived and perverted by it to the destruction of the people and themselves.[484]Prov. xxvi. 28, "A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it, and a flattering mouth worketh ruin." See 1 Thess. ii. 5; Ezek. xii. 24; Psal. xii. 2, 3.
29. Another sin is, a jeering, mocking, deriding, or scorning at others, either for their infirmities of body or mind, or for their virtues, or through envy and malice, or pride, or a custom of deriding, scornful speech. "Scorners delight in scorning," Prov. i. 22. See Psal. xxii. 7; xliv. 13; lxxix. 4. Especially when sinners scorn at the reproofs and counsels of the godly, and cast them all back into their faces with contempt; for he that "reproveth a scorner getteth himself a blot," Prov. ix. 7, 8. "A scorner loveth not one that reproveth," Prov. xv. 12.
30. Another tongue sin is, idolatry or false worship; the praise of idols, or praying to them, or making songs, or speeches, or disputes for them; as also the false worship of the true God. These among others are the sins of the tongue to be avoided. No wonder if there be yet more, for the "tongue is ὁ κοσμος της αδικιας, a world of iniquity," James iii. 6.
Direct.IV. When you have thus understood the duties and sins of the tongue, and the greatness of them, the next thing which you must be most careful and diligent about is, that you keep all that upon the heart which should be upon the tongue, and keep the heart clean from that which the tongue must be kept clean from.[485]The principal work must be about the heart; for "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." 1. The tongue will be no other way effectually governed; if the heart be upon the world, the tongue will most commonly be upon the world; you may force it a little against your hearts, but it will be to a very unconstant obedience; when you ever so little loose the reins it is gone. If the heart be proud, the tongue will speak proudly; if the heart be lustful, or vain, or malicious, the words will ordinarily be so too. 2. Or if you can force the tongue to go against the heart, it is but a hypocritical reformation. A vain, a proud, a worldly, a wanton, a malicious or ungodly heart will condemn you, though the tongue was forced to speak humbly, chastely, patiently, or piously. Therefore if you would overcome the vanity, or worldliness, or wantonness, or any other corruption of your speech, first set yourselves to overcome the same corruption in your hearts, and to revive and actuate the contrary graces. And if you would use your tongues to the honour of God, and the edification of men, wind up the spring of those holy affections which must be as water to the mill. It is the use of the tongue to express the mind: and it is the use of holy speech to be the expression of a holy mind. And do you think to express that which you have not? Will you make a duty of a lie? If you would speak of Christ or heaven with seriousness, see that your hearts are seriously set upon Christ and heaven. When you go into any company where you should speak for God, and for the hearers' good, endeavour beforehand to get a deep impression on your hearts of those attributes or truths of God which you would express; and to revive the sense of that upon yourselves which you would make others sensible of. Stir up within you the love of God, and the love of holiness and truth, and a love of the souls of them you speak to; and then you will be as a conduit which runs as soon as the cock is turned, because it is always full of water.
Direct.V. Labour for understanding in the matters on which you should discourse. Ignorance denieth provision for discourse, or furnisheth you only with chaff and vanity, and maketh you so speak as that it were better to say nothing. Knowledge and wisdom are continual storehouses of good and profitable talk: such as the "scribe instructed to the kingdom of heaven, that bringeth out of his treasure things new and old," Matt. xiii. 52. When a man understandeth the matter which he is to speak of, he is furnished to speak understandingly of it to others, and to defend it against gainsayers. Psal. xxxvii. 30, 31, "The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment: the law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide." Prov. x. 31, 32, "The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom; but the froward tongue shall be cut out: the lips of the righteous know what is acceptable; but the mouth of the wicked speakethfrowardness." Wise men are never unprovided for wise speech; but the mouth of fools bewrayeth their folly. Prov. xv. 2, "The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright; but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness." Chap. xiv. 3, "In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride; but the lips of the wise shall preserve them." Chap. xviii. 6, 7, "A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes. A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul." But you will say, To tell us that we should get wisdom, is a word soon spoken, but not a thing that is easily or quickly done. It is very true; and therefore it is as true, that the tongue is not easily well used and governed; for men cannot express the wisdom which they have not, unless it be by rote: therefore you must take Solomon's counsel, Prov. ii. 1-6, "My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; so that thou incline thine ear to wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God: for the Lord giveth wisdom," &c.—
Direct.VI. In the mean time learn to be silent till you have learned to speak. Let not your tongues run before your wits; speak not of that which you do not well understand, unless as learners, to receive instruction. Rather of the two speak too little than too much.[486]Those that will needs talk of things which they understand not, do use, either to speak evil of them, (as Jude 10,) when they are good; or to speak evil of them, be they good or bad. He that cannot hold his tongue well, cannot speak well. Eccles. iii. 9, "There is a time to keep silence, and a time to speak." Amos v. 13, "There is a time so evil, that the prudent should keep silence." At such a timeNihil æque proderit quam quiescere, et minimum cum aliis loqui et plurimum secum, saith Seneca: It is then the best way to be quiet, and to say little to others, and much to yourselves. You have two ears and one tongue; hear twice and speak once; we oftener repent of speaking than of being silent. Few words are quickly answered for. To be wary and sparing of your speech doth not only avoid abundance of contention, danger, and repentance, but also procureth you a reputation of wisdom. Plutarch saith well, thatPauca loquentibus paucis legibus opus est: There needs but few laws for them that speak but few words. When one said to the cynic, when he was much silent, If thou art a wise man, thou dost foolishly; if thou be a fool, thou dost wisely. He answered,Nemo stultus tacere potest, A fool cannot hold his tongue; and he that cannot hold his tongue cannot hold his peace. Pythagoras's counsel in this agreeth with Christ's,Aut sile, aut affer silentio meliora, Either be silent, or say something that is better than silence. It was a wise answer of him that being asked whom covetous landlords and whom covetous lawyers hated most; did answer to the first, Those that eat little and sweat much; (for they usually live long, and so their leases are not soon expired;) and to the second, Those that speak little and love much; for such seldom make any work for lawyers. Two things are requisite in the matter of your speech; that it be somewhat needful to be spoken, and that it be a thing which you understand. Till then be silent.
Direct.VII. Take heed of hasty rashness in your speech; and use deliberation, especially in great or in doubtful things.[487]Think before you speak: it is better to try your words before you speak them than after; a preventing trial is better than a repenting trial; but if both be omitted, God will try them to your greater cost. I know, in matters that are thoroughly understood, a wise man can speak without any further premeditation, than the immediate actuating of the knowledge which he doth express; but when there is any fear of misunderstanding, or a disability to speak fitly and safely without forethoughts, there hasty speaking without deliberation (especially in weighty things) must be avoided: Prov. xxix. 20, "Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him." Especially take heed in speaking either to God in prayer, or in the name of God, or as from God in preaching or exhortation, or about the holy matters of God in any of thy discourse; Eccles. v. 1, "Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear than to offer the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil:" that is, watch thyself in public worship, and be forwarder to learn of God and to obey him, as sensible of thy ignorance and subject to his will, than to offer him thy sacrifice (as if he stood in need of thee) while thou neglectest or rejectest his commands. Ver. 2, 3, "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. For a dream cometh through multitude of business, and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words:" that is, come to God as an obedient learner and a receiver, and not as a giver; and therefore be readier to hear what he hath to command thee, than to pour out many words before him, as if he would accept and hear thee for thy babbling. If loquacity and forwardness to talk many undigested words be a sign of folly among men, how much more when thou speakest to God that is in heaven!
Direct.VIII. Keep a holy government over all your passions, (as aforesaid,) and especially try all those words with suspicion which any passion urgeth you to vent. For passion is so apt to blind the judgment, that even holy passions themselves must be warily managed, and feared, as you carry fire among straw or other combustible matter. As "grievous words stir up anger," Prov. xv. 1; so anger causeth grievous words. "Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools," Eccles. vii. 9. To govern the tongue when you are in any passion, (either love, or fear, or grief, or anger,) is like the governing of a ship in storms and tempests, or the managing of a horse that is fierce and heated. Prov. xiv. 16, 17, "The fool rageth and is confident: he that is soon angry dealeth foolishly." Chap. xxi. 19, "It is better to dwell in the wilderness than with a contentious, angry woman." Chap. xxix. 22, "An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression." There is no ruling the tongue if you cannot rule the passions: therefore it is good counsel, chap. xxii. 24, "Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man thou shalt not go; lest thou learn his way, and get a snare to thy soul."
Direct.IX. Foresee your opportunities of profitable discourse, and your temptations to evil speeches. For we are seldom thoroughly prepared for sudden, unexpected accidents. Consider when you go forth, what company you are like to fall into, and what good you are like to be called to, or what evil you are likest to be tempted to: especially considerthe ordinary stated duties and temptations of your daily company and converse.
Direct.X. Accordingly (besides your aforesaid general preparations) be prepared particularly for those duties and those temptations: carry still about with you some special preservatives against those particular sins of speech which you are most in danger of; and some special provisions and helps to those duties of speech, which you may be called to: as a surgeon will carry about with him his instruments and salves which he is like to have use for, among the persons that he hath to do with; and as a traveller will carry such necessaries still with him, as in his travels he cannot be without. If you are to converse with angry men, be still furnished with patience and firm resolutions to "give place to wrath," Rom. xii. 19. If you are to converse with ignorant, ungodly men, go furnished with powerful, convincing reasons, to humble them and change their minds. If you are to go amongst the cavilling or scorning enemies of holiness, go furnished with well-digested arguments, for the defence of that which they are likest to oppose, that you may shame and stop the mouths of such gainsayers. This must be done by "the Sword of the spirit, which is the word of God," Eph. vi. 17. Therefore be well acquainted with the Scripture, and with particular plain texts for each particular use: by them the "man of God is complete, throughly furnished to every good work," 2 Tim. iii. 17.
Direct.XI. Continually walk as in the presence of God, and as under his government and law, and as those that are passing on to judgment.[488]Ask yourselves, whatever you say: 1. Whether it be fit for God to hear? 2. Whether it be agreeable to his holy law? 3. Whether it be such speech as you would hear of at the day of judgment? If it be speech unmeet for the hearing of a grave and reverend man, will you speak it before God? Will you speak wantonly, or filthily, or foolishly, or maliciously, when God forbiddeth it, and when he is present and heareth every word, and when you must certainly give account to him of all?