Foolish Talking and Jesting Described and Condemned, Section 3
§. 3. What makes Fooliſh-Talking and Fooliſh-Jeſting ſo Deteſtable as our Doctrine ſpeaks?
A Needleſs Queſtion this were, but that, if any where, here Wicked Love, like Sacred, will Believe no Evil. Againſt theſe their Darling Sins and Dalilahs, Men will not believe their Eyes. Theſe Plagues of Leproſy have been all along proved, as well as pronounced ſuch. Nor have the Arguments been too ſhort for the Cenſures; but the Diſcoveries have juſtified the Invectives. Nevertheleſs, Meaſure preſſed down and running over ſhall be given. I may be Vile in ſome Eyes for having laid ſo much already; but I ſhall ſay more, and I will yet be more Vile, if by any means I may gain ſome: And bring them to a wiſer Heart and purer Language.
In Fooliſh Talking and Jeſting; Sins of common occurrence to all Men, and of daily occurrence to every one; it ſhall be briefly ſaid, what, in general, All Men do; and, in ſpecial, What Good Men do.
1. All Men Sin. In the fore-deſcribed Talks and Jeſts, they, really (and may I not ſay, confeſſedly?) Sin. And, conſequently, in the ſame, they do the worſt that Creatures can do: Sin, is Man's Worſt done againſt God.
They Contemn the Supream King's Authority; and deny him to be Lord over their Tongue.
They, Ʋſurp his Government; and, Depoſing God, ſet up themſelves to Reign in His ſtead. Subjecting their Lips to their own Luſts; inſtead of the Divine Laws. And ſhould Duſt and Aſhes ſo ſet up themſelves?
They Deny God's Propriety in them; conſtructively ſaying, their Tongues (and, therefore, their Whole Perſons) are their own. The Clay is its own; and what hath the Potter to do with it? Helliſh Conceit!
They Believe not his VViſdom; but ſay in Effect, they have found out a better Language than the Holy Tongue which he hath taught. Thus wiſer is Darkneſs than Light; and thus do things of Yeſterday take themſelves for more Prudent than the Ancient of Days.
They Diſown his Goodneſs; conſtructively ſaying, they be Cruel Laws he hath laid on their Lips. As if Reaſon and Religion bloodily galled their Mouths. And, as though our heavenly Law-giver loved us ſo very little as we love our ſelves.
They Confeſs not his Mercies and Benefits; but deny themſelves to be ſo much in his Debt, as to owe him the rule of their Mouth. Alas, what have they, that they have conſidered themſelves to have received of God? And do they owe any Debt of Gratitude? Is Life, and the Means of Eternal Bliſs ſuch a Matter, as that for them one's Lips ſhould be ſtill praiſing the Giver? They believe it not.
They Deſpiſe Divine Promiſes and Threats; and interpretatively tell the World, that Earth out-bids Heaven. Makes firmer or greater Promiſes, for Vain words, than the Goſpel makes unto Savoury ones: And thunders more fearful Threats againſt Edifying Diſcourſe, than the Goſpel doth againſt Corrupt Communication. For, alas, is Hell ſuch a Little-Eaſe? And is Heaven ſo great a Preferment? No, not in their ſight.
They Reject God's very Intreaties; and ſay in a manner, Though he doth Pray and Beſeech them, to Speak Wiſely, they will not grant him. No; that wondrous Condeſcention ſhall not move them; that miraculous Good ſhall not overcome their Evil. For, why; if All-mightineſs will court Worms, muſt they preſently be won? Nay, they are not. To turn Grace into Wantonneſs they are Wiſe; but, for Grace, to turn from Wantonneſs they have no Knowledg.
They give the Lie to Eternal Truth: Virtually ſaying, that the Fountain of Truth is the Father of a Lie, when he faith that an unbridled Tongue can have but a Vain Religion. What? cannot they with the ſame Mouth bleſs and curſe? Cannot their Fountain ſend forth ſweet Water and bitter? They will not believe themſelves to be Leopards, becauſe of theſe Spots of their Lips.
They put the Son of God to open Shame: Telling him in the Rhetorick of Practice, that they cannot think the Blood ſhed of his Heart, to have deſerved his Lording it over their Mouth. No; and if he expect to command the Doors thereof, he ſhall fail of it. What? is Redemption ſuch a Kindneſs, that the Redeemed muſt never ſpeak but as the Redeemer pleaſes? They have other Thoughts.
They do Deſpite to the Spirit of Grace: Telling him, that though they hear of his Divine Eſſence and Wonderful Office; yet, if his Striving with them be to circumciſetheir Lips, they ſhall ſtrive againſt him, and not ſo eaſily part with thoſe Fore-Skins. Indeed his Coming to fit us for Heaven was friendly done; but he exacts too much, they think, if he look to have ſo perpetual Acknowledgments.
They Reproach the Divine VVord, and the Seals of it: They make them ill ſpoken of; and cauſe Men to ask, To what End is your Reading the Word, and ſo much Hearing of it? Of what Uſe is your Baptiſm? and who is ever the better for the Lord's Supper? The Mouth utters the Heart; and who among you is any cleaner than Infidels in the Mouth?
They Imitate Satan and Pleaſe him: As he, ſo they, are Evil-Speakers. A Likeneſs to him, which cannot but highly pleaſe him; it doth ſo extraordinarily ſerve his Intereſt, and manifeſt his Empire.
They Murder their own Souls: For Sin's Wages is Death. Tongues ſet on Fire of Hell, muſt bear Fire in Hell. And they, who will not here with holy Waters cleanſe them, ſhall not there have a Drop of Water to cool them.
They endanger the Lives of all that come into their Companies: For Poiſon may be drank in at the Ears, and theſe fill the Ears of their Companions with it.
They Rob and Steal perpetually: Rob God of his Glory; themſelves, of the Reward that there is in uſing our Tongues to glorify him; and their Friends, of innumerable good things. Theſe they rob, one while of their Purity; imparting to them a Filth, which coſts many a Prayer and Tear to ſcour it out: other-whiles, of their Patience, which is their Souls very Manſion-houſe: but always of their Golden Hours, and convertible unto glorious Uſes.
They bear falſe VVitneſs againſt Holineſs: For they take forbidden Words and Jeſts into their Mouths, purely to pleaſe themſelves. Nor ſtick they to ſay, that this is the main Pleaſure that they know under the Sun. Which is plainly enough to ſay, God's Commandments are very grievous, and Chriſt's Yoke is an uneaſy one; and it is in Breaking of his Commands that we can find any Comforts.
They wage a wilful VVar againſt God, and Men, and themſelves: Sin fights againſt all; and it's wilfully that Men do Sin: Without God Tempting, without Satan Compelling, without any Creature Forcing. The worſt Flattery, and all Force uſed with them, is their own. In Fooliſh Talks and Jeſts, it is moſt freely that Fools ſhoot their Bolts; and at no fewer Marks or leſſer. But, it remains to be ſaid, that in theſe twain;
2. Godly Men do moſt aggravatedly ſin. They incurring theſe Guilts, do preſent us with the moſt prodigious Sights. They, committing theſe Sins, are as follows in theſe Particulars.
They are Perſons choſen to Glory, Rejecting him who Elected them thereunto. Putting God out of the Throne, who of moſt free Grace hath appointed unto them a Kingdom. In fooliſh Talk, they turn to the fooliſh God of this World; and forſake him who is God and their God.
They are Redeemed-Captives, ſlighting him who died not for the VVorld as he died for them. Refuſing to let him give Law to ſo much as their Lips.
They are Creatures raiſed from the Dead, deſpiſing him that Quickned them: As not vouchſafing to obey him in very Words; and as far as very Scribes and Phariſees do.
They are Pardoned Malefactors, diſhonouring the moſt Gracious King that hath Forgiven them Ten thouſand Sins. Yea, Ten thouſand times Ten thouſand ſinful Thoughts, Words and Works.
They are Adopted Heirs, Provoking to wrath their Adoptive Father. Uttering, in his Preſence, and in Mens Hearing alſo, Words that he cannot away with.
They are Cleanſed-Lepers, making themſelves unclean again. Defiling anew the Temple of God; and in that which is named the very Glory of it. The Tongue is ſo called.
They are ſuch, as, being Night and Day accuſed in the Court of Heaven, have but one Interceſſor; and yet are Incenſing him againſt them. Walking contrarily unto him, in whoſe Lips no Guile was found; and the Grace of whoſe Lips, all Men admired!
They are Comforted Souls, grieving their holy Comforter. Making him, by their offenſive Breath, to keep far off from them; and to carry it, as kindeſt Friends uſe to do, when our Words much diſpleaſe them.
They are Men that live by Hope, and yet ſin againſt the only VVord whereon they do, or dare to hope. Their Poſſeſſion is nothing to their Reverſion; it is in Hope that they rejoice. Hope of the Glory promiſed in that Covenant, which promiſeth none at all but to them that obey the Goſpel in Word and Deed.
They are Sworn-Men, breaking their Oaths and Vows unto God. Their Vows, Sacramental, and leſs ſolemn ones many, to ſpeak as well as act, by God's Rule and for his Glory.
They are Seers, and Children of Light, ſinning againſt Light and Knowledg. Againſt Light more Heavenly and of a nobler kind, than any unregenerate Men are endued with.
They are ſtrong Men, and invincible by VVorld and Devil; throwing themſelves down under Divine VVrath. The Grace firſt infuſed into every Convert, makes him certainly able to walk acceptably with God; according to the Grace of the New-Covenant. O what a Sight is it, when, not a Child falls of Weakneſs; but, a Giant throws himſelf down a Precipice!
They are Profeſſors of Purity, wallowing in Mire. What Proteſtant-Chriſtian profeſſeth not, to take Chriſt's Word for the Rule of his Words, as well as Thoughts and Actions? Or who doth doubt, but fooliſh Talks and Jeſts are hereto moſt repugnant?
They are Petitioners unto Heaven; Men that give themſelves unto Prayer; no more able to live without Praying, than without Breathing: and yet do by contrary words chaſe away the Spirit, deaden the Grace, and leſſen the Gift of Prayer. Extream Madneſs! to diſable themſelves for that, by which they fetch from Heaven all they want.
They are Men often Reproved, kicking againſt the Pricks thereof. They have a hundred Rebukes for every one that an unregenerate Man hath. The Holy Ghoſt, their Conſcience, their Paſtor, their Pious Companions, muſt be ſuppoſed ever and anon checking them.
They are ſuch as have been enriched by Diamonds, and yet prefer Bits of Glaſs. Where is any Godly Man, but he has ſometimes heard and ſometimes ſpoke a good Word; which, for all the World he would not but have ſpoke and heard? After this, to take up Fooliſh Talks, is, after Gold tried to prefer Counters.
They are Children that have been Burnt, and yet fear not the Fire. I take it for granted, that Fooliſh Talks and Jeſts, have coſt all good Men dear, at one time or other. Have blotted their Evidences, expell'd their Comforts, raiſedtheir Fears, torn their Hearts. And what? will they ſin more, that worſe things may come?
They are ſuch as Revive, what they have took abundance of pains to Kill. Sure, there is no ſincere Convert, but what has laboured hard among his other Spiritual Enemies, to mortify thoſe flying Serpents that proceed from the Lips, and to ſpoil the breed of them.
They are Men that moſt of all deceive Expectation. They have a good Treaſure, and all People look that their Tongues ſhould bring forth good things. From Dogs we expect but Barking; and from Monkeys nothing wiſer than Laughing. In the Mouth of a Saint, it's expected there ſhould be the Tongue of an Angel. It is, at leaſt, monſtrous, if Doves gaggle as Geeſe, or Sheep bark as Dogs.
They are, finally, Lambs that murder more than VVolves. Indeed, Sin, eſpecially Sin of the Tongue, is a catching Diſeaſe. But from none is it ſo very deeply and dangerouſly taken, as from Men of real or reputed Religion. Their Sins are the moſt deadly Examples; as it were, ſo many Warrants for other Mens Sins. If they ſin audaciouſly, many conclude they may then ſin by Authority, (foreign, Eurip. Hecub.) There be thoſe whom the Fooliſh Talk of another's Mouth ſhall not hurt; but if it come out of yours, it ſhall debauch. Do we not daily find it? Some Mens Names are Swords and Bucklers for other Mens Sins. But to conclude.