The Evil Tongue Tried and Found Guilty, Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
SEcondly, the Reasons or Motives that have induced me to write on this Subject, are many; a few of them I shall briefly name.
1. I find many Professors of the name, and ways of Jesus Christ, to be very ignorant of this sin; yea, when they are reproved for it, are apt to say as common Swearers in their own defence, and by way of excuse; truly, They did not know that they did sin, by raising, or bringing up an evil report upon the good names of their neighbours and brethren; no not they; yea, and that which is much worse, they will dispute the lawfullness of it, and be displeased with such as labour to convince them, especially, if they were not the first authors of it.
2. The dreadfull danger their poor souls are in, while they go on securely in the practise of this abomination, crying peace peace to themselves, whilst they are adding drunkenness to thirst, dishonouring God, wounding and stabbing their brethren, and pulling on wrath and curses on themselves, Deut. 27.24.
3. The great scandal that this sin and practice casts upon Religion, especially, when done by professors of Religion; and assuredly this wickedness is almost every where found among them, I speak it with a grieved heart.
4. The consideration of the great wrong that is done to humane, as well as Christian Society and Communion thereby; how the good names of honest men are sooted and dirted, and their persons, words, and dealings brought under a wretched and groundless suspicion; their honour and esteem in the hearts of men lessened and impaired; their friendship broken and spoyled, and their usefulness in the world greatly hindred and obstructed. Their parts, works and persons slighted, and contemned, and they are thereby made a scorn and derision to all men.
5. I find this wickedness to be a great hindrance to the free passage and desirable progress and success of the Gospel, both amongst Saints and Sinners; for reproaching tongues have so fouly blackned and darkned many of the Lords Servants, yea, such whom the Devil himself cannot righteously accuse of any scandalous crime; that poor ignorant souls do not know what to think of, or how to receive or believe any thing of truth that Ministers preach, but are greatly stumbled at all the truths of Christ, they hold forth (though it is their sin so to be stumbled) and preach unto them: And assuredly this will lie heavy one day on the heads and hearts too of Reproachers.
6. The exceeding great wickedness and commonness of this sin, hath moved me against it, and to endeavour to lay the Lords Axe to the root of this Tree to cut it down, that it may no more cumber either the Lords, or mens ground. I do know that the contagion of this plague hath infected whole Families, yea, almost all persons in all Families. This poyson is so common, and the tongues especially of one Sect are so full of this deadly poyson, that it is a hard matter for any person who fears God, to escape the venome of it; It bites and wounds them both secretly and openly, night and day, at home and abroad. And a reproaching and backbiting tongue is so full of deadly poyson as that it will kill a man at a great distance, yea▪ further then any other Viper, Adder, or any Serpent can; yea, it is so extream venemous, as that it will murder a man insensibly, and he shall not know who did it nor when it was done. Oh! dreadful and cursed poyson.
7. Another motive that hath induced me to this work is the general silence of other men, whose abilities and opportunities to such a work, do far exceed mine: and I am satisfied, that it is a very needfull and necessary work, and therefore it must be done by some, though not so exactly as it should be. For, shall the flood-gates of so exceeding great and abominable wickedness be set open, and none set their hands to shut them? shall mens good names be defiled and polluted, their souls ruined and destroyed, the name and Gospel of the blessed God be dishonoured and blasphemed, and good mens precious and unvaluable jewels be taken from them by rape and violence by the cursed and blasphemous tongues of their enemies, and no man appear for them, and come in to rescue them out of those Lyons mouths, and slay those venemous beasts, that are so bloody and cruell, so subtle and formidable? What if we cannot do all we would in this matter, ought we not to do all we can? Doth not God expect it from us, and require it of us, and hath he not given us talents for that end and purpose.
8. Another motive or reason proceedeth from my own afflicted and grieved heart, and the deep wounds which my enemies have made in my soul, by their malitious, slanderous, and backbiting tongues: whereby they have endeavoured both to shame and ruine me, by unrighteous and envious reproaches: although not one of them could ever prove or make good any evil against me: but when they have been demanded the reason of their reproaching of me, they have denyed it, or excused themselves, by some pitifull excuses or equivocations; but would never stand to it. Indeed, one or two of them have plainly said, that they did hate me, and did desire to ruine me; and these dealt more ingeniously than the other, in following the conduct of their minds and consciences in the case, to a confession of their Crime, both as to the principle, and end of their reproaching. But intending to speak more fully to them in another place, I shall forbear to do it here.
9 The exceeding great trouble and grief that this sin hath brought upon my own conscience; for (with shame and grief of heart I speak it) it was my sin and wickedness a long time; untill the Lord opened my eyes, to see the odious and horrid nature of it; and to lay its guilt at the door of my conscience: and because (as I fear) I never repented of so foul and God-provoking a sin as I should have done. It hath pleased God, in his infinite wisdom, to suffer others to to give unto me the same measure as I have given to some, Mat. 7.2. and to repay me with my own coyn. For, as I made bold with others good names, and took occasion to abuse them, even so have some dealt with me. But I shall speak more of this elsewhere.
10. The real love that I hope I have in my heart to the holy and glorious name, Gospel, and ways of God, and to the souls and reputations of men, especially Godly people, hath moved me to this work; for I hope, that notwithstanding, I cannot love nor serve them as I should, and desire to do, yet I have a peculiar and sincere love towards them: for I am not a little, but very much afflicted in spirit, to see how the blessed God is dishonoured, his ways and people villified and reproached by slanderous and backbiting tongues; and cannot but desire and endeavour to put a stop to this so foul a sin.
Thus having briefly shewed you the ends I aim at, and the motives and reasons (at least some of them) that have moved and induced me to this work and undertaking, I shall now proceed to the opening of this sin, and to shew wherein it consists, or what it is.