A Bridle for the Tongue, Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. Setteth down Means and Helps for the government of the Tongue.
I Now come in the laſt place to the Means and Helps by which we may (through the bleſſing of God) be enabled to order our tongues ſo, as that we may evidence both to our ſelves and others, that our Religion is not vain, but in reality and truth.
Let us in the firſt place labour to Help. 1 have our hearts poſſeſſed with the fear of God, ſo that it may be very active in our ſouls; this will be an excellent means to keep the tongue within its compaſs; the more of the fear of God is in the heart, the better will the tongue be kept in order: He that hath a a diſorderly and unbrideled tongue, ſheweth his heart is void of the fear of God: We ſee the fear of mens Laws doth curb mens tongues many times; but did men labour more after the fear of God, it would be a ſpecial means to help them againſt this ſin; it is the want of this that makes men make no bones of ſwearing, curſing, lying, and ſlandering, and ſpeaking all manner of evil.
Let us hide the word of God in our Help. 2 hearts; this will be an excellent means to keep our thoughts in compaſs: David purpoſed with himſelf that his mouth ſhould not tranſgreſs. Pſal. 17.3. and by what means he hopeth to bring this to good effect he ſheweth. ver. 4. Concerning the works of men by the word of thy lips, I have kept me from the paths of the deſtroyer. If men take Gods Covenant in their mouths, and declare his Statutes, and hide not the word in their hearts, they will give their mouth to evil, and their tongues will frame deceit. Pſal. 50.16, 18.19. What have men to do to take Gods Covenant in their mouths, and declare his Statutes, when they hate inſtruction, and caſt his words behind them, and give their mouth to evil? were this Text ſeriously conſidered, there would not be ſo much ſin in the tongues of many that would be accounted profeſſors of Religion.
Let us ſeriouſly and often conſider Help. 3 that God takes ſpecial notice of every word in our tongues. Pſal. 139.4. There is not a word in my Tongue, but lo, O Lord thou knoweſt it altogether: Quiſquis cupit fraenare linguam, aſſidue Dei praeſentiam coguet. Tanto quis cautius loquetur, quanto ſibi altius impreſſerit hoc unum: Audiris; Angeli audiunt, Deus audit, & tuorum dictorum rationem poſcet ſuo tempore. Drexel. de. vi… ling. medicam.When men forget this, that God knoweth all they ſpeak, whether truth or falſhood, then no wonder their tongues are unbrideled: Whence cometh it to paſs that men whet their tongues like a ſword, and bend their bowes to ſhoot their Arrowes, even bitter words, that they may ſhoot in ſecret at the perfect, and ſhoot at him privily, and fear not, and encourage themſelves in an evil matter, and commune of laying of ſnares privily! Pſal. 64.3 4. there is the ground of it. ver. 5. they ſay Who ſhall ſee them? they ſpeak it among their cloſe companions, and in a ſly way, that none may charge them with it: but though they think that none heareth or taketh notice of it, yet God will make them know that he heareth it, and will make them to anſwer for it. ver. 7. But God ſhall ſhoot at them with an Arrow, ſuddenly ſhall they be wounded; they ſmite his people ſuddenly with their tongues, and God wil ſmite them ſuddenly with an Arrow that ſhall wound them to the heart: God layes this to their charge. Pſal. 50.19, 20. and though he doth not by and by make them ſmart for it, yet ſooner or later he will ſet their ſins in order before their faces, ver. 21. and Mal. 3.13. we read of ſome whoſe words had been ſtout againſt God, that had ſaid, it was vain to ſerve God, and unprofitable to have kept his Ordinances, and to have walkt mournfully before the Lord of hoſts, calling the …roud happy, &c. ver. 14, 15. but God took notice of their words: and …s a Book of remembrance is written of all the gracious words of all his own people; ſo there is a book of remembrance kept of all the evil words that wicked men ſpeak againſt God and his people: There is no ſwearing, curſing, lying, ſcorning, jeering word, but it is ſet down before the Lord: Mat. 12.35. Yea every idle word that men ſhall ſpeak, they ſhall give account thereof in the day of ju…gement: yea God will reaſon the caſe with ſuch men (as he did with Aaron and Miriam about their ſpeaking againſt Moſes) Wherefore then were ye not afraid, how durſt you go on in ſo many evil and idle words,Numb. 12.8. as you have done?
Another help will be to conſider Help. 4 the example of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: every one would be accounted a Chriſtian, and to be in Chriſt: Now h… that ſaith, He abideth in him, ought ſo t… walk even as he walked. 1 Joh. 2.6 and St. Peter tells us how he carrye… himſelf, 1 Pet. 2.22, 23. He did no ſin neither was guile found in his mouth and when he was reviled, he reviled no… again; when he ſuffered, he threatned not but committed himſelf to him that judgeth righteouſly. In this example o… Chriſt, theſe four things will be uſeful to us. 1. There was no guile found in his mouth; then what an unſeemly thing is it there ſhould ſo much guile be found in thoſe that would be accounted his members? 2. When he was reviled, he reviled not again; he returned not bitter words to them that gave ſuch to him, but either is ſilent, or if he doth reaſon the caſe with them, it is with meekneſs, as Joh, 18.21, 23. when the High Prieſt asked him of his Doctrine, he bid him aske them which heard him, what he had ſaid unto them; and when one of the Officers that ſtood by ſtruck him for anſwering the High-Prieſt ſo; Jeſus anſwered him, If I have ſpoken evil, bear witneſs of the evil; but if well, why ſmiteſt thou me? he reaſons the caſe with them without bitter words, or the leaſt appearance of evil. 3. When he ſuffered by them, he was ſo far from threatning, that he prayed for his perſecutors; and by vertue of this his prayer, thoſe that did belong to the election of grace were afterward converted, and ſome even of the Prieſts themſelves became obedient to the faith. 4. He committed his cauſe to him that judgeth righteouſly: Did we more ſtudy his example, we ſhould not fall into ſin as we do: what was it that we meet withal, that he ſuffered not▪ it may be we ſuffer ſometime from thoſe that are beneath us in the world: did not the Lord Chriſt ſuffer from thoſe that were infinitely below him? yet he ſubmitted himſelf unto them, though when they came to take him, his breath caſt them down to the ground.
Obj. 1 But ſome may ſay, We ſuffer without cauſe from thoſe we have ſhewed much love unto, and from whoſe hands we have deſerved better.
Sol.Now in anſwer to this, conſider; 1. That you a have great cauſe to bleſs God that it is ſo, viz. that no juſt cauſe is given by thee for others to ſpeak evil of thee. 2. Conſider, Was it not ſo Rule 1 with our Lord Jeſus Chriſt? They hated him without cauſe; yea they hated him for the good he did; yet he paid them not in their own coyn again.
Another is apt to ſay, I ſee ſuch Obj. 2 foul miſcarriages by ſuch and ſuch, and hear of ſuch ill words they have ſpoken againſt me, that it makes my fleſh and blood to ſtirre within me.
Sol.Oh take heed it do not make your corruption ſtirre within you: could there be a more odious thing, then for Jeſus Chriſt to be ſtript naked and whipt, and called Beelzehub, a wine-bibber? &c. Now the ſervant is not above his Maſter: Though he was pleaſed to come for the good of ſinners, and with more meekneſs then John Baptiſt, yet they reproach him, and John alſo: Thus it was with Jeſus Chriſt himſelf; and if we did more frequently conſider his example, it would prove effectual to preſerve us from theſe ſins of the tongue, and from many other ſins; then ſhould we learn to pray for our implacable enemies, and to leave them to the judgement of the great day; and it would be a means to keep us from ſinning with our words, ſo that our words ſhould be alwayes very good; for ſo it was with him: Now how much difference is there betwixt his example and our carriage, though he gave us this example for our pattern!
Take heed the…e be no unruly or Help. 5 ſinful luſt harbouring in thy heart; for where any ſuch is, it will cauſe an unruly and unbrideled tongue: Covetouſneſs being lodg'd in the hearts of the Phariſes, and they hearing Chriſt ſpeak againſt the unrighteous Mammon, therefore they deride him, Luk. 16.14 they laugh to hear ſuch a poor man as he to ſpeak how hard a matter it is for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God: Where the heart is full of enmity againſt God and Godlineſs, there will be nothing but enmity in the tongue; for how can men of evil hearts ſpeak that which is good! if corruption be harboured in the heart, it will eaſily manifeſt it ſelf in the tongue; how eaſily is ſuch a man drawn to ſpeak looſely and vainly in corrupt communication! therefore thoſe that would keep their tongues in order, muſt firſt look unto their hearts. Solomon firſt exhorteth, Keep thy heart with or above all keeping; and then ſaith he, put perverſe lips far from thee. Prov. 4.23, 24. if the heart be viperous, the lips will be perverſe.
He that will keep his tongue in order, Help. 6 muſt ſee that he bridleth his paſſion; the more paſſion boileth, the more work will the tongue have: The Apoſtle Paul adviſeth the Epheſians, to put away all evil-ſpeaking from them; and firſt, ſaith he, Let all bitterneſs, and wrath, and anger, and clamour be put away. Eph. 4.31. He mentioneth all the degrees of paſſion. 1. Bitterneſs, the riſe of the reſt; it is it is a ſmothered diſpleaſure of that which a man hides in his Breaſt, which makes a man a burthen to himſelf and others till it be digeſted; it is a f…et that rankleth inwardly,P. Bai…. …. expoſit. in Eph. 4.31. and is fuller of diſcontent then revenge, as One well noteth. Then ſaith the Apoſtle, Let [wrath] be put away, that is, either fierceneſs or ſuddenneſs of anger: then [Anger] that is, when it reſteth in the heart, and cometh as it were to ſome head: Then [Clamour] when others afar off are witneſſes of our paſſion; diſordered words uſually go with diſordered paſſions: When Lamech was angry, he preſently breath's loud menaces to kill and ſlay. Gen. 4.23, 24. So Stephen's enemies being enraged, cryed aloud, and ran upon him. Act. 7. Then laſtly, followeth duplicate page duplicate page evil-ſpeaking or blaſphemy, which muſt be put aſide: All theſe tend to the hurt of our neighbour: It is a hard matter to be angry and not to ſin: Now therefore. 1. Watch over your paſſion ſo that it ariſe not on a ſuddain, that you be not over-haſty to be angry and guilty of raſh anger: Suddain and violent paſſions make men rage and be like mad men: Thus Saul in a ſuddain paſſion raged at Jonathan, as though his wife had been a whore and Jonathon a Baſtard to David's father.Capel. de Tentat. part. 3. 1 Sam. 20.30. Other affections carry one power of the ſoul out of the way, but paſſion over-turneth all, as a Learned man well noteth. Our Saviour tells us, that this haſty paſſionateneſs is a degree of murder, and ſets down three degrees of the breach of the ſixth commandement, which the Jews thought not of, as 1. Raſh or cauſeleſs anger. Whoſoever is angry with his brother without a cauſe, ſhall be in danger of the judgement. 2. He that ſhal proceed further, and ſay to his Brother, Racha, that is, Blockhead, empty-pate, &c. in contempt of his weakneſs, he ſhall be in danger of the Council. But 3. whoſoever ſhall ſay, Thou fool, ſheweth his tongue to be ſet on fire with hell, and he ſhall be in danger of hell fire. 2. Take heed that anger lodge not in your breaſt; ſee that anger riſe not; but if it doth ariſe, yet let it not lodge in your heart. Jacob was angry, and chid with Laban, but he was friends preſently after. Gen▪ 31.35. Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the devil. Eph. 4.26, 27. The longer anger lodgeth in the ſoul, the more way you give unto Satan: anger lodgeth in the boſom of fools. Eccl. 7.9. To lodge anger in our breaſt, is the way to turn anger into hatred; take heed when juſt anger cometh into thy heart, unjuſt wrath come not into thy heart together with it. 3. When paſſion is ſtirred, that you ſpeak not ſudenly without deliberation; a little pauſing may be a means to prevent a world of miſchief: He that hath no maſtery over his paſſion, is like a City broken down, and without walls, that lieth open to all miſchief.
Let us conſider that nothing befalls Help. 7 us, but what cometh to paſs by the providence of God, or as God ordereth it: This will much conduce to keep our hearts and tongues in good order. David reſolveth, Pſal. 39.1. to take heed that he offend not with his tongue, that he would keep his mouth as with a bridle, while the wicked were before him; the reaſon is expreſſed ver. 9. I was dumb, ſaith he, I opened not my mouth, becauſe thou didſt it.
Help. 8 Often call your ſelves to account, and bethink your ſelves what you have ſpoken; this will be a ſpecial means to help you in the government of your tongues: When a mans purſe hath often paid for ſwearing, he will be ready to think of it, and then it will make him to beware of it, leſt it coſt him dear again: Now if this will do it, then how much more if a mans conſcience did laſh him for it! and moſt of all, if we did in a holy manner call our ſelves to an account for it. God layes down this as a great cauſe of the Jews ruſhing into ſin, as the horſe that ruſheth into the battle; and why? no man ſpake aright, becauſe they did not call themſelves to account for it. No man repented of his wickedneſs, ſaying, What have I done? Jerem. 8.6.
Set a watch diligently over your Help. 9 hearts, thoughts, and words,Providet tibi, antequam prodas, ſermonem, arudentique conſideratione omnia praeveni. Bonavent. Part. 3. ſp…. cap. 3. Xenophon. keep an holy ſentinel upon your tongues, that no word may paſs you, but you may know what it is you not only think, but alſo what, when, and how you ſpeak. The tongue is a very moveable member which is turned up and down with little labour and difficulty, without much wearineſs; and man being a ſociable creature, by his very nature is much given to ſpeaking, therefore he had need to be the more watchful over his tongue. An Heathen could ſay that nature (but I may ſay the God of nature) hath given every one of us two ears, and but one tongue, to ſh…w us that we ſhould be ſwift to hear, and ſlow to ſpeak; to hear much more then we ſhould ſpeak; and if we conſider the double guard the tongue hath, being ſhut up with a double hedge, the lips and the teeth, ſhould put us in mind, that we ſhould not be raſh in our words and expreſſions.
Help. 10 Be much in prayer to God for ſt ength and power againſt an unbrideled tongue; ſc. that he would keep it in thoſe due bounds he hath appointed for it: Thus David when he ſaw the work was too hard for him to do, he prayeth to God: Set a watch O Lord before my mouth, keep the door of my lips. Pſal. 141.3. Pray to God that he would keep the key, and be as it were the Porter to let out only ſuch words as may be good and profitable: There is no one member but is unruly, but none ſo unruly as the tongue. Every kind of Beaſts and of Birds, and of Serpents,Some Roman Emperours have had ſome wild Beaſts to run and draw in their chariots; other Princes have had Lyons made ſo tame, that they would play with them as with Spaniels, or Beagles: A Tigre was ſent from India to Anastaſius, that was ſo tame, that a boy might lead him in a ſt…ing; the birds and fouls of the air are tame in like manner, as the Crow, the Pie, the Raven, the Hawk, the Vulture, the Pigeon, the Parret, Some birds will ſit on a mans fiſt and eat out of his hand, and come at the lure of him that keeps them; yea ſerpents and creeping things have been tamed; ſome have carried Snakes without danger in their boſoms, but the tongue of man who can tame? and things in the ſea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind; but the tongue can no man tame. Jam. 3.7.8. Whence St. Auguſtine hath this meditation; Man ſaith he, tameth the beaſts, but tameth not his tongue; he tameth the Lyon, but is not able to bridle his tongue; he himſelf tameth other creatures, but cannot tame himſelf; he tameth that which he feared, and that he may tame himſelf he feareth not that which he ought to fear: the horſe doth not tame himſelf, the Lion doth not tame himſelf, the Elephant doth not tame himſelf; but that the Oxe, Horſe, Lion, Elephant may be tamed, Man muſt be ſought unto; and God muſt be ſought to that the tongue of man may be tamed: therefore he that would ſpeak well, let him pray well. By the uſe of ſuch means as theſe, and Gods bleſſing upon them, we may get ſtrength and power againſt the ſins of the tongue.
You now ſee that all ſhews of Religion are vain, if there be not a due care of the tongue; you ſee likewiſe how many ſins there are of the tongue and the great danger of an unbrideled tongue, and by what means you may be enabled to keep your tongues in order: Now if any man ſhall henceforth give way to any of the ſins of the tongue, their ſin will be ſo much the greater, becauſe committed againſt ſo many warnings, ſo much light, knowledge, &c. therefore this may perſwade us to be the more ſtrict and watchful againſt it for the time to come, and make us to reſolve with David, that we will take heed to our wayes, that we offend not with our tongues. Pſal. 39.1. I have read of one Pambus, that went to a friend of his, deſirous to learn how to keep himſelf free from ſin: And that very Text Pſal. 39.1. was read unto him, where David ſaith, I ſaid I would take heed to my wayes that I ſin not with my tongue: and then he would hear no more, ſaying, if I can indeed perform this one verſe, it is ſufficient; and when he that taught him that verſe, blamed him that in ſix months he came not neer him, he anſwered that indeed he had not fulfilled that verſe; and living long after, being demanded of a familiar friend, whether he had learnt his verſe, he confeſſed (as ſome ſay) that in eighteen years, or (as others ſay) that in forty eight years, he could not learn that one Leſſon. The conſideration of the difficulty hereof, gave occaſion to Cato to ſay, that he is next unto God that can bridle his tongue: Now he that upon Religious and Holy grounds ſhall be able to bridle his tongue, may from hence have ſome evidence to his ſoul of the truth of grace in his heart; but the neglect of this ſheweth, that notwithſtanding all ſpecious ſhews and pretences whatſoever, that mans Religion is vain.
FINIS.