A Bridle for the Tongue, Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI. Sheweth wherein the right ordering of the Tongue conſisteth.
BEcauſe the work of the right ordering and government of our tongues notwithſtanding the many ſpecious ſhews of Religion that men make is very much neglected; therefore it is a leſſon that is very needful for us to learn to bridle and keep our tongues in order: and as a bridle or bit in a horſes mouth is to hold him to that pace the rider thinks fit, and to turn him about at his pleaſure: ſo the directions that God gives in his word for the tongue, ſhould be as a bridle to reſtrain our too much aptneſs to exorbitant expreſſions. Theophraſtus the Philoſopher ſaid not amiſs: it were better truſting to an untamed and unbrideled horſe,Turnbul. expoſit. in Jacob. 3. then to an bubrideled tonge: for the danger of the Horſe by not medling with him may be prevented; but becauſe we carry our unbrideled tongues alwayes about us, the peril and danger therof cannot be avoided.
Now the right ordering of the Tongue conſiſteth
1: In a care not to ſpeak raſhly, but that we conſider what, and how, and when, and to whom to ſpeak: he well conſidereth what he ſpeaketh before he ſpeaketh,Diu eonſidera quid loquendum ſit, & adhuc taceus provide, nequid dixiſſe poeniteat. Quicquid dicturus es, prius cum anim tuo reputa. Iſoc. ad Demon. who ſpeaketh as he ought to ſpeak. Prov. 15.28. The heart of the righteous ſtudieth to anſwer, but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things: a wiſe man will well weigh his words before he ſpeaketh; and ver. 2. The tongue of the wiſe uſeth knowledge aright, but the mouth of fools pour out fooliſhneſs, or belcheth out his folly: The good man makes uſe of his tongue that he may not ſin with his tongue, but uſeth his knowledge aright for the good of others, when as the wicked is babling any thing that comes next to his lips: The tongue is placed neer under the brain and underſtanding part, as at the feet of her Schoolmaſter, that it might not run before the wit;Pet. Barker. expoſit in Prov. 1.3. and the heart is counſellor to the tongue, that it might have a good guide above and beneath, to teach us to ſift our words, to let them be priùs ratione, quam prolatione, priùs ad limam, quam ad linguam. Jephtha upon his raſh vow brought ſorrow upon himſelf. Raſhneſs doth nothing well: A man going in haſte eaſily ſlideth. Prov. 1….2. Avoid raſh ſpeaking, leſt with Jephtha thou ſay too late, I have opened my mouth and cannot go back: Peter's raſhneſs made him to curſe and forſwear himſelf.
2. It conſiſteth in taking a due and fit time to ſpeak in; A word fitly ſpoken is like apples of Gold in pictures of Silver, ſaith the wiſe man. Prov. or a word upon the wheeels: It is a Metae…hor taken from a Potter that mould…th his clay while it is upon the wheel, …o what faſhion he pleaſeth: he doth …iſely that ſpeaketh ſeaſonable words, …hat gives a reproof in ſeaſon; and he …lſo doth wiſely, that heareth it, and makes good uſe of it: this is better eſteemed in the eyes of God, then jewels of gold and ſilver in the eyes of men. Thus Abigail deals with Nabal, ſhe takes the fitteſt time to ſpeak unto him, not in his Wine, nor in a paſſion preſently when ſhe heareth of it, but when his wine is gone. 1 Sam. 25.35. So Nathan dealeth with David 2 Sam. 12.1. He by a parable gets within him, and makes him paſs ſentence upon himſelf, and then tells him, Thou art the man. Solomon tells us, there is a time to keep ſilence and a time to ſpeak. Eccleſ. 3.7. every thing is beautiful in his ſeaſon; ſo is ſpeech; ſo is ſilence. The Learned tell us, there are ſeven ſpecial ſeaſons of ſpeaking; as,
1. When we bring honour to God, and do good to our brethren.
2. When the truth and honour o… God may be vindicated by us.
3. When the credit of a wronge… brother may be repaired by us.
4. When by ſpeaking the ignoran… may receive direction or inſtructio… from us.
5. When the weak may be ſupported and comforted by us.
6. When a doubting ſoul may receive eſtabliſhment from us.
7. When we have an opportunity of giving due reproof and conviction to thoſe that do evil. To theſe I ſhall add, that it's lawful and ſeaſonable for Chriſtians being falſely accus'd to uſe appeals, and make apologies for themſelves in defence of their innocencie: So did David, when Saul had received many falſe informations againſt him, 1 Sam. 26.18. The like doth St. Paul before Felix, Feſtus, King Agrippa, and all other Governours before whom he was accuſed, Act. 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 chapters. Yea ſo doth Chriſt himſelf being accuſed to caſt out devils. Luk. 11.17. and when he was called a Samaritan, &c. Joh. 8.49. and after theſe examples ſome of the Antients have written whole Books of this Argument; as Tertulian, Juſtin Martyr, and others: and good reaſon there is hereof; for a good name is better then great riches. Prov. 22.1. Ruffinus Ruffin. Eccleſ. hiſtor.tells us, that whoſoever is ſilent being accuſed of Hereſy, cannot be a good Chriſtian; he is cited by Biſhop Jewel in his Apology for the Church of England. Epaminondas an Heathen,Plutarch. in Epaminond. was ſo chary of his credit, that he was wont to ſay, He cared not to be killed, ſo it might be recorded that he died without juſt cauſe. Chriſtians therefore have juſt warrtnt to anſwer in their own defence, when they be falſely accuſed, eſpecially in the caſe of Religion, when the imputation doth not ſo much touch their Perſons, as their Profeſſion; in this caſe not to be reſolute, is to be plainly diſſolute: In Athens, every Citizen took a corporal oath to maintain their profeſſed and eſtabliſhed Religion,Melanct praefat. ad comment. in Roman. in this ſort, Pugnabo pro ſacris, & ſolus, & cum aliis. It is alſo neceſſary in ſome caſes to make confeſſion of our faith. ſc. where the Glory of God may by that means be procured, our brethren edified, and ſcandal avoided. So doth Paul, Act. 22. St. Peter enjoyneth us alway to be ready to give an anſwer to every one that asketh us,Note that the Articles of faith are ſubject to reaſon, but that every one may ſee we have reaſon to beleeve as we do. Junilius. de partib. 9. divinae legis. lib. 2. cap. ult. and a reaſon of the hope that is in us▪ 1 Pet. 3.15. Yea Paul tells us, that every one that will be ſaved, with the mouth muſt make confeſsion to ſalvation. Rom. 10.10. and Bullinger tells us, that faith in the heart breaking forth into confeſſion with the mouth, is a note whereby the friends of Chriſt are diſtinguiſhed from the followers of Antichriſt: Yea Chriſt hath told us plainly, that whoſoever will not confeſs him on earth before men, he will not acknowledge them before his Father in Heaven: This confuteth all Peter-like Profeſſors, who …re ſilent in time of perſecution, and …hink that then its enough for them to think well, and mean well, and keep their faith to themſelves; no, they muſt confeſs it to others; and if they do not, or dare not, it's an argument for the time, their tongues are not looſed by God, but tyed up by the Devil.
3. The right ordering of the tongue conſiſteth,The leaves of loquacity, ſpring from the root of ſmall capacity. when a man is careful that there is not too much loquacity in himſelf, that he doth not vainly bable upon all occaſions. Prov. 10.19. the wiſe man ſheweth the folly of a man given to talk much: A wiſe man refraineth his lips; but where much talk is, there is much ſin, unleſs there be much grace to govern the heart: He that hath knowledge ſpareth his words. Prov. 17.27. The Preacher is cleer in this point. God is in Heaven, thou upon earth, therefore let thy words be few. Eccl. 5.3. Men muſt take heed of impertinent words, words of wind, that are empty and fruitleſs: The Hebrews call a vain word, a word of lips Prov. 14.23. Surely the Serpent wil… bite without enchantment, and a babler is no better. Eccleſ. 10.11. A babler hurteth his friend, aideth his enemy, and undoeth himſelf: as members that are continually diſeaſed, continually draw humours to them; ſo the tongue of a babler, being never without an inflammation, draweth poiſon to it ſelf by continual babling, as One well noteth:Crook. Hypocr. chap. 3. Auguſt. de Conven. 10 Praecept. & 10 Plagar. Abſit in oratione multa locutio, ſed non deſit multa precatio. Hieron. Non magna vocis extenſio, ſed magna cordis intentio deo grata. Chemnit. Harmon. Evangel. What One ſaith of Heretical teachers, I may ſay of all vain bablers, they are like Frogs, that in muddy Marſhes and Fens are alwayes croaking, that bring irkſomneſs to the ears, but yield no food to the minds of men. Our Saviour condemneth vain repetitions in prayer; for ſome think they ſhall be heard for their much ſpeaking. Mat. 6.7. Chriſt correcteth them not for the matter they prayed, but for the manner of their praying, that in their prayers they uſed vain repetitions, ſuperfluous and ſuperſtitious multiplying of words, like the Heathen; for repetitions of the ſame petitions are not unlawful.
4. It conſiſteth in this, that we be careful not to be often found talking of the things that concern us not to talk of; This is ſet down to be the fault of women that go from houſe to houſe, that are tatlers and buſy-bodyes, ſpeaking things which they ought not. 1 Tim. 5.13. and theſe are ſuch, ſaith the Apoſtle, that learn to be idle, that wander from houſe to houſe, and talk of things that concern them not; but this is not the fault of women only, but the fault alſo of too many men among us; and ſuch were among the Theſſalonians; he bids them ſtudy to be quiet, that is, ſhew not your ſelves to be men and women of the tongue. 1 Tim. 4.11▪ Let no man affect the honour to be a great talker, but love the honour to be at reſt, as the Greek words import, which is greater honour:foreign. ſometime the Greek word foreign ſignifieth, the Reſt of the body, as the women reſted on the Sabbath day before they went to the Sepulcher of Chriſt, to annoint the dead body of our Saviour, with the ſpices and ointments they had prepared; there is the ſame word in the Original,foreign. Luk 23. ult. but here the Apoſtle meaneth the reſt of the Tongue, to reſt from medling with things that belong not to them: If men will be diſcourſing, let it be of what may do themſelves and others good.
5. It conſiſteth in this, that our ſpeech be not croſs, nor froward, nor thwarting language: Many men have froward hearts, and they ſhew it by their froward words; ſpeak to ſuch men, and you ſhall have nothing but ſome froward anſwer again▪ Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverſe lips put far from thee. Prov. 4.24. One obſerveth upon that place, how ill God looketh upon ſuch a tongue, comparing it to a lip drawn awry; as that ſeemeth ill in the eyes of men, ſo a froward tongue is much more unſeemly in the eyes of God: therefore put this away from thee: This is one character of a naughty perſon; A wicked man walks with a froward mouth. Prov. 6.12. The phraſe is very emphatical; where ever he goes he carries it with him:God made not the tongue of man of bone or of any other hard ſubſtance, but of tender fleſh, becauſe thy words ſhould be tender, and ſweet, not rough and ſharp. Stella Here is the difference between a good man, and a wicked man; though there be by nature ſuch frowardneſs in the heart of a Holy man, yet Grace makes him ſtrive againſt it, and he hath no Reſt in himſelf, till he hath gotten the Maſtery over it: In this caſe it is with a child of God, as with an horſe that trots hard, yet by Art he is brought to pace eaſily; but becauſe his trot is natural, he is apt to fall into it very often, but the rider with the bridle minding him of it again, recovereth him: So the bridle of Gods law and his Grace recovereth a child of God out of frowardneſs, though it be natural to him.
Now the evil of this ſin of frowardneſs in words appeareth. 1. In that men hereby ſhew their paſſion, their choler and boiling anger; by froward words they ſhew the frowardneſs that is in their heart. Prov. 6.18. 2. It doth provoke others the more to anger, it may do them much hurt as well as our ſelves; an angry man ſtirreth up ſtrife, and a furious man aboundeth with tranſgreſsion. Prov. 19.22. It doth but ſtir up ſtrife, and cauſe their ſins with ours the more to abound; as the coal maketh burning coals, and wood a fire, ſo the contentious man is apt to kindle ſtrife; anger are as fire, and words are as fuel to the fire. Prov. 26.21. 3. Froward words are not the way to calm and quiet mens ſpirits, but calm words ſerve for that end: A ſoft anſwer turneth away wrath, but grievous words ſtir up anger. Prov. 15.1. A ſoft tongue breaketh the bone. Prov. 25.15. 4. A froward man is not to be dealt with nor ſpoken to; to inſtruct the froward,Perverſum corrippere eſt stimulare inſanum, & oleum camino adhibere. Petr. Raven. is to ſet goads to one that is mad already, or to pour oyle into a Chimney; froward men are like a piece of rotten wood, ſcarce touched but they fall in pieces: Many Salamandry ſpirits there are whom nothing will content but meer frowardneſs and diſcontent. 5. The froward are an abomination to the Lord. Prov. 11.20. and God will cut off all froward tongues; the perverſeneſs of tranſgreſſors ſhall deſtroy them. Prov. 11.3. Therefore let every one repent of his wrathful ire, and eſpy every wrinkle in his brow; labour to bridle this ſin, for it is ſtronger then a horſe; for an horſe may more eaſily be ruled then this humour.
6. The right ordering of the tongue conſiſteth in this; ſc. that we give not our tongues liberty to ſpeak evil of what we know not, nor underſtand not; nor of thoſe men we are not well acquainted with. Conſider what St. Peter and Jude ſpeak of this. 2 Pet. 2.12. Jude ver. 10. Theſe as natural brute beaſts made to be taken and deſtroyed, ſpeak evil of the things that they underſtand not; and here let us conſider. 1. In ſpeaking evil of what we underſtand not, we ſhew our folly, and it is to our ſhame. He that anſwereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and ſhame to him. Prov. 18.13. Many men will be ready to anſwer a matter that is before them before they underſtand it, or it be half ſpoken to them, that they maybe counted men of great wit and parts; but this ſheweth their folly. 2. In ſpeaking evil of what we know not, we may be guilty of as great a ſin as thoſe that put the Lord Jeſus to death, who preferred a murderer before him, condemning the holy and ſpotleſs Lamb of God, and juſtifying and acquitting one that was notoriouſly wicked; we may call evil good, and good evil, and ſo come under the woe denouned againſt ſuch perſons. Iſai. 5. Conſider 3. What the Apoſtle Peter compareth ſuch men to; he ſaith, they are more like to brute beaſts; then reaſonable men. 2 Pet. 2.12. God gives us reaſon that hereby we ſhould govern our ſelves, and this we muſt ſhew in the well-governing of our tongues. 4. Theſe men ſhall periſh in their own ſin, and corruption; ſuch men are in the high way to deſtruction.
7. It conſiſteth in ſpeaking to others as we ought; when others ſhew their paſsion or malice againſt you in giving you provoking language, then it becomes you to ſhew the truth of your Religion, by your not retorting again: if one caſt dirt in thy face, do not thou caſt dirt in his face: Some will ſay this is hard to fl ſh and blood; but though fleſh and blood cannot bear it, yet grace can: When Shimei raileth at David, though the Commanders with the King give him the ſame language again, yet David doth not ſo. 2 Sam. 16.10. his heart was not in the ſame temper with theirs, he had another manner of ſpirit then they had. Now that we may take heed of this ſin whenſoever we are tempted to it, or have any occaſion thereunto, let us conſider theſe motives to perſwade us to the contrary duty.
1. This ſin God hath plainly forbidden in his word: Render not railing for railing, nor evil for evil. 1. Pet. 3.9. Therefore thoſe that ſpeak ſo ſlightingly of us, do break the command of God. 2. If we do ſo, we ſhall hereby ſhew we are overcome with evil, whereas we muſt overcome evil with good.Nothing more pleaſeth now adayes, then that which the French men call l'eſcriture picquante, Satyrical Invectives, both in Pulpits and Pamphlets. 3. In ſo doing we ſhall ſhew our ſelves but like unto them that, revile us; they ſhew themſelves unlike to Chriſtians; and if we do ſo, we ſhall ſhew our ſelves as bad as they are. Prov. 26.4. the wiſemans counſel is, Anſwer not a fool according to his folly leſt thou alſo be like him; in the next verſe he ſeemeth to croſs this command; but if it be well conſidered, it is meant only that ſo he may ſee his folly in that ſame thing wherein he ſpake fooliſhly. 4. By doing as they do, we may loſe the fruit that God would have us get by the reproaches that are caſt upon us by our enemies. In theſe reſpects conſider.
1. Where truth of grace is in the heart, it will make a man reflect upon himſelf, to ſee whether he deſerveth that charge that ſuch men charge him withal or not, that if it be ſo, he may be humbled for it before the Lord, and beg pardon; and if it be not ſo, then he may ſit down and bleſs God that it is not ſo, that he is not ſo bad as ſuch a one would make him. As Auguſtine is liberal in diſcovering his own defects, ſo he toucheth upon his Mothers*Itaque ad illud modicum quotidiana modica addendo (quoniam qui modica ſpernit, pau…atim decidit) in eam conſuetudinem lapſa erat, ut propè jam plenos mero caliculos hauriret. Aug. lib. 9 confeſſ. 8.; he ſaith Surrepſerat ei vinolentia, a too much love of wine did ſteal upon her. This came to paſs, ſaith he, by ſipping a little wine now and then, when being a young Girle and waiting at the Table, ſhe uſed to fill wine to her Father and Mother; ſhe did it not, ſaith he, out of any drunken humour, but meer youthful wantonneſs; but yet ſhe did it, and by frequent doing it, ſhe had gotten ſuch a love it, that ſhe could afterward with greedineſs drink up, and draw dry whole cups of wine; and this ill cuſtom would have brought her to greater indecencyes that way, had not God by ſtirring up a ſervant of her Fathers to reproach her, and call her Meribibulam a wine-bibber, cured her in time of that infirmity, which Auſtin therefore calleth Medicinale ferrum, a curing weapon; this reproaching of her by the Maid-ſervant▪ was the means through Gods bleſſing to cure her of this Malady.
2. Where there is grace in the heart it will teach a man to conſider whether God may not ſuffer ſuch a one ſo to open his mouth againſt him, as that his graces may be tryed thereby, that our faith, patience, meekneſs, humility, may be the more apparent: Thus David in patience and meekneſs conſidereth Gods end in Shimeis railing upon him, and lets him alone.
3. Conſider the example of our Saviour Chriſt himſelf; his practice was, not to render evil for evil; but when he was unjuſtly accuſed, he did as was prophecyed of him, not open his mouth again, Iſai. 53.7. It is twice repeated of him, and this the Apoſtle ſets down alſo; Who when he was reviled, reviled not again, and when he ſuffered, he threatned not, but committed himſelf to him that judgeth righteouſly. 1 Pet. 2.23. Chriſt reviled not again, partly becauſe reviling is a ſin, and partly becauſe he ſuffered as our ſurety, though he had deſerved no ſuch ſhame as we had: therefore he holds his peace not only from reviling, but many times from juſt apology, confeſsing our guiltineſs by his ſilence, as One well noteth; if we would be accounted members of Chriſt, let us walk as Chriſt walked.
4. Conſider the example of Michael the Arch-Angel, when he diſpued with the Devil about the body of Moſes, Jude ver. 9. he contended with him, yet durſt not bring any railing accuſation againſt him, but ſaid only, The Lord rebuke thee: Michael had to do with the worſt of creatures, and in the beſt cauſe by the appointment of God; yet he raileth not at him, but commits his cauſe to God: If he in the cauſe of God durſt not do it; ſhall any Chriſtian dare to do it in his own cauſe? no, the Scripture teacheth us, 1. Silently to bear what reproaches are caſt upon us: So doth Moſes, when Aaron and Miriam chide with him. Numb. 12.3. he held his peace; he ſaw their paſsion, and knew if he ſhould break out into paſsion alſo, he ſhould ſin againſt God, as they did againſt him: So David, I was dumb with ſilence, ſaith he, I held my peace. Pſal. 39.2. when it may be he was reproached by them for ſo doing.
5. Grace will teach a man in ſuch a caſe, inſtead of anſwering them in the like language, to go to God and ſpread our caſe before him; this doth Job, chap. 16.20. My friends ſcorn me, but mine eyes pour out tears to God: So Nehemiah, while the enemyes ſcoff, he prayeth, Hear O our God, for we are deſpiſed. Nehem. 4.4. therefore ſpread thy caſe before the Lord, and intreat him to plead for thee, and to cleer thine innocency, and make them to ſee their ſin, and humble them for it, and ſit them receiving pardon at his hands: hereby we ſhall ſhew our ſelves to be true Chriſtians, and ſuch whoſe Religion is not vain.