A Bridle for the Tongue, Chapter 3
CHAP. 3. The point confirmed by 5 Reaſons.
NOw come we to the reaſons of the point, why he which brideleth not his tongue, though he ſeem Religious, yet his Religion is vain.
Becauſe Gods word (which is the Reaſ. 1 true ground of Religion) ſets rules to order and govern the tongue by; and the Lord gives it in charge, that thoſe that have Grace in their hearts, ſhould have their tongues ſeaſoned with Grace. Coloſ. 4.6. ſeaſoned with ſalt: there is the Salt of Holy doctrine.Sal doctrinae, Sal mortificationis, Sal boni ſermonis. Mat. 5.13. the Salt of Mortification. Mar. 9. ult. and the Salt of ſavory ſpeech. Prov. 10.20. Prov. 16.23. 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. Eph. 4.29. It is ſaid of Chriſt, that Grace was poured into his lips, Pſal. 45.2. and the people wondred at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth. Luk. 4.22. Our Saviour tells us that for every idle word that men ſhall ſpeak, they ſhall give an account at the laſt day; and if ſo; then much more for every ſinful and wicked word.
Reaſ. 2 Becauſe God forbids the exorbitances of the Tongue, as diſcovering much corruption; if ſo be you have been taught by Chriſt, as the truth is in Jeſus, then put off concerning the former converſation, the old man which is corrupt, &c. putting away lying, ſpeak every man truth to his neighbour; let all bitterneſs, wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil ſpeaking be put away from you with all malice. Eph. 4.22, 25, 31. and this is commanded to be put off upon this ground; becauſe ye have put off the old, and put on the new man: and the Apoſtle Peter having ſpoken of their Regeneration. chap. 1. he grounds his exhortation to this duty upon it. 1 Pet. 2.1. Wherefore lay aſide all malice, and envy, and all evil ſpeaking.
Becauſe according to what is moſt Reaſ. 3 powerful in the heart of man, ſuch are the expreſſions of the tongue; what the heart moſt abounds with, that will the tongue moſt utter: if a Treaſure of ſin be in the heart, the tongue will be full of evil; and for men to make ſhew of Religion, and yet leave their tongues unbridled, this plainly ſheweth the vanity of ſuch mens Religion. Prov. 10. The wiſe man ſets the tongue of the Righteous againſt the Heart of the wicked; and as one is compared to choic… Silver, ſo the other is little worth… worth no…hing; and ſuch a perverſ… tongue ſhall be cut off: Out of the … bundance of the heart, the mouth ſpeaketh. Ma. 12.34. The ſtrokes i… Muſick anſwer to the Notes tha… are pricked in the Rules. The Anatomiſts teach, that the heart and tongue hang upon one ſtring, and hence it is, as in a Clock or Watch, when the wheele is moved, the hammer ſtriketh; ſo the words of the mouth anſwer to the motions of the heart;Dr. Featly. and when the heart is moved with any paſſion or perturbation, the hammer beats upon the Bell, and the mouth ſoundeth. Pſal. 45.1. Reaſ. 4 Rom. 10.10. as one well noteth.
Though the tongue now and then may prove a falſe glaſs, yet it is then when it maketh ſhew not of the worſe, but of the better; as falſe glaſſes do commonly make men ſeem fairer than they are, not fouler. Stock. Expoſit. in Malac. 1.Becauſe when there is much ſinne manifeſted in the tongue, it clearly ſheweth that there is little grace in the ſoul. The Apoſtle James 3. from ver. 6. ad 12. ſheweth that though the tongue be a ſmall member, yet 1. There is a world of iniquity in it; and for the variety of ſin in it, he might well ſay ſo: it is parvum but pravum, a member little in quantity, but great in iniquity: ſome indeed number 24, others 29 ſins of the tongue. 2. The Apoſtle ſaith, that the ſins of the Tongue defile the whole body. 1 Cor. 15.30. Evil words corrupt good manners: when the earth is broken up, and a filthy ſtench cometh out, it argueth there was ſome dead corps there; ſo when men ſend out railings, curſings, blaſphemies, &c. that one is not able to endure, theſe ſpring from a dead and rotten ſoul, theſe ſins are great ſpots to Religion: the Phariſees found fault with Chriſts Diſciples for not waſhing their hands before meat; Chriſt tells them that the meat they eat with unwaſht hands, defiled them not, but the things which come out of their mouths, as evil ſpeaking, &c. theſe defile the man. Mat. 15.8. It is not credibl… ſaith St. Ambroſe, he ſhould live wel… that ſpeaketh wickedly; in man… words there wanteth not ſin. Prov. 10 29 He that can ſport at ſin with hi… tongue, will not ſtick to commit it, i… time and place give leave, being tempted thereunto. 3. The unbridle… Tongue is ſet on fire of Hell: the Prophet ſpeaking of the incurable miſchief of the evil tongue, ſaith it is as the ſharpe arrowes of a mighty man, o… as the coals of Juniper. Pſal. 120.4. Juniper burns ſooneſt, and keeps fire longeſt of any wood: ſuch is the force of an evil tongue; it ſets on fire the courſe of nature, and is it ſelf ſet on fire with Hell; the Devil is in that tongue, he kindleth a fire in it, and bloweth it with the bellows of all miſchief: now then conſider what that mans Religion is that hath ſuch a tongue, what ſhew ſoever he maketh. 4. He ſheweth how croſſe this is to Religion by natural demonſtrations: one and the ſame tree cannot bring forth good and bad fruit; it is contrary to nature, and he illuſtrateth it; that Man with one tongue ſhould bleſs God, and curſe man, made after the image of God, were a great vanity to think: to bleſs and to curſe are things contrary one to another, and be not in the ſame tongue; as a Fountain cannot ſend forth ſweet and bitter water, which being conſidered, ſheweth ſuch a mans Religion is vain.
Becauſe what pretences ſoever Reaſ. 5 ſuch men make, this ſheweth them to be Lawleſſe and Lordleſſe men. Pſal. 12.3, 4. though they may ſay God is their Lord in their words, yet this ſheweth they are without ack… ledging any to Lord it over them: they ſay their tongues are their own, and who ſhall Lord it over them? if God were their Lord, then they would keep his Commandements; and to ſuch will Jeſus Chriſt ſay at the laſt day, why call ye me Lord, and do not the things that I command you? and the Law of Chriſt is; Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouths; and let him that nameth the name of Chriſt, depart from iniquity.