Practical Commentary of 1 Peter Volume 2, Commentary · Chapter 1 · Verse 8
Verse 10.
10. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his Tongue from Evil, and his Lips that they speak no guile.
THe rich bounty of God diffuses it self throughout the World upon all, yet there is a select number, that hath peculiar blessings of his right hand, that the rest of the World share not in, and even to common blessings they are differenced by a peculiar title to them, and sweetness in them, their blessings are so indeed, and entirely so, outside, and inside, and more within than they appear without; the Lord himself is their portion, and they are his. This is their blessedness which in a low estate they can challenge, and outvie all the painted prosperity of the World. Some kind of blessings do abundantly run over upon others, but the Cup of blessings, it belongs unto the Godly by a new right from Heaven graciously conferr'd upon them, others sent away with gifts (as they apply that) but the inheritance is Isaac's▪ they are called to be the Sons of God, and are like him, as his Children, in goodness and blessing; the Inheritance of blessing is theirs alone, called, says the Apostle, to inherit a blessing; and all the promises in the great Charter of both Testaments run in that appropriating stile, entail'd to them, as only Heirs. Thus this fitly is translated from the one Testament to the other by the Apostle for his present purpose,Ps. 34 13 14. He that will love, &c.
Consider, 1. The qualification requir'd. 2. The blessing annex'd and ascertain'd to it; the Scope being to recommend a Rule so exact, and for that purpose to propound a Good so important and desirable, as a sufficient attractive to study and conform to that Rule.
The Rule is all of it one streight line running through the whole Tract of a Godly Man's Life, yet you see clearly that it is (not cut asunder indeed) but only mark'd into four, whereof the two latter parcels are somewhat longer, more generally reaching a man's ways, the two former particularly regulating the Tongue.
In the ten Words of the Law, that God delivered in, so singular a manner both by Word and Writ from his own mouth and hand, there be two, that if not wholly, yet most especially, and most expressly concerd the Tongue, as a very considerable, though a small part of man, and of these four words here two are bestow'd on't.
The Apostle St. Iames is large in this, teaching the great Concernment of this point, 'tis a little member (says he) but boasteth great things, needs a strong Bridle; and than the bridling of it makes much for the ruling the whole Course of a Man's Life, as he there applies the resemblance; yea he gives the skill of this as the very Character of perfection. And if we consider it, it must be of very great consequence how we use that Tongue being the main outlet of the thoughts of the heart, and the means of Society amongst men in all Affairs Civil and Spiritual; by which men give birth to the conceptions of their own minds and seek to beget the like in the minds of others. The bit that is here made for mens mouths, hath these two halfs that make it up. 1. To refrain from open evil speaking. 2. From double and guileful speaking.
From Evil.] This is a large Field, the Evil of the Tongue, but I give it too narrow a name, we have good warrant to give it a much larger, a whole Universe, a World of Iniquity, a vast bulk of Evils, and great variety of them, as of Countries on the Earth, or Creatures in the World, and multitudes of such are venemous and full of deadly poyson, and not few Monsters, new productions of wickedness, semper aliquid novi, as they say of Africa.
There be in the daily discourses of the greatest part many things that belong to this World of Evil, and yet pass unsuspected, that we do not think them to be within its compass, not using due diligence and exactness in our discoveries of the several parts of it, although 'tis all within our selves, yea within a small part of our selves, our Tongues.
It were too quick a fancy to think to travel over this World of Iniquity, the whole circuit of it, in an hour, yea or so much as to aim exactly at all the parts that can be taken of it in the smallest Map: but some of the chief we would particularly take notice of, in the several four parts of it, for it will without constraint hold resemblance in that division with the other, yet habitable World.
I. Prophane Speech, that which is grossly and manifestly wicked, and in that part. 1. Impious Speeches that directly reflect upon the glory and name of God, Blasphemies, and Oaths, and Cursings, of which so great, so lamentable abundance amongst us, the whole Land overspread and defiled with it, the common noise that meets a man in Streets, and Houses, and almost all places where he comes: and to these, joyn those that are not scant amongst us neither, scoffs and mocking at Religion, the power and strictness of it, not only by the grosser sort, but by pretenders to some kind of goodness, for they that have attained to a self-pleasing pitch of Civility or formal Religion, have usually that point of presumption with it, that they make their own size the model and rule to examine all by; what is below it they condemn indeed, as prophane; but what is beyond it they account needless and affected preciseness: and therefore are as ready as others to let fly invectives or bitter taunts against it, which are the keen and poysoned shafts of the Tongue, and a persecution that shall be called to a strick account. 2. Impure or filthy speaking which either pollutes or offends those that hear them, and are the noisom breath of a rotten polluted heart.
II. Consider next as another grand part of the Tongue, uncharitable Speeches tending to the defaming and disgrace of others, and these are likewise of two sorts. 1. Open rayling and reproaches. 2. Secret slander and detraction. The former is unjust and cruel, but it is somewhat the less dangerous because open, 'tis a fight in plain field; but truly no piece of a Christian's warfare to encounter it in the same kind, the Sons of Peace are not for those Tongue-Combats, they are often no doubt set upon so, but they have another abler way of overcoming it, than by the use of the same Weapon, for they break and blunt the point of ill reproaches by meekness, and triumph over cursings with more abundant blessing, as is in the former words, which are seconded with these out of the Psalm. 34. 13, 14. But they that enter the lists in this kind, and are provided one for another with onraged minds, are usually not unprovided of weapons, lay hold on any thing comes next,Furor …arma ministrat. as your Drunkards in their quarrels in their Cups and Pots, if they have any other great Reproach, they lay about them with that, as their Sword; but if they want that, true or untrue, pertinent or impertinent, all is one, they cast out any revilings that come next to hand: but there is not only wickedness, but something of baseness in these kind of conflicts that makes them more abound amongst the baser sort, and not so frequent with such as are but of a more civil breeding and quality than the vulgar.
But the other of Detraction is more universal amongst all sorts, as being a far easier way of mischief in this kind, and of better conveyance. Raylings cry out the matter openly, but Detraction works all by Surprizes, and Stratagem, and mines under Ground, and therefore is much more pernicious. The former are, as the Arrows that fly by day, but this, as the Pestilence that walketh in darkness, as these two are mention'd together in the Psalm, it spreads and infects secr…tly and insensibly, is not felt but in the effects of it; and it works either by calumnies altogether forged and untrue, of which malice is inventive, or by the advantage of real faults (of which it is very discerning) and are stretch'd and aggravated to the utmost, and 'tis not expressible, how deep a wound a Tongue sharpen'd to this work will give with a very little word and little noise, as a Rasor, as it is called in the Psalm, that with a small touch cuts very deep; taking things by the worse, whereas Charity will try about all ways for a good acceptation and sense of things, and takes all in be best. This Pest is still killing some almost in all Companies, many wounded as it's said of the strange Woman, Prov. 7. and they convey it under fair prefacing of commendation, so giving them poyson in wine, both that it may pass the better, and penetrate the more. This is a great sin, that the Lord ranks with the first, when he sets them in order against a Man, Psal. 50.
III. Vain fruitless Speeches are an Evil of the Tongue, not only those they call harmless lies, which some poor people take a pleasure in, and trade much in, light buffoonries and foolish jestings, but the greatest part of those Discourses which Men account the blameless Entertainments one of another, come under compass of this Evil, forthy, unsavory stuff, tending to no purpose, nor good at all.foreign Effectless Words as our Saviour speaks, of which we must render account: for that very reason they are in this World of evil in the Tongue, if no other way ill, yet ill as the Arabian Deserts and barren Sands, fruitless.
IV. Doubleness and Guile, so great apart, that 'tis here particularly nam'd apart, though the Evil of it is less known and discern'd, and so there is in it, as I may say, much terra incognita, yet it is of a very large compass, we may confidently say, as large as all the other three together. What of mens speech is not manifestly evil in any of the other kinds, is the most of it nought this way; speech good to appearance plausible and fair, but not upright, not Silver, but Silver dross, as Solomon calls it, burning Lips, &c. Prov. 26. 23. Each almost some way or other speaking falshood and deceit to his Neighbour, and daring to act this faculty with God in his Services, and our protestations of Obedience, religious Speeches abus'd by some in Hypocrisie, as holy Vestments for a mask or disguise, doing nothing but compassing him about with lies, as he complains of Ephraim, Hos. 11. 12. deceiving indeed our selves, while we think to deceive him, who cannot be deceived, and will not be mocked, Psal. 17. 1. He saw through the disguises and hypocrisie of his own People, when they came to enquire at him, and yet still entertain'd their Heart-Idols, as he tells the Prophet Ezek. 14.
The sins of each of us, would we enter into a strict account of our selves, would be found to arise to a great Sum in this kind, and they that do put themselves upon the work of Self-trial, find (no doubt) abundant matter of deepest humbling, though they had no more, even in the sin of their lips, and are by it often astonish'd at the Lord's patience, considering his Holiness, as Esay cried out, having seen the Lord in a glorious Vision, this in particular falls upon his thoughts concerning himself and the people, polluted lips, woe is me, &c. And indeed 'tis a thing the Godly mind cannot be satisfied with, to make mention of the Lord till they be touch'd with a Coal from the Heavenly Fire of the Altar, and they especially that are call'd to be the Lord's Messengers will say, as St. Bernard, had the Prophet need of a Coal then to unpollute his lips, then do Ministers require totum globum ig…eum. Go through the Land and see if the sins of this kind will take up much of the Bill against us, which the Lord seems now to have taken into his hands, and to be reading, and about to take order with it, because we will not: would we fall to read it, he would let it fall. Is it not because of Oaths that the Land mourns, or I am sure hath now high cause to mourn? mocking at the power of Godliness, fly thick in most Congregations and Societies. And what is there to be found almost but mutual detractions and supplantings of the good name of another, and Tongues taught to lies, and that frame, or sow,Ier. 9. 4. and weave together deceits, as 'tis in the 50 Psalm. And even the Godly as to other sins, so may be under the degrees of this, and too many are very much, by reason of their unwatchfulness and not staying themselves in this point, though not to prophane, yet to vain, and it may be to detractive Speeches, sometimes possibly not with malicious intention: but out of an inadvertence of this evil, readier to stick on the failings of men, and it may be of other Christians, than to consider, and commend, and follow what is laudable in them; and it may be in their best Discourses, not endeavouring to have hearts purg'd from all guile and self-ends as becomes. Oh! 'tis a thing needs much diligent study, and is worth it all to be throughly sincere and unfeigned in all, and particularly in those things. Our Saviour's innocence is exprest so, In his mouth was found no guile.
But to add something for remedy of those evils in some part discovered, for to vanquish the World of Evils is a great Conquest.
1. It must begin at the heart, otherwise it will be but a Mountebank cure, a false imagin'd conquest, the weights and wheels are there, and the Clock strikes according to their motion; even he that speaks contrary to what is within him, guilfully contrary to his inward conviction and knowledge, yet speaks conformably to what is within him, in the temper and frame of his heart, which is double, a heart and a heart, as the Psalmist hath it. A guileful Heart makes guileful Tongue and Lips, it is the Work-house, where is the Forge of Deceits and Slanders, and other Evilspeakings: and the Tongue only the outer shop where they vent, and the Lips the Door of it; so then such Ware as is made within, such and no other can be set out; from evil thoughts, evil speakings, from a prophane heart, prophane words, and from a malicious heart bitter or calumnious words, and from a deceitful heart, guileful words well varnish'd, but lin'd with rottenness. And so generally from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, (as our Saviour teaches.) That which the heart is full of, runs over by the Tongue, if the heart be full of God, the Tongue will delight to speak of him; much of heavenly things within will sweetly breath forth something of their smell by the mouth; and if nothing but earth there, all that man's discourse will have an earthly smell, and if nothing but wind, vanity, and folly, the Speech will be airy, and vain, and purposeless, Ps. 37 30, 31. Ps. 40. 8, 9. in the midst of my bowels, and as from the center thou sends forth the lines and rays of sutable words, and will not, cannot refrain, as there it is; so no more can the evil heart refrain the Tongue from evil, as here is directed. The Tongue of the Righteous, says Solomon, is as fined silver, but the heart of the wicked is little worth, makes the Antithesis in the root, his heart little worth, and therefore his tongue, no silver in it: he may be worth thousands (as we speak) that is indeed in his Chests or Lands, and yet himself, his heart, and all the thoughts of it, not worth a penny.
If thou art inur'd to oaths or cursing, in any kind or fashion of it, taking the great name of God any ways in vain, do not favour thy self in it as a small offence; to excuse it by custom, is to wash thy self with Ink, and to accuse thy self deeper that thou art long practic'd in that sin, but if thou would'st indeed be deliver'd from it, think not that a flight dislike of it (when reprov'd) will do, but seek for a due knowledge of the Majesty of God, and thence a deep reverence of him in thy heart, and that will certainly help that habituated Evil of thy Tongue, will quite alter that bias that the custom thou speakest of hath given it, will cast it in a new Mould, and teach it a new Language, will turn thy regardless abuse of that name, in vain Oaths and Asseverations, into a holy frequent use of it in Prayers and Praises: thou wilt not then dare to indignifie that blessed name, that Saints and Angels bless and adore, but will set in with them to bless it.
None that knows the weight of it, will dally with it, and lightly lift it up (as that word of taking in vain in the command signifies) they that do continue to lift it up in vain, as it were, to sport themselves with it, will find the weight of it falling back upon them and crushing them to pieces.
In like manner a purified heart will unteach the Tongue of all filthy impure speeches, and will give it a holy strain, and the Spirit of Charity, and Humility will banish that mischievous humour, that sits so deep in the most, of reproaching and disgracing others in any kind, either openly or secretly; for 'tis wicked self-love, and pride of heart, whence those do spring searching and disclosing the failings of others, which love will rather cast a Mantle on to hide them.
'Tis an argument of a candid ingenuous mind, to delight in the good name and commendation of others, to pass by their defects, and take notice of their vertues, and to speak and hear of these willingly, and not endure either to speak or hear of the other; for in this indeed a Man may be little less guilty, than the evil Speaker in taking pleasure in it, tho' you speak it not. And this is a piece of Men's natural perversness to drink in tales and calumnies,Obtrectatio & livor primis auribus accipiuntur. and he that doth this will readily from the delight he hath in hearing slide insensibly into the humour of evil speaking; and it is strange how the most dispence with themselves in this point, and that in no Societies almost shall we find a hatred of this ill, but rather some touches of pleasingness in it, and until a Christian set himself to an inward watchfulness over his heart, not suffering in it any thought either of uncharity, or vain self esteem upon the sight of others frailties, they will still be subject to somewhat of this in the Tongue, or Ear at least. So for the evil of guile in the Tongue, a sincere heart, truth in the inward parts, that powerfully redresses, therefore Psal. 15. 'tis express'd, that speaketh the truth from his heart. Thence it flows, seek much after this, to speak nothing with God, nor Men, but what is the sense of a single unfeigned heart. O sweet truth! excellent, but rare sincerity! He that loves that truth within alone can work it; seek it of him.
2dly, Be choice in your society, sit not with vain persons, whose Tongues have nothing else to utter but impurity, or malice, or folly. Men readily learn the dialect, and tone of the people amongst whom they live. If you sit down in the chair of scorners; take a seat with them, you shall readily take a share of their diet with them, and sitting amongst them take your turn by time of speaking with them in their own language: but frequent grave and Godly Persons in whose hearts and lips, piety, and love, and Wisdom are set and 'tis the way to learn it.
3dly, foreign Aeschyl.Use a little of the Bridle in the quantity of speech, incline a little rather to sparing than lavishing for in many words there wants not sin: That flux of the Tongue, that prating and babling disease, is very common, and hence so many impertinences, yea so many of these worse ills in their discourses, whispering about,foreign Naz. Orat. 1. and enquiring, and censuring this and that; A childish delight, and yet most Men carry it with them, all along to speak of Persons and things not concerning us; and this draws Men to speak many things that agree not with the rules of wisdom, and charity, and sincerity, he that refraineth his Lips is wise, saith Solomon. A Vessel without a cover cannot escape uncleanness, and much might be avoided by a little refraining of this, much infection and sin by the many bablings that are usual; and were it no worse, is it not a sufficient evil, that they waste away that time, precious time, that cannot be recover'd, that the most just or most thankful Man in the World cannot restore. He that spares speech, favours his Tongue indeed, as the Latin Phrase is [favere Linguae] not he that looses the reins and lets it run, he may ponder and pre-examine what he utters, whether it be profitable and seasonable or no; and so the Tongue of the Just is as fined silver; 'tis resined in the wise forethought and pondering of the heart, so is his advice, Bis ad …imam priusquam semel ad linguam. Even to utter Knowledge and wise things profusely holds not of wisdom,Stater in lagena …is bis clamat. and a little usually makes most noise, as the Hebrew proverb is, a penny in an earthen pot keeps a great sound and tinkling. Certainly 'tis the way to have much inward peace, to be wary in this point. Men think to have solace by much free unbounded discourse with others, and when they have done, they find it otherways and sometimes contrary. He is wise that hath learn't to speak little with others, and much with himself, and with God. How much might be gained for our Souls, if we would make a right use of this silence, so David dumb to Men, found his Tongue to God, Psal. 38, 13, 15. a spiritual minded Man is quickly weary of other discourse, but of that which he loves and wherewith his affection is possess'd and taken up, grave aestimant quicquid illud non sonat quod intus amant, and by experience a Christian will find it, that when the Lord is pleas'd to shew him most favour at Prayer or other spiritual exercise, how unsavoury it makes other discourses after it; as they that have tasted something singularly sweet, think other things less sweet, altogether tasteless and unpleasant.
4. In the use of the Tongue when thou doest speak, divert it from evil and guile by a habitude of, and delight in profitable and gracious discourse; thus St. Paul makes the Opposition, Eph. 4. no rotten communication, and yet not total silence neither, but such as may edifie and minister grace to the hearers.
Now in this we should consider, to the end such discourses may be more fruitful, both what is the true end of them, and the right means suiting it, they are not only nor principally for the learning of some new things, or the canvasing of debated questions, but their chief good, the warming of the heart, stirring up in it love to God, and remembrance of our present and after Estate, our mortality and immortality, and extolling the ways of Holiness, and the Promises and Comforts of the Gospel, and the Excellency of Jesus Christ, and in these sometimes one particular, sometimes another, as our particular condition requires: or any occasion makes them pertinent, so that in those discourses seek not so much either to vent thy Knowledge, or to increase it; as to know more spiritually, and effectually what thou do'st know. And in this way those mean despised Truths, that each one thinks they are sufficiently seen in, will have a new sweetness and use in them which thou didst not so well perceive before, for these flowers cannot be suck'd dry, and in this humble sincere way thou shalt grow in Grace and in Knowledge too.
There is no sweeter entertainment than for Travellers to be remembring of their Country, their blessed Home, and the Happiness abiding them there, and refreshing and encouraging one another in the hopes of it, strengthening their hearts against all the hard encounters and difficulties in the way often, often overlooking this moment, and helping each other to higher apprehensions of that vision of God, which we expect.
And are not such Discourses much more worthy the choosing, than the base trash we usually fill one another ears withal. Were our Tongues given us to exchange folly and sin? or were they not fram'd for the glorifying of God, and therefore are called, our Glory: some take it for the Soul; but they must be one in this, and then indeed are both our Tongues and Souls truely our Glory, when they are busied in exalting his, and are tun'd together to that, that my Glory may sing praise to thee and not be silent, Ps. 30. 12. Instead of calumnies, and lies, and vanities that are the carrion, that Flies, base minds, feed on, to delight in Divine Things, and the extolling of God. is for a Man to eat Angels Food. An Excellent task for the Tongue that David chooseth, Psal. 35. 28. And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness, and of thy praise all the day long. Were the day ten in one, no vacant room for any unholy, or offensive, or seigned speech. And they lose not, who love to speak praise to him, for he loves to speak peace to them, and instead of the World's Vain-Tongue-Liberty, to have such intercourse and discourse is no sad melancholy life, as the World mistakes it.