A Christians Walk and Work on Earth, Chapter 7
The fift Religious duty: Or walk of a Chriſtian is Godly Conference. CHAP. VII.
1. NOw to manage your ſelf in this fiſt walk of Chriſtianity, Conſider you muſt firſt have a New heart, and then you cannot want a New tongue,. for where Chriſt comes he makes all New. Rev. 21. 5. & 2 Cor. 5. 17. a New Conſtitution, a New Communication and a New Converſation: not only a New heart and a New life, but alſo a New ſpeech; he turns [to his Redeemed] a pure Language. Zeph. 3. 9. Or a lip of Excellency, Prov. 17. 7. as choice Silver (that hath a good ſound,) Prov. 10. 20. So as to feed many, by adminiſtring grace to all hearers, Eph. 2. 29. So that this New tongue ſhall ſcatter Pearles, Math. 7. 6. and caſt abroad Rich Treaſure, Math. 12. 35. yea even Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver, Prov. 25. 11. yet none of this can be, till Chriſt caſt in a cruſe full of the Salt of grace into the Fountain as Eliſha did, 2 King. 2. 20, 21, 22. and healed the waters: for as is the Fountain, ſo are the ſtreams ſweet or bitter, the ſtreams cannot riſe higher, nor run better then is the ſpring; qualia principia talia principiaetam, as is cauſe ſo are the effects good or evil; as is the Tree, ſo are the Fruits, and as is the Treaſure, ſo are the Expences: an evil Man out of the evil Treaſure of his heart, brings forth nothing but rotten and corrupt Communication, Matth. 12. 35. the Bell is known by the Clapper whether it conſiſt of good mettal or bad: what kind of water is in the Well, the ſame will be in the Bucket. And what is in the Ware-houſe, the ſame will be in the Shop: So whatever is in the heart, the ſame will be in the Mouth for out of the aboundance of the heart the Mouth ſpeaketh; the heart of the wicked is little worth, Prov. 10. 20. till Chriſt renew it, for and in you.
2. Conſider your ſpeech (alſo) muſt be ſeaſoned with Salt, Col. 4. 6. even your common Communication and Conference, muſt be ſeaſoned with grace, that you may leave the Savour of grace in all places and companies wherein you come, as thoſe meats that are moſt apt to putrify are moſt poudered; So that unruly member the Tongue, Jam. 3. 6. Is apt to have rotten and putrifyed Diſcourſe, [foreign] Eph. 4. 29. unleſs it be well ſeaſoned with the ſalt of mortification and of that Chriſtian wiſdom which is from above: upon this uncomely part, you muſt put on the greateſt comlineſs, 1 Cor. 12. 23. that your Mouth be not as the unclean veſſel (under the Law) that wanted a covering, Numb. 19. 15. you muſt have the covering of the Spirit, Eſa. 30. 1. that will let no corrupt Communication, no rotten diſcourſe, no obſcene borborology nor filthy ſpeeches come from you, while God (by his Spirit) keeps the door of your lips. Pſal. 141. 3. ſtinking breath proceeds from ulcerated lungs, and ſuch as have their Excrements come out of their Mouths, have that mortal and deſperate diſeaſe (cal'd Miſerere mei) upon them: 'tis very unlikely that ever the holy God entred into ſuch an Houſe, and ſuch an heart that hath ſo unclean a door, that hath not God, (1) In their heads, Pſal. 10. 4. nor (2) In their hearts, Pſal. 14. 1. nor (3) In their words. Pſal. 12. 4. no nor (4) In their works or ways, Tit. 1. 16. he is [foreign] an Atheiſt, Eph. 2. 12. that is thus without God (any way, every way) in the World. They were not Sons, but two Baſtards, that would dare to ſhoot their Arrows againſt the dead body of their Father (according to the determination of the Judg, Judging which of the three was the right heir of his Fathers goods) but he that was angry with them both for ſo doing: and ſurely thoſe cannot be the right heirs of Heaven, that dare frequently ſhoot their venemous Arrows of blaſphemous Oaths at the heart of God.
3. Conſider that God hath a Book of Rememberance, wherein to write down all that men ſay (as well as do,) Mal. 3. 16. in order hereunto he hearkens what Sinners ſay, Jer. 8. 6. as well as Saints. That he may make memorable mention of them (at leaſt at the laſt day; when all ſhall be either juſtified or condemned by their words, Mat. 12. 36, 37. Idle as well as evil words, and waſte as well as wicked words, muſt then be accounted for in that great Ampitheatre; Plato thought it meet that mens ſpeeches at Meals and meetings ſhould be written; ſhould this Platonick propoſal be put into practice, O what ſtrange Records would they be and yet though men do not Regiſter them, God doth, you have need therefore to take heed to your ways, that you offend not with your tongue, Pſal. 39. 1. which was a leſſon that old Pambus was 30. Years in diligently Learning it, yet proſeſſed he could not yet take out that one Leſſon: God (in that infinite wiſdom wherein he made all things) hath ſet a double hedge afore this, unruly member (the tongue) to wit, of teeth and lips, to keep it up and in; and he hath alſo placed it 'twixt the brain and the heart, that it might take counſel of both, neither will he ſuffer Children to ſpeak, till they have wit and underſtanding to guide them in their ſpeaking; and thoſe that are deaf, are alſo dumb, becauſe they cannot hear Inſtruction, nor learn wiſdom that they might ſpeak adviſedly and to Edification.
4. Conſider that eſpecially God regards, rewards and Records what the Saints ſpeak, one to another of him in the duty of holy conference, as well as what they ſpake one with another to him in holy Prayers, Mal. 3. 16. This duty ſhould be often done 'tis well pleaſing to God: for (1.) Elijah was taken up into Heaven out of this Ordinance, 2 King. 2. 11. (not either out of Prayer or Meditation) but (as they were going on and talking) he knew beſt, what was fitteſt to be done, and happy is that man whom his maſter when he commeth ſhall find ſo doing, Mat. 24. 46. and (2) The two Diſciples going to Emmaus, and talking together of Chriſts death (as Elijah and Eliſha of (his) Tranſlation) Chriſt comes to them and made the third Man, and they had fire (as the other had a Chariot of fire) came to them and made their hearts burn with in them, Luke 24. 14, 17, 32. Chriſt was known to them and ſtayd with them, and he will be ſtill in the midſt of two or three that meets for holy Conference, Mat. 18. 20. Yea (3) Chriſt himſelf (who is a whole cloud of witneſſes in himſelf) hath Sanctifyed this Ordinance, by his conferring with Moſes and Elias about his [foreign] departure (as of Iſrael out of Ehypt) Luke 9. 31. at this Sacred Synod (wherein Moſes and Chriſt, the Law and the Goſpel did well agree) was Chriſts glorious Transfiguration: let this Ordinance be one of your Goſpel-walks, and Divine fire, a Chariot of fire, yea Transfiguring grace and glory in Gods preſence may come upon you: be a Companion of thoſe that feare God, Pſal. 119. 63. Noſciture Socio, &c. A man is known hereby, and by conference as the Bell (whether crack'd or found) by 'tis Ringing; Gods Jewels conſer, Mal. 3. 16, 17.