Rules for the Government of the Tongue, To the reader 2
An Epiſtle to the Reader.
THe tongue of man (ſaith the Apoſtle) is an unruly evil, Jam. 3.8.6full of deadly poyſon. A world of iniquity. Man himſelf is a little World, and his tongue (though but a little Member of this little World) is a world of iniquity, Jam. 3.5it defileth the whole body, Jam. 3.6and ſetteth on fire the courſe of Nature; and is ſet on fire of Hell.
The whole Life of man (ſaith Baſil) is made up of the Sins of the Tongue. Tora vita hominis linguae delictis eſt referta. Baſil. Dimidiam partem humanorum vitiorum lingua ſibi vendicat. Naz. Pſal. 16.9. with Act. 2.26 Jam. 3.….Divide the Sins of men into two parts, and one half of them are the ſins of the Tongue (ſaith Nazianzen.)
The Prophet calls the Tongue, our glory, but moſt men turn this their glory into ſhame. It is reported (indeed) of Cato, that hee never ſpake a word of which he had cauſe to repent; but I beleeve that hee who made this relation had cauſe to repent of this unadviſed report, for in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word the ſame is a perfect man, and able alſo to bridle the whole body,
Where there are many motions there are ſome trippings, Prov. 10.19 Pſal. 58.…and in the multitude of words there wanteth not ſin. The Pſalmiſt tells us, that all men are apt by ſinful words to go aſtray even from the wombe. Rom. 3.13And Saint Paul aſſerts, that in the ſtate of depraved nature, our mouthes are like open Sepulchers, out of which ſteemeth much unſavourineſs. Solomon ſaith, Prov. 19.28 Eſt metaph. ducta ab immanibus beſtiis, quae alias uno rictu deglutiunt. Cartw. 1 Cor. 15, 33 Prov. 15.4 Mal. 2.17 Eph. 4.29that the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity, even as ravenous beaſts do their prey, in which reſpect chains of reſtraint, or muzles ſhould be put upon them.
Evil words corrupt good manners; by them men make breaches in their own ſpirits, yea they weary God, and grieve the Holy Ghoſt. In theſe, and other reſpects Gods Servants in all Ages have ſeen cauſe both to reſolve within themſelves, Pſal. 39.…to take heed of offending with their tongues; and alſo to direct their prayers to the Lord, Pſal. 141.3that he would be pleaſed to ſet a watch before their mouthes, and to keep the door of their lips. God cauſeth his own Servants to weigh their words, as to conſider all their other ways, though other men be regardleſs of both. The heart of the righteous ſtudieth to anſwer, Prov. 15.28 Ebullit, eſt metaph. ducta a ſcaturigine aquarum quae ſine omni intermiſſione aquam emittit. Cartw. Prov. 10.11 Prov. 10.2… Cant. 4.11but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things; even as the muddied fountain caſteth forth foul ſtreams.
And whereas the mouth of the righteous is a well of life, they do deſire that the ſtreams of their words may bee guided into right Chaneis for beſt advantage. Their lips feed many, hony and milk are under their tongues; and therefore doubtleſs they are willing to learn how to ſerve out theſe proviſions wherewith God hath furniſhed them, unto the beſt benefit of ſuch with whom they do converſe.
Biſhop Latimer tells us, that hee was the more cautious what he ſaid before his Examiners, when he heard the Pen writing behind the hangings; and queſtionleſs all thoſe whoſe hearts are awed with the fear of the moſt high God, do the rather ponder their words in conſcientious reſpect to his all-hearing Majeſty. Jer. 8.6 Mal 3.16 Mat. 12.36The Lord harkneth, and heareth all ſorts of ſpeeches, ſuch as are ſavoury, and ſeaſonable, to reward them, and all idle words, that hee may call people to an account for them.
That ſerious ſentence of wiſe King Solomon, ſhould always dwell upon all our hearts; He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life, Prov. 13.3and therefore it cannot but be a work very acceptable and profitable, to lay down Rules and Directions for the right ordering and Governing of our Tongues, for though the Tongue be untamable by man, as the Apoſtle ſaith (Every kind of Beaſts, Jam. 3.7, 8and of Birds, and of Serpents, and things in the Sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind, but the tongue can no man tame) yet God Almighty can tame it, and this he doth by giving grace to hearken to ſuch Rules and Directions as are laid down in the enſuing Treatiſe.
The Author of which is now ſufficiently known by his former Book, The Rule of the New Creature.which hath found ſo good acceptance with Gods people, that it is enough to commend this work, to tell the Reader, that it is written by the ſame hand. In the former, we had the Government of the Thoughts and Affections, in this, wee have the Government of our Speeches, which is ſo exactly and elaborately compoſed, that the judicious Reader will find few, yea very few uſeleſs or impertinent words in the whole Treatiſe; and if the Books that are daily printed were of the like worth, we ſhould not have ſuch juſt occaſion to complain of the multitude of them (for who ever complained of the multitude of Pearls and Diamonds?) as now we have, ſeeing by many of them, the Souls of Chriſtians are poyſoned, and by moſt of them ſurfeited and over-burdened.
The Lord make this uſeful peece ſerviceable for the right ordering of thy ſpeeches, that thy Tongue may be as choyce ſilver, and as a Tree of Life, Prov. 10.20 Prov. 15.4, 7and that thy lips may diſperſe knowledge.
So pray thy Servants in the work of of the Miniſtry,
Edm. Calamy,
Simeon Aſhe,
William Taylor.
London, June 28. 1656.