The Cure of Misprision, Section 21
Sect. 21.
2. The ſecond rule is by his words, and this is no l…ſſe infaliable: for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth ſpeaketh, Mat 12. 34. A good … ſaith our Saviour, out of the good treaſure of his heart, bringeth forth good thing…; He will be as carefull, of what commeth out of his mouth, as what enters into it, and as circumſpect▪ to keep his ſpeech free from obſ…enety, and prophaneſſe as his meat from poyſon He will either …e ſilent, or his ſpeech ſhall be better then ſilents▪ Yea, his tongue uſually, as being tou…ht with a coale from the Altar: miniſtreth grace unto the hearers, and warmes the affections of the ſtanders by.
Whereas contrarily, An evill man out of the evill treaſure of his heart, bringeth forth evill things Mat. 12. …5. Yea, his tongue is ſo ſet on fire from hell: James 3. 6. that your eares willglow▪ t… h…r him. For for the moſt part he utters nothi… but … and filthy language, … with o…ths …nd untruths. Yea, it is much if oat…s ſ…riv… no… …or n…mber with words, ſcoffes with oathes; …nd v…ine … wi…h both▪ So that their very ſp…e…h …ewra…th them, as ſhe ſaid to Peter, and Sir Thomas Moore to … or as Auſtine of Ciprians ſtile. For as if it we… not miſerie enough for them to be wicked, except they alſo ſhewed it to the world that others might hate them for the ſame (and certainly it is both a mercy to us, and a juſt judgement of God upon them: that their tongues are as bad a… their hearts) like ſerving men, they ſuddainly tell us without asking who ownes them: whether God or the Divell, that Satan, and not the holy ſpirit beareth …ule in their ſoules. For where have you a drunkard, or ſw…arer, or lyar, or lustfull perſon and the like ſo wiſe: but he muſt tell to every one that comes in his company, that he is ſuch an one; Even as a f…le …lleth every one …e meers, that he is a foole, Eccleſ▪ 10. 3. And indeed as oyl… will not be hid in water: No more can ſuperlative wickedneſ… be kept cloſe in the heart. For heare ſuch but ſpeake▪ and you ſhall find them to be of the ſ…rpents broods, …ither by their ſwearing, or by their rib…ul…ry▪ or …y their venting ſome way their enmity and m…li…, againſt Cods people and goodneſſe.
Which … how can they blame us for granting wha… they bo…h … …nd invite us unto? Or for indeavouring th… …ha… …ood, which (if wiſe) they would v…ue more …hen …en thouſand worlds.
But third…y, … t…eir paſ…on they would but heare reaſon: B…ſides ou… warrant from Gods word, and their inviting us ſo to doe: It cannot be otherwiſe in the judgement of nature: for the tongue (ſaith Pithagorus) is the bewrayer of the heart. And a man is by nothing better knowne ſaith Seneca, then by his communication. The habit of the mind ſaith Diogines, is beſt perceived by a mans talking. And Socrates is peremptory, that he who cannot rule his tongue, can much leſſe rule his luſts. And another of them, There is the like correſpondence between the heart and tongue, that is betweene the bell and clapper. Evill ſpeaking diſcovers an evill heart: as the ſtriking of the clapper does a broken bell.
Yea, It were ſenceleſſe to beleeve the contrary, for is it poſſible that the fountain ſhould be pure, when the streames which flow from it are …o corrupt? Can it be imagined, that one ſhould defile his owne tongue, that he may defile anothers eares? That he ſhould take the fire of his owne luſt, and by the utmoſt of his endeavour fling it in at the windowes of every ſoule that heares him, to ſet them on fire alſo? If his heart were not altogether graceleſſe? Nor is this all; for leaſt this poyſon ſhould not hurt, he conſerves and ſugars his filthineſſe in wit: that death may be ſure to be ſwallowed. And that it may enter, and piarce the deeper, he pointeth it with the ſharpneſſe, and pleaſantneſſe of invention and eloquence: ſo becomming a Divell unto men, by turning wit into temptation, and perverting that excellent iſſue of the ſoule, to be a factor for the fleſh: Yea, to carrie errands of beaſtlineſſe, betweene the inventer and the hearer: ſo becomming a deſtroyer of ſoules, while it foldeth up the ſin in ſweetneſſe.
Now well may the clusters of grapes, which grow upon a ſpirituall vine be hid under the leaves▪ of temptation ſometimes, that they cannot be ſeen: but its never knowne that grapes and garicke grow upon the ſelfe ſame ſtalk…. Nor will any man beleeve, good wine to be in that veſſell, from whence vinegar is dayly drawne forth.
True it is, ſuch an one may flatter himſelfe, and boaſt that he hath a good heart and meaning: what ſoever men judge of his words. But Satan gulls him moſt groſſely: for beſides what hath been ſpoken, The Holy Ghoſt witneſſeth that there is no fellowſhip between… light and darkeneſſ…, Chriſt and Belial. 2 Cor. 6. 14. 15. That the Arke and Dagon, canno… lodge under the ſelfe ſame roofe. 1 Sam. 5. 4. And our Saviour Chriſt tells us plainely, that both good and bad at the laſt day, ſhall be judged by their words, Mat. 12. By thy words thou ſhall be justified, and by thy words thou ſhalt be condemned, verſe 37. Yea, how light ſoever thou makeſt of them, thou ſhalt give an account at the day of judgem…nt, for ev…ry idle word thou ſpeakeſt. v…rſe 36.
Away then with that more fooliſh then common boaſt of a good h…art: when the tongue is foule, and the lif… filthy. For when ſmoake comes forth of the chimny, there muſt needs be fire on the harth; when the floods of cor…uption come guſ…ing out at thin… …yes, hands and mouth, there muſt needs be a fountain within thine heart, which maintaines them.
True, we know nothing of thy future eſtate, or touching Gods decree: what then, It is eaſie to ſay whether it be day or night with thee, although wee neither ſ…e S…n …or Moone. Thou ſeeſt not the wind, thine heart, thy brai…es, thy ſoule: but the noyſe and op…r…tion of …h… wind doe prove it. The panting of the hear… doth expreſſe it, the thoughts and imagin…tions of the br…i… does declare it, and life, ſenc…, and motion, ſhewes that thou haſt a ſoule in thee. And ſo much of the firſt particular.