ral Man, to think unferiously, even of the moft ferious Things: Of a renewed Man, to fanctify the most ordinary Occurrences, in his Manner of Thinking of them. It is the Way of the unhumbled Mind, to be unapt to holy Meditation in the Hours of Leifure and Retirement: The Thoughts of the new Creature upon fuch Occafions, fettle easily upon fpiritual and heavenly Things :-It is an Evidence of an unchanged Heart, that evil Thoughts do dwell upon, and poffefs themselves of the Mind: It is the Proof of a new Spirit, that fuch Suggestions are quickly feen, ftoutly refifted, and suddenly rejected; that there is a certain longing and labouring of Soul to poffefs a greater Mastery over, and Freedom from them.

2. FROM Thoughts, I pafs on to Words, the most ready Expreffon of the Thoughts of the Heart; and evident Tokens of the Frame and Temper of Soul which abides within: For out of the Abundance of the Heart the Mouth Speaketh (k), whether it be good or ill. From hence it must follow, as an undeniable Confequence, that where the Heart is renewed, the Speech will be feafoned: Although a Savorinefs in Speech doth not always prove a Wholefomness and Soundness of Heart; feeing Good-Breeding, Formality or Hypocrify, fhall be found to make the Mouth clean, when the Heart is (k) Matth, xii. 34.

all

all rotten and defiled. But these are Points unqueftionably certain,that where the Speech is naught, the Heart is fo too; and that when the Heart is changed, there will be an holy and advised Ufe of the Tongue.

By thy Words thou shalt be justified, and by thy Words thou shalt be condemned (1). Hear therefore and understand: For out of thine own Mouth will I condemn thee, thou wanton Sinner, thou, too eafy Formalift.

YOUR Tongue is licentious, it runs at Random. I charge you not with Lewdnefs, or Profaneness, or Incivility, or Falfity, in your Speech: But you have no Bridle upon your Tongue; there is no holy Constraint upon you; your Tongue goeth through the World at large, regardless of the Unprofitableness and Vanity there is in your Talk, of the unmeaning Damage you may do your Neighbour, or the Dishonor you may bring upon GOD. You fay, With our Tongues will we fpeak; our Lips are our own; who is Lord over us (m)? But you want that Purpose of Heart, that your Mouth fhall not tranfgrefs. So that you talk inconfiderately, and your Tongue, void of all reverent Fear, wantons with an unadvised Rafhnefs upon every Matter whereof you fpeak. Your Heart light, and your Tongue let loofe, you say what you will, without farther Reflexion.

(1) Matth. xii. 37. (m) Pfal. xii. 4.

NOT

NOT fo, the renewed Perfon. He not only fays, I will, but actually does, take beed to his Ways, that he offend not in his Tongue. His Tongue is kept as with a Bridle (2); he marks what he fays; dares not speak what he thinks not, or does not judge meet to be spoken; is upon his Guard, that he do not drop an idle or a rafh Word: If he do, it is obferved and condemned. His Tongue is brought under a Law He keepeth his Mouth; doth not answer before he beareth; doth not foolishly utter all his Mind, but keepeth it in till afterwards. He bath found that in many Words are divers Vanities; wherefore he walks after Solomon's Counfel, he fpareth his Words; they are gracious, and they are few.

SEE, what a Difference there is between the Manner of the one and the other, just as wide as between Unadvifedness and Caution, Licentioufnefs and godly Fear. If your Tongue be under no Rule, or at least none but that of Decency and Civility, and you know not to hold it in Awe for GOD, Heaven, and your Soul's fake, it is a fhrewd Argument of an unbroken Heart. But if your Tongue be under a facred Subjection; if you bridle, confine and keep a strait Hand upon it, it is a good and continual Proof of a converted Heart. So the wife Man determineth The Heart of the Righteous ftudietb (n) Pfal. xxxix. 1.

to

to answer; it is with Confultation and Regard, that a goodMan fpeaks: But the Mouth of the Wicked poureth out evil Things (0); Rafhnefs and Vanity pour out of his Mouth, without Thought and without End.

AGAIN; if your Heart be unchanged, you will be using your Tongue as Convenience ferves. When a Man's Tongue turns about with every Company, and is ready for every Purpofe; when it is made the Servant of all Occafions, is prostituted to the Views of Intereft, Reputation, or Luft; and fpeaks not what Confcience, but what prefent Convenience dictates: When it can be fmooth and flatter with the Great, hath a fober Word among the ferious, nor ftands. out for a lewd Jeft (decently wrapt up, it may he) if it be the Humor: Surely, ibere is no Faithfulness in fuch a Mouth, and the inward Parts must be very Wickedness (p).

BUT now, the good Man, out of the good Treafure of his Heart bringeth forth good Things (q). His Speech is always with Grace, feafoned with Salt (r). He fpeaketh the Truth from his Heart (s): This is his main Care; not lying for God, nor to ferve any prefent Turn. And then his Tongue is his Inftrument, whereby to glorify GoD, and to profit his Neighbour. He labours, that his

(0) Prov. xv, 28.
(9) Matth. xii. 35.
($) Pfal. xv. 2.

(p) Pfal. v. 9.
(r) Col. iv. 6.

Words

teous.

Words be weighty, ferious, edifying, courHear the Furniture of his Mouth, how full of Grace his Lips are! He hath a Word for GOD, and a Word for Souls; a Word for the Righteous, and a Word for the Wicked; a Word for Comfort, and a Word for Reproof; a Word for Peace, and a Word for Charity; a Word for the Abfent, and a Word for the Slanderer; a Word for the Oppreffed, and a Word for the Oppreffor: All which Words he brings forth as Need is, and uses with Sincerity and Refolution, quickning as Goads, and clofe as Nails faftned by the Mafters of the Affemblies (t) : Not ftudying to please, so much as to benefit thofe, with whom he converses.

SAY, thou Man of double Tongue, whose Mouth eafily accommodates itself to every worldly Respect, turning round with thy Interefts and the Countenances of others, how doth he stand in wide Oppofition to thee! He would approve himself to God, thou to Men; he speaks not, as thou doft, for his own Ends, but to Edification; his communicative Member is employed foberly, not vainly; faithfully, not deceitfully; meekly, not haughtily; kindly, not roughly; lovingly, not cruelly and unfeelingly to others. Look well to this, I intreat you. It is a great Matter, and a notable Fruit of the renewed Mind. For St (t) Ecclef. xii. 11.

James