I need not enumerate them all. But it is very obvious, that they are numerous. Some are guilty of a light and frequent use, or bold profanation, of the name of God. Others are murmurers and complainers. And becaufe every thing in the world is not to their mind, they take great liberties in complaining of the methods of Providence, or the conduct of their fuperiors and governours.

There are obscene discourses, called by the Apoftle corrupt, and filthie communication, which ought not to proceed out of the mouth of a Chriftian.

Falfhood is fuppofed to be a very common fault in the dealings of men one with another: where truth ought to be strictly regarded, as the great bond of fociety, and of confidence in each other.

Abufive fpeeches, proceeding from anger, or contempt, are too common among men. Our bleffed Lord has condemned all fuch expreffions, when he fhews the guilt of thofe who say to their brother Racha, or thou fool. How apt are fome, upon occafion of flight provocations, to break forth into very abufive and contemptuous language against thofe

who

who have, or are fuppofed to have dif- SERM. obliged them! XVII.

Calumnie is another great fault of the tongue, which too many are guilty of, for carrying on selfish designs, and to weaken and difparage their enemies, or rivals. And many arts of detraction there are, divulging leffer faults that might be concealed, or paffed by, without detriment to any: aggravating the known offenfes of men, leffening the merit of good and commendable ac◄ tions, or converting actions that are innocent, or at the moft fufpicious only, into heinous tranfgreffions.

Flatterie is another fault of the tongue, and an abufe of the noble faculty of speech: when, to carry on defigns of private interest, we deceive men, by afcribing to them excellences they are deftitute of, and thus fill them with an empty conceit of imaginarie worth, and encourage floth and indolence, or otherwife misleading them to their great detriment..

Ridicule, ill applied, is another fault of the tongue. Some make a mock at fin, and would fcoff away the weighty and awful truths of religion. Some endeavor to bring the Sacred Scriptures into contempt.

Others

SERM. Others expose their neighbours by ridiculing XVII. the natural defects and infirmities of the body, or the mind, which are no real faults, but their own unhappineffe.

There is a fault, which we may stile the uncharitableneffe of the tongue: When men ftrive to leffen all those who differ from them in opinion, representing them, as prejudiced, or deftitute of a love of truth, and out of the favour of God, and the way of falvation. And accordingly they pronounce hard and unmerciful fentences of condemnation upon them. St. James feems particularly to have an eye to this conduct. And he fhews, that it cannot proceed from a principle of true religion. It may indeed confift with a profeffion of religion. But it is inconfiftent with virtue and true piety. Sincere praises of God, and fevere and unrighteous fentences against our neighbour, can no more proceed from the fame mind, than bitter and fweet water from one and the fame fountain. Confequently, if men fo condemn their brother, their love of God is not fincere and genuine. So in his argument ver. 9. 10. Therewith blefs we God, and therewith curse we men, made after the fimilitude

tude of God. Out of the fame mouth proceed- SERM. eth bleffing and curfing. My brethren, thefe XVII. things ought not fo to be. Doth a fountain fend forth at the fame place fweet water and bitter?

Another fault of the tongue, which we are fometimes guilty of, is too great feverity of reproof and cenfure of real offenfes and miscarriages. This is one thing, which St. James has an eye to in this context, when he cautions against being many masters : intending to foften the rigour of thofe, who are forward in taking upon them that characSt. Paul has particularly cautioned against the fame thing. Brethren, if a man Gal. vi. be overtaken in a fault, ye that are spiritual, restore fuch an one in the Spirit of meeknesse, confidering thy-felf, leaft thou also be tempted.

ter.

19.

Another fault of the tongue is talkativeneffe, or a multitude of words, in which, as Solomon says, there wanteth not fin. This fault Pr. x. St. James has an eye to in feveral of his directions and obfervations in this epiftle, particularly, in the text above cited: fwift to bear, flow to speak.

Let every man be Where he seems to condemn talkativenesse, abstracting from the confideration of what is faid; when men

SERM. fpeak with little or no regard to, "or thought XVII. of doing good or harm. Which, though it

Tim.

i. 7.

may feem an indifferent matter, or of no great confequence, yet an indulgence of such a difpofition leads men into many offenfes : inafmuch as when innocent, or indifferent, topics of difcourfe are exhaufted, fuch will not fail, in order to gratify that difpofition, to go into defamation and scandal.. So it is in converfation. And the like temper will fhew itself on other occafions. Some may defire to be teachers of the law, who are unacquainted with it's defign: and may affect prolixity of difcourfe, and ufe a multitude of words, not because their fubject requires it, but to gratify the difpofition to discourse, and an ambition of fhining as very knowing men, and fluent speakers.

Thefe and other faults there are of the tongue. And this is one thing, that shews the difficulty of governing it.

3. And we shall be farther fatisfied of this, if we confider the causes and springs of thefe faults. And there are many of them. This was obferved by St. James. Does he fay of the tongue at ver. 6. That it fetteth on fire the whole courfe of nature? He adds:

And