ficial Repentance only. The Petition of the Pfalmift, Cleanfe thou me from fecret Faults, proceeded from a Heart deeply affected with the Sense of its Guilt, and does not express the Sentiments of one who was excufing or leffening his Faults; for he remembered, and fo must we, that fecret as our Faults are, yet God has placed them in the Light of his Countenance.

DISCOURSE

DISCOURSE IV.

PART I.

MATTHEW xii. 36.

But I say unto you,

that every idle Word that

Men fhall Speak, they shall give Account thereof in the Day of Judgment.

I

T is

very evident from the Context, that our Saviour's Intention was to distinguish between the heinous Offences of Blafphemy, Perjury, and the like, and the idle Words mentioned in the Text, as I fhall have Occafion to obferve. We muft therefore look among the more common and less crying Sins of Speech, to know what kind of Words they are, which our

Saviour

Saviour threatens with an Account at the Day of Judgment. Of these there are many forts:

First, Idle Words may denote Words which proceed either from the Vanity or the Deceitfulness of Men's Minds; and this Sense will take in all the empty Boaftings and great Pretences of Vanity and Pride, and all the fly Infinuations of Craft and Hypocrify; and there is no Doubt to be made, but that Men fhall be accountable for Words of this kind at the Day of Judgment.

Secondly, Idle Words may comprehend the Reports which proceed oftentimes from mere Curiosity, and a Defire of hearing and telling News, by which our Neighbour fuffers in his Credit or Reputation; and questionless these Words will be alfo remembered in the Day of the Lord.

Thirdly, Idle Words may imply fuch Words as are the impure Conceptions of a polluted Mind, which often pass for Wit and Entertainment among those who have learned to make a Mock of Sin. Under this Head will be comprehended the Filthiness and foolish Talking and fefting, which the Apostle to the Ephefians would not have fo much as once named among Christians.

Laftly,

Lastly, Idle Words may fignify useless and infignificant Words. This Senfe will comprehend a great Part of the Conversation of the World, which aims at nothing but prefent Amusements; as if it were the Business of a rational Creature to divert his Mind from Thought and Reflection. How far Words of this kind, when attended with no other. Evil, may expofe a Man to Guilt, is not cafily difcerned; though I think it is evident at least, that a Man may spend so much of his Time in idle or unprofitable Words, as to render himself obnoxious to an Account for the Misuse and Misapplication of the Reason and Speech with which his Maker has endowed him.

These are the common Sins of Speech, which are comprehended under the general Term of idle Words, which, if perfifted in, may prove of dangerous Confequence to our Souls; for of every idle Word we speak we muft give Account thereof in the Day of Judg

ment.

What these Sins are, I fhall endeavour to represent to you in the following Discourse, under the several Heads already mentioned. And, Firft, By idle Words we may underftand fuch Words as proceed generally from

VOL. III.

F

Vanity