afterwards, is in Truth the leaft of their Ser. IV. Thoughts. And further, when Perfons who

indulge themselves in thefe Liberties of the

Tongue are in any Degree offended with another, as little Difgufts and Misunderftandings will be, they allow themselves to defame and revile fuch an one without any Moderation or Bounds; though the Of fence is so very flight, that they themselves would not do, nor perhaps wish him an Injury in any other way. And in this Cafe the Scandal and Revilings are chiefly owing to Talkativenefs, and not bridling their Tongue; and fo come under our present Subject. The leaft Occafion in the World will make the Humour break out in this particular Way, or in another. It is like a Torrent, which must and will flow; but the least thing imaginable will first of all give it either this or another Direction, turn it into this or that Channel: Or like a Fire, the Nature of which, when in a Heap of combuftible Matter, is to fpread and lay waste all around; but any one of a thousand little Accidents will occafion it to break out first either in this or another particular Part.

The Subject then before us, though it does run up into, and can scarce be treat

ed

A Man

Ser. IV.ed as intirely diftinct from all others, yet it needs not be fo much mixed and blended with them as it often is. Every Faculty and Power may be used as the Inftrument of premeditated Vice and Wickedness, meerly as the most proper and effectual Means of executing fuch Defigns. But if a Man, from deep Malice and Defire of Revenge, fhould meditate a Falfhood with a fetled Defign to ruin his Neighbour's Reputation, and fhould with great Coolness and Deliberation fpread it; no-body would choose to say of fuch an one, that he had no Government of his Tongue. may use the Faculty of Speech as an Inftrument of Falfe-witnefs, who yet has fo intire a Command over that Faculty, as never to speak but from Forethought and cool Defign. Here the Crime is Injuftice and Perjury; and ftrictly speaking no more belongs to the present Subject, than Perjury and Injustice in any other way. But there is fuch a thing as a Difpofition to be talking for its own fake; from which Perfons often fay any thing, good or bad, of others, meerly as a Subject of Difcourfe, according to the particular Temper they themselves happen to be in, and to pass away the

pre

fent

fent Time. There is likewife to be obfer- Ser. IV. ved in Perfons fuch a ftrong and eager Defire of engaging Attention to what they fay, that they will fpeak Good or Evil, Truth or otherwife, meerly as one or the other feems to be most hearkened to: And this, though it is fometimes joined, is not the fame with the Defire of being thought important and Men of Confequence. There is in fome fuch a Difpofition to be talking, that an Offence of the flightcft Kind, and fuch as would not raise any other Refentment, yet raises, if I may fo fpeak, the Resentment of the Tongue, puts it into a Flame, into the most ungovernable Motions. This Outrage, when the Perfon it respects is prefent, we diftinguish in the lower Rank of People by a peculiar Term ; and let it be obferved, that though the Decencies of Behaviour are a little kept, the fame Outrage and Virulence, indulged when he is absent, is an Offence of the fame Kind. But not to diftinguish any further in this Manner; Men run into Faults and Follies, which cannot so properly be referr'd to any one general Head as this, that they have not a due Government over their Tongue.

And

It

Ser. IV. And this unrestrained Volubility and ~Wantonnefs of Speech is the Occafion of numberless Evils and Vexations in Life. begets Refentment in him who is the Subject of it; fows the Seeds of Strife and Diffention amongst others; and inflames little Difgufts and Offences, which if let alone would wear away of themselves: It is often of as bad Effect upon the good Name of others, as deep Envy or Malice: And to say the leaft of it in this Refpect, it deftroys and perverts a certain Equity of the utmost Importance to Society to be observed; namely, that Praife and Difpraife, a good or bad Character, fhould always be bestowed according to Defert. The Tongue ufed in fuch a licentious Manner is like a Sword in the Hand of a Madman; it is employed at random, it can scarce poffibly do any Good, and for the moft Part does a World of Mischief; and implies not only great Folly and a trifling Spirit, but great Vitioufness of Mind, great Indifference to Truth and Falfity, and to the Reputation, Welfare, and Good of others. So good Reason is there for what St. James fays of the Tongue, It is a Fire, a World of Iniquity,it defileth the whole

Body,

Chap. iii. v. 6.

Body, fetteth on Fire the Course of Ser. IV. Nature, and is itself fet on Fire of Hell. ~~ This is the Faculty or Difpofition we are required to keep a Guard upon : These are the Vices and Follies it runs into, when not kept under due Restraint.

II. Wherein the due Government of the Tongue confifts, or when it may be faid of any one in a moral and religious Sense that he bridleth his Tongue, I come now to confider.

The due and proper Use of any natural Faculty or Power, is to be judged of by the End and Design for which it was given us. The chief Purpose for which the Faculty of Speech was given to Man, is plainly that we might communicate our Thoughts to each other, in order to carry on the Affairs of the World; for Business, and for our Improvement in Knowledge and Learning. But the good Author of our Nature defigned us not only Neceffaries, but likewife Enjoyment and Satisfaction, in that Being he hath graciously given, and in that Condition of Life he hath placed us in. There are secondary Ufes of our Faculties which administer to Delight, as the primary administer to Neceffity: And as they are F equally