THURSDAY MEDITATIONS. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the ufe of edifying, that it may minifter grace unto the bearers. Foolish talking, and jefting, are not convenient. PRESERVE me, O God, from a vain conversation. Give me grace never to be ashamed or afraid to speak of Thee, and of thy law. Give me a lively fenfe of the value of religion, and make it the delight of my heart; that I may speak of it with judgment, seriousnefs, and affection, and at all feafonable times. May that good Spirit, which appeared in the likeness of tongues of fire, warm my heart, and direct my thoughts. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth Speaketh.—How can ye, being evil, Speak good things?—By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Set a guard, O Lord, upon my mouth, and keep the door of my lips. The mouth of the righteous Speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment. Hearts, truly touched with the love of God, will communicate light and heat to each other, will speak honourably of God, of his perfections, his juftice, goodness, wisdom, and power, the excellency of his laws, the pleasantness of his fervice, -the inftances of his love,-the rewards he has promifed to his friends, and the punishments he has prepared for his enemies. Let your light fo shine before men, that they may fee your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another. Let us confider one another to provoke unto love, and to good works. And let us join a good life to our religious converfation; and never contradict our tongue by our deeds. We always do good or harm to others by the manner of our converfation; we either confirm them in fin, or awaken them to piety. It is too true, that fome evil paffion or other, and to gratify our corruption, is the aim of moft converfations. We love to speak of past troubles;-hatred and ill-will make us take pleasure in relating the evil actions of our enemies. We compare, with fome degrees of pride, the advantages we have over others. We recount, with too fenfible a pleasure, the worldly happiness we enjoy.-This ftrengthens our paffions, and increases our corruptions. -God grant that I may watch against a weakness, which has fuch evil consequences. May I never hear, never repeat with pleasure, fuch things as may difhonour God, hurt my own character, or injure my neighbour. Speak not evil one of another. True humility makes us fee our own faults, without concerning ourfelves with the faults of others. Against Anger. Be not hafty in thy Spirit to be angry, for anger refteth in the bofom of fools. O Lord, who art a God ready to pardon, flow to anger, and of great kindness, remove far from me all occafions and effects of causeless and immoderate anger; all pride and prejudice, and too much concern for the things of this world; all intemperate fpeeches and indecent paffions. Give me, O God, a mild, a peace able, a meek, and an humble spirit, that remembering my own infirmities, I may bear with thofe of others; -that I may think lowly of myself, and not be angry when others alfo think lowly of me; that I may be patient towards all men, gentle and eafy to be intreated; that God, for Christ's fake, may be fo towards me. Amen. Be angry, and fin not: Let not the fun go down upon your wrath. The difcretion of a man deferreth his anger. A foft answer turneth away ftrife. He that is flow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his fpirit, than he that taketh a city. Be kindly affectioned one towards another. Suppress the very beginnings of anger. Do not use to indulge it even where there are real faults; but try the gentle way, which may probably |