evil stories in order to hurt him; | sometimes occurred to me, whether

and this practice indeed, whether the Psalmist's words, Ps. cxx. 3, 4. from direct malice, or an habit of may not as well refer to the cause what is commonly called jangling, of the wickedness as to its punishthe whole Bible is levelled against ment; "What shall be given unto under the term evil speaking; thee" (how shall we account for Speak not evil one of another," such a supremely vile and misch. iv. 11. There is no sort of chievous spirit?) 66 Sharp arrows wickedness that God declares his of the mighty with coals of junigreater abhorrence of. The Psalmist per," inflame and drive it to dissaid, and Paul quotes it of the un-traction; it is set on fire of hell. godly, Rom. iii. 13. as a proof of Hence this spirit also is so unthe utter depravity of human na-manageable, that you may tame ture, "Their throat is an open the fiercest of animals, birds, and sepulchre; with their tongues they beasts, and even serpents and have used deceit; the poison of crocodiles; but such a tongue, asps is under their lips, and the actuated by hell can no man tame; way of peace have they not known." it is an unruly evil, full of deadly Many people have no greater de- poison. I know not what to comlight than to surmise, insinuate, or pare it so well to, as the man posspread evil and reproachful things sessed among the tombs, Matt. viii. of their neighbours, a proceeding 28. who was so fierce that none manifestly suggested by the same might pass that way; so this fiery tongue, with the view of tongue lays hold of, and does inalleviating its own misery by en- jury to all it can meet with. O! hancing the blame of other per- what mischief has it not done, and sons, and hiding its own guilt in does it not do daily! As the heart the good of other people's faults. is a world of iniquity, in like If then they can pick up any re- manner the tongue is deceitful proachful tale how greedily do they above all things and desperately grasp at it, and how eagerly spread wicked, who can know it? It has it abroad! If not, 'tis easy to trump made in the world confusion and up a false story, and set it a-going; every evil work. It has separated and hence perhaps it is whispered chief friends, caused nation to rise abroad, and has travelled a circuit against nation, and army against of many miles before the victim of army.-By the force of this pestiits malignity has so much as heard lence, wars, fightings, slaughter of it. If any person speak evil of and death have diffused their baleanother, instead of burying it in ful influence through the earth, and silence, it is retailed with additional the world is, as it were, set on circumstances of scandal calculat- fire of hell. Hell-fire has set the ed to give pain, and to provoke world on fire, and made it wretchwrath and strife. Now it matters ed; see! how great a matter a not, whether that which is reported little fire kindleth-do you wonder, be true or false; if false indeed, that all this considered, the tongue there is the guilt of lying and slander is in my text said to set the whole to be added to it; but if true, per- course of nature on fire, and to haps it is communicated with a defile the whole body? what can cruel design, and with so many be more hateful to God, or render garnishings of supposition and sus- man or woman more hateful, than picion, to render it the more hide- an evil tongue? The more pleasous, that in all it discovers the ing and attractive the pleasure and gratification the dia- hideous the perversion of it by bolical spirit imagines, in making such hideous means, and to so another miserable; and it has hellish a purpose. It discovers a

sex,

the more

prayer with your hearing) that the eyes of your mind may be opened and enlightened, that so you may see, and know, and understand the word of life; find Christ as revealed in that word as the chief among ten thousand, the suitable, the only, the all-sufficient, the faithful and never failing Saviour, and so worthy of all acceptation, of the very best reception, that you will not content yourselves with thinking, or having something of a good opinion of him (which is a state of indifference, neither cold nor hot) but will seek intimate. fellowship with him, and to have him so applied to your souls, that upon the bare encouragement of God's word, you shall find yourself empowered to rest your soul upon Christ for your comfort and satisfaction. And thus waiting on the Lord, watching at. Wisdom's gates, and waiting, as a poor beggar, at the posts of her doors, you will find life; and by the witness of his Spirit obtain favour of the Lord. God will himself witness it unto you; for he that believeth hath the witness in himself, 1 John v. 6. God is rich in mercy (not niggardly or avaricious, as too many of those called rich in this world are) but gracious, full of compassion, and abundant in goodness and truth; mercy is his de

wickedness of the heart, of the depth of sin in the human soul, and of the necessity of the work of almighty grace to subdue and dispel it; and yet at the same time you may not speak of (perhaps not be aware, as I myself was not aware) of the first and leading cause; and when I preached it, I was not believed: still I found that the generality of people had recourse in order to account for it, to the common complaint of the unknown wickedness of the heart, and the fruits and effects in the life, all which I firmly believe, and I hope as firmly deplore. But weep over it as we may and shall, weeping over it will not reach the cause or administer the cure. The only balm is sovereign grace; and the physician God. It tells us that all who hear the news are welcome to receive it, and doing so, shall not be disappointed; and if any object, that they are too unworthy, or too depraved to be the objects of mercy, the gospel declares that none are; but we must come as sinners, and sinners only, abandoning every other hope but Jesus Christ the Saviour of sinners, and having our dependance alone on his own word, "Him that cometh, I will in no wise reject," or say No, to, "I will in no wise cast out." This is the grand remedy; and now, the busi-light; while we were yet sinners, ness is to take it, for our comfort, and for removing the fire of a guilty conscience out of the soul. If you believe this word which the scripture so amply and affectionately declares, then you will read and hear it as the word of the eternal God directed to you; not think of it as spoken to others, but to you, to you personally, as if God Most High were present before you, and speaking to you; between him and you only; and O! how reverently, diligently, and attentively will you listen to it, as the voice not of man but of God; and you will pray to the Lord (mix

and provoking God's anger by our iniquities, Christ died for us; and the vengeance was not poured out upon the transgressors, but upon the person he loved best, and most delighted in.

Take therefore what he voluntarily and spontaneously sets before you; hear him addressing you, "Come, for all things are ready; and yet there is room." Come and he will visit your souls with his salvation; he will open your eyes to understand and believe (really believe it, which but very few do) that in Christ is all righteousness, and faithfulness; and enable, yea

wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. It will not be disposed to take offence or lay blame, but have a measure of the same mind that was in Christ Jesus, who humbled himself, and when he was reviled, reviled not again; of that charity spoken of 1 Cor. xiii. 4. which suffereth long, yet is kind; which vaunteth not itself, doth not behave itself unseemly; is not easily provoked; thinketh no evil, and therefore worketh none; hopeth all things, beareth all things; rejoiceth not in iniquity, and that for a good reason, because it rejoiceth in the truth, that precious truth, which is of more worth to him than rubies, yea all the jewels of the world are not to be compared with it. This is the grand secret of human felicity, thus to come as a little child stripped of every em

powerfully persuade you to take | Christ in the promise, with that composure to yourselves, as your own salvation, all your desire, and the gift of God to you personally and individually, that you shall see all your sins to be forgiven, the wrath passed away and transacted upon Christ, and you shall feel peace in your consciences that passeth all understanding; conscience will be quiet, your mind composed, and your heart fixed trusting in the Lord. Jesus will breathe on you, and say, "Peace be unto you;" and in him you will find that peace and enjoyment, that the world cannot give, and that the world cannot take away. And thus you will be, according to the degree of your faith and confidence in what he speaks, more and more happy in him than if you had all the Indies, and more entertained by him, than if you had all the pleasures of the world. In a word, you'll have enough; and being in yourselves thus happy, and rejoic-bellishment into the kingdom of ing in the Lord (I wish I could say | always) you will have no taste, no relish, for earthly amusements, still less for gossipping, slander, suspicion, evil surmising, envy and ill-nature; your tongue will be seasoned with grace as with salt; your tongue will have a savor of Christ and you will speak of him; you will enjoy that conversation, and it will preserve you from in dulging wrath and rancour, and lead to the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is of great price. Enjoying this peace you will bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and per secute you. With this peace implanted in the breast, the whole soul will be peace. The fire of a guilty conscience subdued and quenched by the application of the blood of Christ, the soul will evince its inward peace by wishing well to all about it. The VOL. III.

Christ. And do we not now per ceive, how justly that is called the kingdom of heaven? Heaven is made up of peace, happiness, and joy. Hell is full of rage, misery, and fury. In this world we have the spirit of heaven or of hell, just as far as we resemble the one or the other; just as far as we have or have not the fire of a guilty mind within us quenched. Dr. Watts in his Hymns states it beau tifully,

Madness by nature reigns within,

The passions burn and rage;
Till God's own Son with skill divine,
The inward fire assuage.

And that cannot be effected by sage documents to master the passions, and guard against bad tempers; the cure is all his own, by the application of his own blood, through the power of his own Spirit: why then are so many miserable expedients resorted to, and this one, so sweet, so healing, so little esteemed; rarely explain

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