enters at another. A little pride, and a great deal of vanity, will foon escape, whilft the man minds only his own difcourse, and not that impertinent humour, which the fevere man that ftood by, did obferve, and was afhamed of. Many men hate to be contradicted, or interrupted, or to be discovered in their folly. And fome men, being a little confcious, and not striving to amend by filence, make it worse by talking of it. A long ftory of themselves; a tedious praise of another to do themselves advantage; a declamation against a fin, to undo the perfon, or oppress the reputation of their neighbour; unseasonable repetition of that which neither profits nor delights; trifling contentions about matters of no moment; anger and animofity, fpite and rage, fcorn and reproach, begun upon questions which concern neither of the parties; fierce difputations; ftrivings for what is paft, and for what never shall be; these are the events of the loofe and unwary tongue.

But fo much may fuffice for the vices of the tongue; I proceed,

IIdly, To confider its duty and proper employment :-But that which is good, to the use of edifying, that it may minifter grace to the bearers.

We must speak that which is good; any thing that may ferve the ends of God and of our neighbour, in the measures of religion and usefulness. But it is here as in all other propofitions of religion. God, to us who are in the body, and conducted by outward objects, and who understand nothing but what we feel, or is conveyed to us by the proportions of what we have or do,hath given a religion that is fitted to our condition and conftitution. And therefore when we are commanded to love God, by this love he understands obedience; when we are commanded to honour God, it is by reciting his praises, and doing things which cause reputation and honour: So here, when we are commanded to speak that which is good, it is inftanced in fuch good things which are really profitable, and practically useful. And here the measures of God are especially by the proportions of our neighbour. And therefore, tho' fpeaking honourable things

of God be an employment that doth honour to our tongues and voices; yet we must order them fo, as may best profit our neighbour. It must be for the use of edifying; such edification as is needful to every man's particular cafe: That is, we muft fo order our communication, that it be apt to inftruct the ignorant, to strengthen the weak, to recall the wanderer, to reftrain the vicious, to comfort the disconfolate, to speak a word in season to every man's neceflity, that it may minifter grace unto the hearers, fomething that may please and profit them, according as they fhall need. All which may be reduced to three particulars; namely,

To inftruct,

To reprove,
And to comfort.

FIRST, our converfation must be for instruction; it must be apt to teach. For fince all our hopes on our part depend on our obedience to God, and conformity to our bleffed Saviour, by whom our endeavours are fanctified and accepted; and our weakneffes are pardoned, and all our obedience relies

I

relies upon, and is encouraged and grounded in faith; and faith is founded naturally and primarily in the understanding;—it is not only reasonably to be expected, but we find it in experience, that in weak and ignorant understandings, there are no fufficient fupports for the vigorousness of an holy life; there being nothing, or not enough, to warrant and ftrengthen great resolutions, and reconcile our affections to difficulties. Therefore he that inftructs his brother in notices of faith, and spiritual doctrines, enables him towards the work and practices of an holy life. And tho' every argument which the spirit of God hath made and recorded in holy scripture, is of it self inducement great enough to endear obedience; yet it is not fo in the event of things, to every man's infirmity and need: And therefore he that will comply with his brother's neceffities, must endeavour by all means, to lay up treasures and notices of instruction in his brother's foul, that by fome argument or other he may be met with, and rendered wife unto falvation.

THE

THE next inftance of edification is reproof. We muft, in proper season, and juft meafure, reprove our finning brother. For the wounds of a friend are better than the kiffes of an enemy (fays Solomon): We imitate the office of the great fhepherd of fouls, if we go to feek and fave that which was loft. And it is a fearful thing to fee a friend go to hell undisturbed, when the arresting him in his progrefs may poffibly make him to return. This is a courfe that will change our vile inclination of judging and cenfuring others, into an act of charity; it will alter flander into piety, detraction into counsel, revenge into friendly and moft ufeful offices.

He is a miserable man, whom none dares tell of his faults fo plainly, that he may underftand his danger. And he that is afhamed or impatient of reproof, can never become a good friend to any man.

It is no fhame to be reproved, but to deferve it. And he that deferves it, and is refolved to do fo ftill, fhall increase his fhame into confufion, and bring upon himself a forrow bigger than the calamities of war, and plagues, and hofpitals, and poverty.

He