A Christian Directory Volume I Part 86

[445] Id sane magno Christianis opprobio est, Ingam Regem barbarum et idolis deditum ab ebrietate subditos sibi populos cohibuisse; nostros vero quos oportebat mores quoque perditos emendare, temulentiae incrementa tanta fecisse. Acosta l. 3. c. 21.

[446] He is happiest that needeth least of any creature, and not he that hath most. Socrates said it was proper to G.o.d only to need nothing, but those that came nearest to G.o.d in this were the happiest men.

[447] 1 Thess. v. 7, "They that are drunken, are drunken in the night."

[448] Deut. xxiii. 17; Prov. xxiii. 27; v. 3, 5; vii. 5-7; vi. 13-15; xxii. 14; Eccles. vii. 26; Gen. x.x.xviii. 24.

[449] Saith Boniface (alias Winfrid) of the English Mercian king Ethelbald, a fornicator, Opprobrium generis nostri patimur, sive a Christianis sive Paganis dicentibus, quod gens Anglorum spreto more caeterarum gentium, &c. hinnientium equorum consuetudine, vel rudentium asinorum more, luxuriando et adulterando, omnia turpiter fdet, et confundat. Epist. Bonif. 10. ad Perefrid, Salvagus Sarzanensis Episcopus-Pauli 5. Jussu visitationem Ecclesiarum Stiriae, Carinthiae, et Carniolae inst.i.tuerat. Qua peracta, s.e.x omnino Sacerdotes qui non essent concubinarii, in tribus illis Provinciis invenit, c.u.m tamen magna pars ex Jesuitarum disciplina prodiisset, &c. Giraldi Apolog.

pro Senatu Vener. p. 165. Mchum in adulterio deprehensum necato: was a Roman law, 12. tab.

[450] Solomon's "wives turned away his heart after other G.o.ds," 1 Kings xi. 4. The wisdom of Solomon preserved him not from the power of l.u.s.t, and the deceit of women. 1 Pet. ii. 11, "Fleshly l.u.s.ts that fight against the soul."

[451] Rev. xiv. 4.

[452] Saith Chrysostom, The adulterer even before d.a.m.nation is most miserable: still in fear, trembling at a shadow, fearing them that know, and them that know not: always in pain, even in the dark.

[453] 1 Tim. vi. 9, "Hurtful l.u.s.ts, which drown men in destruction and perdition."

[454] When an adulterer asked Thales whether he should make a vow against his sin, he answered him, Adultery is as bad as perjury: if thou dare be an adulterer, thou darest forswear thyself. Laert. Herod durst behead John, that durst be incestuous.

[455] Judg. xix. xx. The tribe of Benjamin was almost cut off upon the occasion of an adultery or rape. See Numb. xxv. 8; Gen. xii. 17; 2 Sam.

xii. 10; Luke iii. 19; 1 Cor. v. 1; John viii. 2. Vid. aelian. fol. 47.

[456] Plutarch's Roman. Quest. 65. is, Why the bridegroom is not to have any light when he first cometh to bed to his bride? and answereth, Happily this was inst.i.tuted to show how sinful and d.a.m.nable all unlawful company of man and woman together is, seeing that which is lawful and allowed, is not without some blemish and note of shame.

[457] Acts x. 30; xiv. 23; Luke ii. 37.

[458] It is Zeno's comparison in Laert. 1. 7. c. 1.

[459] In Laert. 1. 6. c. 1.

[460] Laert. 1. 2. c. 38.

[461] Otia si tollas periere Cupidinis arcus, &c.

[462] In vacuo pectore regnat amor. Ovid. Diogenes called love, Otiosorum negotium.

[463] Nullus mihi per otium dies exit: partem noctium studiis vendico: non vaco somno sed succ.u.mbo, et oculos vigilia fatigatos, cadentesque in opere detineo.--Male mihi esse malo quam molliter; si mollis es, paulatim effminatur animus, atque in similitudinem otii sui: et pigritiae in qua jacet solvitur: dormio minimum et brevissimo somno utor: satis est mihi vigilare desiisse: aliquando dormisse scio, aliquando suspicor.

[464] Plutarch de Curiositate, praiseth Cyrus that would not see Panthra; and reproveth them that cast a wanton eye at women in coaches as they pa.s.s by, and look out at windows to have a full view of them, and yet think they commit no fault, suffering a curious eye and a wandering mind to slide and run every way, pag. 142.

[465]

Dum licet, et modici tangunt praecordia motus, Si piget in primo lumine siste pedem.

Opprime dum nova sunt subiti mala semina morbi: Et tuus incipiens ire resistat equus.

Nam mora dat vires.----

Dum novus est cpto potius pugnemus amori: Flamma recens parva sparsa resedit aqua.

Interea tacitae serpunt in viscera flammae.

Et mala radices altius arbor agit.

[466] Vide Petrarch. de spect. Dial. 30.

[467] Lysander forbad his daughters to wear the brave attire which Dionysius sent them, Ne luxuria conspicuae turpiores videantur, Lest being conspicuous in luxury, they should seem the more deformed.

[468] Ovid. de Remed. Amoris.

[469] Nil temporis tam perit de vita nostra quam quod somno deputatur.

Ber.

[470] Dormiens nemo ullius pretii est. Plato in Laert.

[471] Prov. iv. 16; 1 Thess. v. 6, 7.

[472] Cogitationes sanctiores sequuntur somnia blandiora et delectabiliora. Greg. Moral.

[473] Iturus in somnum aliquid tec.u.m defert in memoria et cogitatione in quo placide obdormias, quod etiam somniare juvet: sic tibi nox ut dies illuminatur, et in deliciis tuis placide obdormies: in pace quiesces, facile evigilabis, et surgens promptus eris ad redeundum in id, unde non totus discessisti.

CHAPTER IX

DIRECTIONS FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE TONGUE.[474]

_t.i.t._ 1. _The General Directions._

_Direct._ I. Understand in general of what moment and concernment it is, that the tongue be well governed and used. For they that think words are inconsiderable, will use them inconsiderately. The conceit that words are of small moment (as some say of thoughts, that they are free) doth cause men to use their tongues as if they were free, saying, "Our lips are our own: who is lord over us?" Psal. xii. 4.

[Sidenote: The greatness of the sins and duties of the tongue.]

1. The tongue of man is his glory;[475] by which expressively he excelleth the brutes; and a wonderful work of G.o.d it is, that a man's tongue should be able to articulate such an exceeding number of words: and G.o.d hath not given man so admirable a faculty for vanity and sin; the n.o.bler and more excellent it is, the more to be regarded, and the greater is the fault of them that do abuse it. Hilary compareth them to an ill barber that cuts a man's face and so deformeth him, when his work was to have made him more neat and comely. So it is the office of the tongue to be excellently serviceable to the good of others, and to be the glory of mankind; the shame therefore of its faults is the more unexcusable.

2. The tongue is made to be the index or expresser of the mind; therefore if the mind be regardable, the tongue is regardable. And if the mind be not regardable, the man is not regardable. For our Lord telleth us, that the tree is known by its fruit; an evil tree bringeth forth evil fruits: and "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh."[476] And Aristotle saith, that "such as a man is, such are his speeches, such his works, and such his life."[477] Therefore by vain or sinful words you tell men the vanity and corruption of your minds.

3. Men's works have a great dependence on their words; therefore if their deeds be regardable, their words are regardable. Deeds are stirred up or caused by words. Daily experience telleth us the power of speech. A speech hath saved a kingdom, and a speech hath lost a kingdom. Great actions depend on them, and greater consequents.

4. If the men that we speak to be regardable, words are regardable. For words are powerful instruments of their good or hurt. G.o.d useth them by his ministers for men's conversion and salvation; and Satan useth them by his ministers for men's subversion and d.a.m.nation. How many thousand souls are hurt every day by the words of others! some deceived, some puffed up, some hardened, and some provoked to sinful pa.s.sions! And how many thousand are every day edified by words! either instructed, admonished, quickened, or comforted. Paul saith, 2 Cor. x. 4, "The weapons of our warfare are mighty through G.o.d." And Pythagoras could say, that "tongues cut deeper than swords, because they reach even to the soul." Tongue sins and duties therefore must needs be great.

5. Our tongues are the instruments of our Creator's praise, purposely given us to "speak good of his name," and to "declare his works with rejoicing."[478] It is no small part of that service which G.o.d expects from man, which is performed by the tongue; nor a small part of the end of our creation: the use of all our highest faculties, parts, and graces, are expressively by the tongue: our wisdom and knowledge, our love and holiness, are much lost as to the honour of G.o.d, and the good of others, if not expressed. The tongue is the lantern or cas.e.m.e.nt of the soul, by which it looketh out, and shineth unto others. Therefore the sin or duty of so n.o.ble an instrument is not to be made light of, by any that regard the honour of our Maker.

6. Our words have a great reflection and operation upon our own hearts. As they come from them, so they recoil to them, as in prayer and conference we daily observe. Therefore for our own good or hurt, our words are not to be made light of.

7. G.o.d's law and judgment will best teach you what regard you should have to words. Christ telleth you, that by "your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned," Matt. xii. 37.

And it is words of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which are the unpardonable sin. James iii. 2, "If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able to bridle the whole body." Ver. 6, "The tongue is a fire; a world of iniquity: so is the tongue amongst our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire of h.e.l.l." James i. 26, "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain." 1 Pet. iii. 10, "For he that will love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile." Matt. xii.

36, "But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." The third commandment telleth us, that "G.o.d will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain." And Psal. xv. 1-3, "Speaking the truth in his heart, and not backbiting with the tongue," is the mark of him that shall abide in "G.o.d's tabernacle, and dwell in his holy hill."

And the very work of heaven is said to be the perpetual "praising of G.o.d," Rev. xiv. 11. Judge now how G.o.d judgeth of your words.