fore who are the happy inftruments of removing this hellifh evil from between men, are, in a peculiar manner, confidered by the GoD of peace as his children: And, (5.) By vindicating injured characters and perfons. This is doing very great fervice to men; difcovers a noble spirit, and is an office that procures the efteem of men, and GOD doubtlefs regards the difcharge of it with complacence.* (6.) One of the nobleft and moft benevolent ufes of the tongue, towards our fellow creatures, after inftructing them in the principles of religion, and animating them to the practice of it; is to pour the balm of confolation into the wounded fpirit. Words fitly spoken to the broken in heart; to thofe agonizing fouls who are finking as it were, under the preffure of fome heavy affliction into the black feat of defpair, are indeed like apples of gold in pictures of silver, Can there be a more God-like, christian-like office than to footh the throbbings ofthe anxious mind; to give it "beauty for afhes, the oil of joy for "mourning, and the garment of praise for "the fpirit of heavinefs?" This is one of the most amiable and benevolent offices of the gracious Redeemer, "To bind up the "broken hearted and to comfort all that "mourn."† And fuch as imitate hịm in * Matth. xii. 35,-37† Ifa. Ixi. 1,−3+

this branch of his prophetic office, are, to their forrowing diftreffed fellow creatures, as rivers of water in a dry place, and the shadow of a great rock in a weary land': They are a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, and a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is a storm against the wall.*

3. Another chriftian ufe of the tongue, is to manage it fo as not to destroy, but to increase, mutual confidence among men. This must be done by maintaining a strict correfpondence between our words and our thoughts. Whenever we speak, an honeft upright heart should dictate our speech, and we should on no pretence, tell a lie, not even that good may come.† Great regard fhould be paid in particular to our promifes; to promife nothing or enter into no engagements but fuch as we are deliberately refolved to perform at all hazards.-In fhort, our words fhould contain nothing but truth, and the whole truth, referving nothing, where the referve would amount to the confequence of a lie in prejudicing any. Yet in fome cafes it may be lawful to referve a part of the truth.-or to use fomething of a feint, See 1 Sam xvi. 2,

*Ifa. xxxii. 2.- -xxx.

+ Rom. iii. 8, Pfal. xv. 1, 2.

ESSAY XXXVII.

The UNCHRISTIAN ABUSES of the TONGUE.

THE

HE unchriftian abufes of the tongue, form a strong contraft to the former fubject.

1. As the noblest use of the tongue, confifts in thofe exercifes of it which tend to celebrate, magnify and glorify the blessed GOD, and fet forth his excellencies to our fellow-creatures; fo whatever has a direct or indirect tendency to difhonor GoD, or give our fellow creatures, wrong, mean and unworthy apprehenfions of him, are the moft capital sins and abuses of the tongue -fuch as, (1.) atheistical fpeeches: As faying, that there is no God; denying or difputing his being, or infinuating fuch hints and arguments, as tend to destroy this belief in ourselves or fellow creatures. This is ftriking at the glory of GoD with a witnefs, and erafing the very foundations of all religion among men. Equally pernicious are those speeches and arguments, which, while they seem to admit the being of GoD, infinuate, that he did not create, and does not rule and govern the world :—Or, allowing his univerfal providence, in giving general laws to nature, while they deny his particular providence, or his ordering and

over-ruling all the particular actions of his creatures. Nor is it a whit better to deny GOD's moral government of his rational creatures; that he is the observer of men ; the witness and judge, the rewarder and punisher of their moral conduct. To this may be added the vile guilt of robbing GoD of any of his perfections, of his omnifcience, omniprefence, his holiness, juftice, mercy or truth;-or of extolling any of thefe perfections, to the prejudice of the reft.

(2.) Blafphemy: Either curfing GOD, as Job's wife would have perfuaded him to do; or challenging GOD to come forth, and do his worft; or boldly and infolently defying his vengeance; or charging him foolishly, as cruel and unjuft, and laying more on us than we deferve; or boldly calling down his vengeance upon ourselves or others; or fporting with his judgments, undervaluing his mercies, and ridiculing his works, or word, or providences. This is to do all that we can to debase and vilify the Almighty, by speaking of him in a manner that we dared not to do of a dignified fellow-worm.

(3.) Profanity, nearly bordering bordering on the former. Speaking flightly and difrefpectfully of holy things and ordinances, and that holinefs which is the image of GOD on his people;-mimicking and mocking holy

actions, fuch as prayer, preaching, the facraments, and the like-making a jeft of the fcriptures, and ufing them proverbially to profane purposes ;-fpeaking flightingly of the laws of GoD and the rules of holiness, as not worth our notice ;-making a mock at fin as a mere trifle, and talking of the moft awful and ferious matters, fuch as death, judgment, heaven and hell, in fuch a flight, vain, and sportive manner, as plainly fhews that we have no practical belief of them.

(4.) Solemn perjury; or calling GOD to witness a known lie, and praying down his vengeance upon us, in cafe our declaration be not true, when we know that it is not.

(5.) Common fwearing; which by the frequent and familiar abuse of GOD's holy name, leffens our own reverence and that of others for an oath; turns the venerable name of JEHOVAH, into a mere scarecrow, or an empty sound, to convey our hellish paffions to others, and paves the way to customary, horrid perjury. This is an abufe of the tongue, which, befides its being forbidden by the word of GOD, on the penalty of his fevereft difpleafure, is attended with neither pleasure, profit nor honor-is rude, barbarous, uncivil, and unmeaning, and fit only for devils and damned spirits.

(6.) The common and profane ufe of GOD's name, ven where neither curfing,