hazard, and there to guard. Thus David expreffes it in another Pfalm, I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy teftimonies, Pfal. cxix. 59. And this would not be done only in the great change of one's first converfion from fin, but this double obfervance ftill continued every day, looking to his rule, and laying that rule to his way, and obferving where the balk and nonconformity to the rule is, and renewing his repentance for that, and amending it the next day, that ftill the prefent day may be the better for yefterday's error.

And furely there is much need of this, if we confider how we are encompaffed about with hazards and fnares, and a variety of temptations, and how little we have, either of ftrength to overcome, or wif dom to avoid them, especially they being secretly fet and unfeen (which makes them the more dangerous) every where in the way in which we must walk, and even in thofe ways where we least think. Every where does the enemy of our fouls lay traps and fnares for us; in our table, in our bed, in our company, and alone. If the heart be earthly and carnal, there is the fnare of riches and gains, or pleafures, prefent, to think upon; and if they delight in fpiritual things, that walk is not exempted neither; there are fnares of doubtings, prefumption and pride; and in converse of one Chriftian with another, where fpiritual affection hath been ftirred, it turns often to carnal paffions, as the Apoftle says of the Galatians, They begin in the Spirit, and end in the fleft, Gal. iii. 3.

This obferving and watching, as it is needful, so it is a very delightful thing, though it will be hard and painful to the unexperienced, to have a man's actions and words continually curbed; fo that he cannot speak or do what he would: Thefe are fetters and bonds, yet to those that know it, it is a pleafure to gain experience, and to be more fkilled in preventing the furprises of our enemies, and upon

that

that to have fomething added to our own art, and to be more able to refift upon new occafions, and to find ourselves every day outstripping ourselves; that is the fweeteft life in the world; the foul to be dreffing itself for the efpoufals of the Great King, putting on more of the ornaments and beauties of holiness; that is our glory, to be made conformable to the image of God and of Jefus Chrift. If an image had fenfe, it would defire nothing fo much as to look on the original whence it received its name, and to become more and more like it: So it is the pleasure of renewed fouls to be looking on him, and fo growing daily more like him, whofe living image they are, and to be fitting themfelves for that day of glory, wherein they fhall be like him in the perfection they are capable of: And this makes death more pleasant than life to the believer; that which feems fo bitter to the most of men, is fweetened to them moft wonderfully: The continual obfervance of a man's ways, keeping a watch continually over them; this cafts a light upon the dark paffage of death, which is at the end of that walk, and conveys him through to the fulness of life: So that man who obferves himfelf and his ways through his life, hath little to do in examining them when he comes to die. That is a piece of strange folly, that we defer the whole, or a great part of our day's work to the twilight of the evening, and are fo cruel to ourfelves, as to keep the great load of our life, for a few hours or days, and for a pained fickly body. He who makes it his daily work to obferve his ways, is not aftonished when that day comes, which long before was familiar to him every day.

That I fin not with my tongue.] It is the wife man's advice, Keep thy heart with all diligence, or above all keeping, and he gives the fatisfying reafon of it, for out of it are the illues of life, Prov. iv. 23. Such as the fpring is, fo will the ftreams be; the heart is he fpring from whence all the natural life and vital VOL. II. fpirits

Z z

fpirits flow through the body, and, in the Scripture fenfe, it is the fpring of all our actions and converfation; for it fends out emiffaries through all, through the eye, hand, and all the fenfes and organs of the body, but through none more conftantly and abundantly than the tongue: and therefore Solomon, after these words, immediately adds, Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. The great current of the heart runs in that channel; for it is the organ of focieties, and is commonly employed in all the converfe of men; and we can ftill, when all the other members are useless, use our tongues in regretting their unfitness for their offices; fo fick and old perfons: Thus David here, as it seems under fome bodily fickness, labours to refrain his tongue; and, left it should prove too strong for him, he puts a curb upon it; though it did not free him from inward frettings of his heart, yet he lays a restraint upon his tongue, to ftay the progress of fin, that grows in vigour by going out, and produces and begets fin of the fame kind in the hearts and mouths of others, when it paffes from the heart to the tongue. The Apostle James does amply and excellently teach the great importance of ordering the tongue in all a Chriftian's life; but we are ever learning and never taught. We hear how excellent a guard this is to our lives, to keep a watch over our tongue; but I fear few of us gain the real advantage of this rule, and are far from the serious thoughts that a religious perfon had of this fcripture, who, when he heard it read, retired himself for many years to the ftudy of this precept, and made very good proficiency in it.

In all the diforders of the world, the tongue hath a great share; to let pafs thofe irruptions of infernal furies, blafphemies and curfing, lying and uncharitable speeches; how much have we to account for unprofitable talking? It is a lamentable thing, that there is nothing, for the moft part, in common enter.

tainments

tainments and focieties of men together, but refuse ́and trash, as if their tongues were given them for no other end but to be their fhame, by difcovering their folly and weakness. As likewise that of impatient speech in trouble and affliction, which certainly fprings from an unmortified spirit, that hath learned nothing of that great leffon of fubmiffion to the will of God; but for all the diforders of the tongue, the remedy muft begin at the heart, purge the fountain, and then the ftreams will be clean; keep thy heart, and then it will be easy to keep thy tongue. It is a great help in the quality of speech, to abate in the quantity; not to speak rafhly, but to ponder what we are going to fay, Set a watch before the door of thy lips, Pfal. cxli. 3. He bids us not build it up like a ftone wall, that nothing go in or come out; but he speaks of a door, which may be fometimes open, oft-times fhut, but withal to have a watch ftanding before it continually. A Chriftian muft labour to have his speech as contracted as can be, in the things of this earth; and even in divine things, our words fhould be few and wary. In fpeaking of the greatest things, it is a great point of wifdom not to fpeak much; that is David's refolution, to keep filence, especially before the wicked, who came to visit him, probably, when he was fick; while they were there, he held a watch before his lips, to fpeak nothing of God's hand on him, left they fhould have mistaken him; and a man may have fome thoughts of divine things, that were very impertinent to speak out indifferently to all forts, even of good perfons. This is a talkative age, and people contract a faculty to fpeak much in matters of religion, though their words for the most part be only the productions of their own brain, little of these things in their hearts. Surely these kind of speeches are as bad as any, when holy things are spoken of with a notional freedom, where there is nothing but empty words. They who take themselves to folitude, choose the best and

easiest

eafieft part, if they have a warrant fo to do: For this world is a tempeftuous fea, in which there are many rocks, and a great difficulty it is to fteer this little helm aright amidst them: However, the Apostle James makes it a great character of a Chriftian's perfection, If any man offend not in word, the fame is a perfect man, chap. iii. ver. 2. But where is that

man? Seeing we find men generally, and most of all ourfelves, fo far from this, it cannot choofe but work this, to ftir up ardent defires in us, to be removed to that bleffed fociety, where there fhall be never a word amifs, nor a word too much.

LECTURE II.

Ver. 2. I was dumb with filence: I held my peace, even from good; and my forrow was stirred.

3. My heart was hot within me; while I was mufing the fire burned: then spuke I with my tongue.

It

T is a very ufeful and profitable thing to observe the motions and deportments of the fpirits of wife and holy men, in all the various poftures and conditions they are in; it is for that purpose they are drawn out to us in the Scriptures. There are fome graces that are more proper, and come more in action in times of eafe and profperity, fuch as temperance, moderation of mind, humility, and compaffion. Others are more proper for times of diftrefs, as faith, fortitude, patience, and refignation. It is very expedient, if not neceffary, that affliction have its turns, and frequently in the lives of the children of God: It is the tempeft that gives evidence of the pilot's fkill; and as the Lord delighteth in all his works, looks on the frame and conduct in all things with pleasure, fo he is delighted to look on this part, on this low fea of troubles, to fee his champions meet with hard and preffing trials, fuch as fometimes do

not