(1.) ljecau.se this allowed and habituated, argueth a rotten and un- renewed heart : Mat, xii. 34, ' Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.' Words much discover the temper of the heart, there being a quick intercourse between the heart and the tongue.
(2.) Because it is noisome and offensive to honest ears; it is not a speech that hath any grace or comeliness in it : Col. iv. 6, ' Let your speech be always with grace.'
3. It is contagious and infectious to ordinary hearers ; especially to
VER. 172.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CX1X. 257
children and weak ones : 1 Cor. xv. 33, ' Evil words corrupt good man- ners.' We convey our taint.
(4.) Sinful, vain, and frothy discourse doth make the heart more vain, perverse, and wicked, while the corruption that is in it doth strengthen itself by getting vent. When the sparks fly abroad of the fire kindled in our bosoms, a man waxeth worse and worse ; his rever- ence of God is lessened and weakened as he hath dared to give vent to his sin and folly, and is more emboldened to sin again : Mat. xv. 19, 20, 'For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adul- teries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies ; these are the things which defile the man.' Evil-speaking is one thing mentioned, and it layeth men open to Satan. Therefore, as the heart should be kept from framing such conceptions, so the tongue from uttering them ; for so they prove more dishonourable to God, hurtful to our- selves, and offensive to others.
(5.) I will venture at one reason more against profane discourse ; it grieveth the Spirit, Eph. v. 29, 30. Many by their obscene, putrid, and carnal discourse intend no further than to make themselves merry, jovial, and glad: Hosea vii. 3, ' They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies,' saith the prophet ; yet, alas ! it is but a poor sport, and will prove so in the end, for it draweth God to be against them ; the Holy Ghost is displeased and grieved with it, these things being against his light, motions, and directions, and so an offence to him, which a tender conscience is soon sensible of.
2. Not idle discourse, which tendeth not to the glory of God and the edification of our neighbour. We should have an eye to the good of those with whom we speak, so as to edify them with our speech ; for Christ telleth us that we must give an account to God, not only for words, but even for idle words : Mat. xii. 36, ' I say unto you, that for every idle word that men speak, they shall give an account thereof in the judgment.' Men esteem little of their words, yet when they are put into God's balance they may weigh heavy ; not only wicked words, but even idle words, such as serve for no good purpose, or for no lawful end ; and in your account they will come in as so many sins, and sit heavy upon you ; if you have not received pardon before, it is a strict sentence. But what is this idle discourse? Such as wanteth the solidity and substance of truth ; such as tend to no use and benefit. Be jure God may condemn you for these, though de facto upon re- pentance he pardoneth greater sins. Or possibly such are idle words as come from a vain idle frame of heart ; for he had spoken before in the 35th verse that a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things, and an evil man evil things. Now such idle words are a note of the wickedness of the man, of the evil treasure that is in his heart; for these he is responsible at the day of judgment, as for a vain conversation and the unfruitful works of darkness. However, we must not open a gap to licentiousness; as when the apostle forbiddeth profane discourse, he enjoineth profitable discourse as the only remedy : Eph. iv. 29, ' Let no corrupt communication come out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers.' As much as may be, holy conference should be mixed with all our discourses and converses, other-
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258 sermons upon psalm cxix. [Ser. CLXXXV.
wise they are accountable to God. And it is very notable the apostle forbiddeth ficopoXoyla >) evrpairekia, foolish jesting : Eph. v. 4, ' Nei- ther filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which is not convenient, but rather giving of thanks.' As he condemneth filthiness, or words contrary to Christian gravity, decency, or modesty, so he condemneth foolish talking, which is impertinent, superfluous, and vain discourse. And then jesting ; not all honest mirth or use of wit, but an intem- perate use; when men give up themselves to a frothy vanity, that they cannot be serious ; or to tart reflections upon the personal imper- fections of others; or to impious jests, by wresting the scripture, to express the conceptions of a vain and wanton wit. In the general, there must be a great guard on all jesting, lest it degenerate ; and that we entertain one another with thanksgiving, and discourses of the love of God, and his manifold mercies to us ; for it is not an easy matter to keep within bounds of cheerful and allowed mirth. Hearts that are kept sensible of God's goodness are desirous to express it to others whenever occasion offereth, and vain and idle communication is nothing so pleasing to them.