was made by our blessed Lord sufficiently shews of what vast importance it is. It was intended to ope- rate forcibly on our minds : and it may well serve to direct us,
1. In the choice of our friends —
[We are particularly cautioned by Solomon " not to make any friendship with an angry man, lest we learn his ways." And the same advice may well be given in reference to persons who " set not a watch before the door of their lips." They will soon draw us into the same spirit with themselves ; and, whether useful to us or not, in relation to worldly knowledge, they will never advance us in the knowledge of our God. They may, it is true, possess a talent in theology, as well as in other sciences : but they will never bring us to God, but will prevail rather to draw us from him, and to lower our habits of piety to their own standard. Conversation, properly used, is a most valuable ordinance. In truth, " death and life are in the power of the tongue*^;" seeing that by its counsels, we may be stirred up to seek the Lord, or may be deterred from following the convictions of our own minds : so true is that assertion of Solomon, " He that walketh with wise men shall be wise; but a companion of fools shall be destroyed"^."]
2. In the regulation of our own intercourse with men —
[Speech is a talent that is to be improved for the Lord : and of it we must give account, as well as of any other talent we possess. If any man ask, " Am I my brother's keeper?" I answer. Yes, you are; so far, at least, as not to let him wander out of the way, when you have an opportunity to set him right : and if you neglect to avail yourselves of the opportunity that is afforded you, you are as much answerable for his blood, as you would be if you saw him on the brink of a precipice, and neglected to warn him of his danger. " The tongue is a tree of life;" and you should freely dispense its fruits to those who are within your reach. In this view, the Psalmist repeatedly called his tongue " his glory'';" for by that he could both exalt God in private, and commend him to others in public : and, consequently, if we suffer our tongue to keep silence, or to prate about foolish things when we should be speaking for the Lord, we bury our talent in a napkin, and sink ourselves to a level with them that know not God. And must we not give account of such conduct to the Lord ? I say then, " Let your conversation be alway with grace, seasoned with salt*^."
^ Prov. xviii. 21. ^ Pro v. xiii. 20.
e Ps. xvi. 9. and xxx. 12. f Col. iv. 6.