_Direct._ VII. Take heed of hasty rashness in your speech; and use deliberation, especially in great or in doubtful things.[487] Think before you speak: it is better to try your words before you speak them than after; a preventing trial is better than a repenting trial; but if both be omitted, God will try them to your greater cost. I know, in matters that are thoroughly understood, a wise man can speak without any further premeditation, than the immediate actuating of the knowledge which he doth express; but when there is any fear of misunderstanding, or a disability to speak fitly and safely without forethoughts, there hasty speaking without deliberation (especially in weighty things) must be avoided: Prov. xxix. 20, "Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him." Especially take heed in speaking either to God in prayer, or in the name of God, or as from God in preaching or exhortation, or about the holy matters of God in any of thy discourse; Eccles. v. 1, "Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear than to offer the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil:" that is, watch thyself in public worship, and be forwarder to learn of God and to obey him, as sensible of thy ignorance and subject to his will, than to offer him thy sacrifice (as if he stood in need of thee) while thou neglectest or rejectest his commands. Ver. 2, 3, "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. For a dream cometh through multitude of business, and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words:" that is, come to God as an obedient learner and a receiver, and not as a giver; and therefore be readier to hear what he hath to command thee, than to pour out many words before him, as if he would accept and hear thee for thy babbling. If loquacity and forwardness to talk many undigested words be a sign of folly among men, how much more when thou speakest to God that is in heaven!
_Direct._ VIII. Keep a holy government over all your passions, (as aforesaid,) and especially try all those words with suspicion which any passion urgeth you to vent. For passion is so apt to blind the judgment, that even holy passions themselves must be warily managed, and feared, as you carry fire among straw or other combustible matter. As "grievous words stir up anger," Prov. xv. 1; so anger causeth grievous words. "Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools," Eccles. vii. 9. To govern the tongue when you are in any passion, (either love, or fear, or grief, or anger,) is like the governing of a ship in storms and tempests, or the managing of a horse that is fierce and heated. Prov. xiv. 16, 17, "The fool rageth and is confident: he that is soon angry dealeth foolishly." Chap. xxi. 19, "It is better to dwell in the wilderness than with a contentious, angry woman." Chap. xxix. 22, "An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression." There is no ruling the tongue if you cannot rule the passions: therefore it is good counsel, chap. xxii. 24, "Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man thou shalt not go; lest thou learn his way, and get a snare to thy soul."
_Direct._ IX. Foresee your opportunities of profitable discourse, and your temptations to evil speeches. For we are seldom thoroughly prepared for sudden, unexpected accidents. Consider when you go forth, what company you are like to fall into, and what good you are like to be called to, or what evil you are likest to be tempted to: especially consider the ordinary stated duties and temptations of your daily company and converse.