_Direct._ X. Accordingly (besides your aforesaid general preparations) be prepared particularly for those duties and those temptations: carry still about with you some special preservatives against those particular sins of speech which you are most in danger of; and some special provisions and helps to those duties of speech, which you may be called to: as a surgeon will carry about with him his instruments and salves which he is like to have use for, among the persons that he hath to do with; and as a traveller will carry such necessaries still with him, as in his travels he cannot be without. If you are to converse with angry men, be still furnished with patience and firm resolutions to "give place to wrath," Rom. xii. 19. If you are to converse with ignorant, ungodly men, go furnished with powerful, convincing reasons, to humble them and change their minds. If you are to go amongst the cavilling or scorning enemies of holiness, go furnished with well-digested arguments, for the defence of that which they are likest to oppose, that you may shame and stop the mouths of such gainsayers. This must be done by "the Sword of the spirit, which is the word of God," Eph. vi. 17. Therefore be well acquainted with the Scripture, and with particular plain texts for each particular use: by them the "man of God is complete, throughly furnished to every good work," 2 Tim. iii. 17.
_Direct._ XI. Continually walk as in the presence of God, and as under his government and law, and as those that are passing on to judgment.[488] Ask yourselves, whatever you say: 1. Whether it be fit for God to hear? 2. Whether it be agreeable to his holy law? 3. Whether it be such speech as you would hear of at the day of judgment? If it be speech unmeet for the hearing of a grave and reverend man, will you speak it before God? Will you speak wantonly, or filthily, or foolishly, or maliciously, when God forbiddeth it, and when he is present and heareth every word, and when you must certainly give account to him of all?
_Direct._ XII. Pray every morning to God for preservation from the sins of speech that you are liable to that day. Commit the custody of your tongues to him; not so as to think yourselves discharged of it, but so as to implore and trust his grace. Pray as David, "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips; incline not my heart to any evil thing: and that the words of your mouth and the meditations of your heart, may be acceptable to him," Psal. cxli. 3, 4; xix. 14.
_Direct._ XIII. Make it part of your continual work, to watch your tongues. Carelessness and negligence will not serve turn in so difficult a work of government. James telleth you that to tame and rule the tongue, is harder than to tame and rule wild beasts, and birds, and serpents: and as the ruling of a horse by the bridle, and of a ship that is driven by fierce winds: and that the "tongue is an unruly evil: and that he that offendeth not in word, is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body," James iii. Make it therefore your study and work, and watch it continually.
_Direct._ XIV. Call your tongues daily to account, and ask yourselves, what evil you have spoken, and what good you have omitted, every day; and be humbled before God, in the penitent confession of the sin which you discover, and renew your resolution for a stricter watch for the time to come. If your servant be every day faulty, and never hear of it, he will take it as no fault, and be little careful to amend: nay, you will remember your very ox of his fault when he goeth out of the furrow, by a prick or stroke, and your horse when he is faulty, by a spur or rod. And do you think if you let yourselves, even your tongues, be faulty every day, and never tell them of it, or call them to account, that they are ever like to be reformed, and not grow careless and accustomed to the sin? Your first care must be for preventing the sin, and doing the duty; saying, as David, Psal. xxxix. 1-3, "I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I offend not with my tongue; I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me: I was dumb with silence, I held my peace." Psal. xxxv. 28; lxxi. 24, "My tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long." Psal. cxix. 172, "My tongue shall speak of thy word." Psal. xlv. 1, "My tongue is as the pen of a ready writer." But your next care must be, to repent of the faults which you commit, and to judge yourselves for them, and reform: remembering that "there is not a word in your tongues, but is altogether known to God," Psal. cxxxix. 4.
_Direct._ XV. Make use of a faithful monitor or reprover. We are apt, through custom and partiality, to overlook the faults of our own speech. A friend is here exceeding useful. Desire your friend therefore to watch over you in this: and amend what he telleth you of; and be not so foolish as to take part with your fault against your friend.