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te whole then : If any Perſon harh been inſtrufted in the things + Gd, and hath made a Profeſſion of Religion and Gadlinets, or vrerwards falleth off from his Profeſſion, and becomes a bir- wing to it; ſaying, Thar thoſe things are the Effetts of the mak: 9 Men , which his Heart telleth, him are the Operations —_—_ Holy Spirit, and be fo hardy as to perſecute and feek ro _ \ ſuch Perſons for ſuch Profeſſion : The Interpretation be ps old that hate us, and to the Enemies of our God. It they k. n not commuirred this unpardonable Sin, they have done what —_— like it; and I know no = they have, bur by a timely and hearty RePenrance to ſatisfie rhe World, or their own Con- {iences, char they are not under this dreadful Guilt, And thar which confirms me in this Opinion 1s, thar we rarely hear of tuch ved by Repentance, ( if any Inſtances of that Na- cure atall can be produced.) I do know rhar ſome have thought that this Sin might be committed ty Words , without other Overt- 44s; and indeed Bl.iſpheming ( ene raken) can biggie n0- ching elſe bur Evil or Reproachful Speaking 3, bur thete Words muſt proceed from 4a malicious Heart, tull of Rancour and Re- venge ; for it is not every Word, noreevery Blaſphemy, char 15 here neant : It is (as Auguſtine ſaith, ). Quoddam dietum, quedam Haphemia , A certain Word, certain Blatphomy. Nor Words ſpoken jgnorantly, or haſtily, .or according to our re-! Fuagmert and 09m; but Words ſpoken maliciouſly, 11 order to deſtroy God, or Chriſt, if it were poſſible, afcer tufiicienr Means of Light and Conviction, that the things which we ſpeak Evi! of, are not from 16 Evil, ( but probably ar leaſt ) trom tte Holy Spirit oft Gcd; ind yer we will impure them to the Devi], in crder ro the De- {iminz, or Deſtruttion of thoſe Servarrs of God who do them, or in ixhom they are found, We can define nothing certain in the Cafe, bur this cometh neareſt to rhe Sin here menrioned, that fall never be forgiven in this World, Wh the World to come © Thar IS, 1 arh expounds it, the Perſons guilty ſhall be in danger of Eter- 11 Damnation 3 by which he hath ſpoiled tlic Papijts Argument trom this Text, for their Purgatory.
22 Either make the tree good , and * his fruit good : or clſe make the tree corrupt, and his fruit
corrupt : for the tree is known by his fruit.
We met with much the ſame, chap. 7. 16. As the Words here ſpoken may be urderſtood to have reference to the Devil, ro rhe Scribes and Phariſees, or to Chrif himſelf : You fay I do theſe thingsby the Devil ; you cannor bur ſay, the things | do are good, the Fruit tollowerh the Nature of the Tree : The Devil 1s Evil, 1 corrupt Tree ; how can he produce good Fruit? Or thus, You ſhew your ſelves ro be corrupt Trees by the Fruit you bring forth ; you indeed are nor Leud and Profane, bur pur on a Mask and Vizard of Godlineſs ; bur your Fruit ſhewerh what you are. Or, 3. If che Fruir which I produce be good, why ſhould you not jadze me good ? Speak things that are conſiſtent, It the Fruit be good, the Tree muſt be gocd. Convince me ot any Evil things thar I do, from whence you can rationally conclude, that I am a corrupt Trees
24 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, ſpeak good things ? for out of the abundance > the heart, the mouth ſpeaketh.
25 A good man, out of the good treaſure of the heart, bringeth forth good things : and an evil man, cut of the evil treaſure, bringeth forth evil things.
The Evangeliſt Luke, chap. 5, 45. hath much the ſfam« with what is here, wer. 35. O generation of Vipers. Fohn had fo called chem, and Chriſt again fo callech them, ſatth. 23. 33. ' A I iper is of all other rhe moſt wvonmmous and dangers Serpent, Chriſt, in alling them a generation of I ipers, intimareth, thar rhe Phariſees were penerally a moſt mitchievous Fattion for the Souls of Men. (Hp can yo, being evil, ſpeak god things ?) Why do I (faith he) ipend my Time a::4 Breath in Reproving , or Admoniſhing you ? You kave cankered Hearts, full cf Pride, Malice, and Envy, and therefore cannor ordinarily ſpeak good things, For out of the abundance of the Heart, the Mouth ſpeabeth.- Whar Men ordinarily and deliberately do ſpeak , is irom the Affe&ions and Thoughts of their Hearts, Hence Good Men, our of rhe good Treaſure of tieir Hearts, ſpeak Good rhi2s; thar is, moſt ordinarily and commonly ; and Evil Men, out of the ſtock of Malice, Revenge, any, Pride, and other Luſts which are in their Hearts, ſpeak Evil things,
26 But I ſay unto you, That every idle word that men ſhall ſpeak, they ſhall give account there- t in the day of judgment.
37 Forby thy words thou ſhalt bz juſtified, and by tay words thou ſhalt be condemned.
>\me underſtand by idle Words here, [{3in2 and eceitful Words; aiters cmtumeling, and reproachful VW:7:4s. Bur tne beſt Interpre- *7% ere Extend the Senſe further ; not only trom the Senle of Cc word egy2y, here uſed, bur becauſe they judge our Saviour is «Cearzung , trom the leſs to the greater, cohvincinz the Pha- 225 Witt a Areadful Account they had to give for cheir Blaſphc- ms and Reproachful Words, when all muſt give an Account cen tor thoſe Words which they ſperk ro no good purpoſe, bur ramly 3 Y1chour reſpec either ro the Glory of God, cr the good 5 Nners , or their own neceſſary and lawtul Occaſions. Hence «x Apoitle doth nor only forbid Filthing/s, frolrſp Tulking, and DOS EPP. 5. 4. and corrupt Communication, Eph. 4. 29. but "© ame: /'0;/e commanderh, char Chriſtians Speech ſhould be nr 'j Edifying, that it may miniſter Grace t1 tre Hearers : and EY Cl ſans, chap. 4. 6. Let your Speech be always with Grace, © 24 With Salt. Nor will this ſeem too ſtrict ro thoſe who © mer, thar any thing is abuſed, when ir is nor uſed to the = end and uſe, God hath not given unto Man his Faculty . *P*(C1, to fil the World with idle Tartle and impertinent kno cg by ir, 1. We might bleſs God by Prayers
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