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1. MAN, at his first creation, was substituted by God as his Vicegerent, to receive the homage, and enjoy the ser∣vices of all inferior Beings: nay farther, was endowed with Excellencies fit to maintain the port of so vast an Empire. Yet those very excellencies, as they quali∣fied him for dominion, so they unfitted
him for a satisfaction or acquiescence in those his Vassals: the dignity of his na∣ture set him above the society or con∣verse of mere Animals: so that in all the pomp of his Roialty, amidst all the throng and variety of creatures, he still remain'd solitary. But God, who knew what an appetite of society he had implanted in him, judged this no agrecable state for him; It is not meet that man should be a∣lone, Gen. 2.18. And as in the univer∣sal frame of Nature, he ingraffed such an abhorrence of vacuity, that all Creatures do rather submit to a preternatural mo∣tion then admit it; so, in this emty, this destitute condition of man, he relieved him by a miraculous expedient, divided him that he might unite him, and made one part of him an associate for the o∣ther.
2. NEITHER did God take this care to provide him a companion, merely for the entercourses of Sense: had that bin the sole aim, there needed no new pro∣ductions, there were sensitive Creatures enough: the design was to entertain his nobler principle, his Reason, with a more equal converse, assign him an intimate, whose intellect as much corresponded
with his, as did the outward form, whose heart, according to Solomons resemblance, answered his, As in water face answers face, Prov. 27.19. with whom he might communicate minds, traffic and enter∣change all the notions and sentiments of a reasonable soul.
3. BUT tho there were this sympathy in their sublimer part, which disposed them to the most intimate union; yet there was a cloud of flesh in the way, which intercepted their mutual view, nay permitted no intelligence between them, other then by the mediation of some Or∣gan equally commensurate to soul and body. And to this purpose the infinite wis∣dom of God ordained Speech; which, as it is a sound resulting from the modulati∣on of the Air, has most affinity to the spirit, but as it is uttered by the Tongue, has immediate cognation with the body, and so is the fittest instrument to manage a commerce between the rational yet in∣visible powers of human souls cloathed in flesh.
4. AND as we have reason to admire the excellency of this contrivance, so have we to applaud the extensiveness of the benefit. From this it is we derive all
the advantages of society: without this men of the nearest neighborhood would have signified no more to each other, then our Antipodes now do to us. All our Arts and Sciences for the accommodati∣on of this life, had remain'd only a rude Chaos in their first matter, had not speech by a mutual comparing of notions ran∣ged them into order. By this it is we can give one another notice of our wants, and sollicit relief; by this we interchang∣ably communicate advises, reproofs, con∣solations, all the necessary aids of hu∣man imbecillity. This is that which pos∣sesses us of the most valuable blessing of human Life, I mean Friendship, which could no more have bin contracted a∣mongst dumb men, then it can between Pictures and Statues. Nay farther, to this we owe in a great degree the interests even of our spiritual being, all the oral, yea and written revelations too of Gods will: for had there bin no language there had bin no writing. And tho we must not pronounce how far God might have evi∣denced himself to mankind by immediate inspiration of every individual, yet we may safely rest in the Apostles inference, Rom. 10.14. How shall they believe in
him whom they have not heard, and how shall they hear without a preacher?
5. FROM all these excellent uses of it in respect of man, we may collect another in relation to God, that is, the praising and manifying his goodness, as for all o∣ther effects of his Bounty, so particularly that he hath given us language, and all the consequent advantages of it. This is the just inference of the son of Syrach, Ecclus. 51.22. The Lord hath given me a tongue, and I will praise them therewith. This is the sacrifice which God calls for so often by the Prophets, the calves of our lips, which answers to all the oblations out of the herd, and which the Apostle makes equivalent to those of the floor and wine-press also, Heb. 13.15. The fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. To this we frequently find the Psalmist exciting both himself and others, Awake up my glory, I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the people, and I will sing unto thee among the nations, Psal. 57.9, 10. And O p raise the Lord with me, and let us magni∣fy his name together, Psal. 34.3. And in∣deed whoever observes that excellent magazine of Devotion, the Book of Psalms, shall find that the Lands make up a very great part of it.
6. BY what hath bin said, we may de∣fine what are the grand uses of speech, viz. the glorifying of God, and the be∣nefiting of men. And this helps us to an infallible test by which to try our words. For since every thing is so far approvable as it answers the end of its being, what part soever of our discourses agrees not with the primitive ends of speech, will not hold weight in the balance of the san∣ctuary. It will therefore nearly concern us to enter upon this scrutiny, to bring our words to this touch-stone: for tho in our depraved estimate the Eloquence of Language is more regarded then the innocence, tho we think our words vanish with the breath that utters them, yet they become records in Gods Court, are laid up in his Archives as witnesses either for, or against us: for he who is truth it self hath told us, that by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be con∣demn'd, Matth. 12.37.