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Much more let vs carefully auoid in our conferences, the speech of Ashdod, which who so vseth, professing himselfe an Israelite, deserueth to be cursed, and that there were some good Nehemiah to smite him with the hand of Iustice, and to plucke off his hayre. As all hurtfull speech,
which tendeth to Gods dishonour, swearing, blaspheming, cursing, and such as sauoureth of irreligion, profanenesse and Atheisme; or to the de∣struction of our owne and neighbours soules, for which Christ died; as all euill words which corrupt good manners; all filthy communication and rotten speech, which infecteth and poysoneth the hearers; all scurri∣lity, vnsauorie and obscene iests; all scoffes and bitter frumps, scornefull taunts and spitefull iests, impeaching the credit and reputation of our neighbours, which proceede, for the most part, from an affectation of the praise of wit, and so farre bewitch men, that they are ready (as wee say) to lose their friend rather then their iest, and so foolishly to exchange a precious iewell, for a trifling bable. And hereunto we may adde all speech∣es directly contrary vnto those that tend to edification; as such as tend to the corrupting of the iudgement of our neighbours, and to the leading of them into error, euill counsaile, and all such as discourage them in the waies of Godlinesse. Such as grieue the afflicted spirit, and make him to sinke vnder his burthen; such as incourage men vnto sinne, and counte∣nance those, who are fearefull and bashfull, in wicked courses, or which hinder those that are falne, from rising againe, and turning vnto God by true repentance. And as wee are to auoide in all our conferences these hurtfull and pernicious speeches, so also such as are vaine and vnprofita∣ble, as not attaining vnto our chiefe endes, the glory of God, and our own and our neighbours good; in which notwithstanding the most men spend their time, and as the Psalmist complaineth, speake vanity euery one with his neighbour; thinking themselues sufficiently excused, because they say no hurt. But such forget in the meane time, that the Wise man prayeth against this vanity, that the Apostle doth forbid and condemne it; and that our Sauiour Christ at the day of Iudgement will call into account not onely such speeches as are hurtful, but such also as are idle and vnpro∣fitable.
Nehem. 13. 23.
1. Cor. 15. 33. Eph. 4. 29. Eph. 5. 4.
Psal. 12 2.
Pro. 30 8. Tit 3. 9.
Matth. 12. 36.