Media: the middle things, in reference to the first and last things: or, The means, duties, ordinances, both secret, private and publike, for continuance and increase of a godly life, once begun, till we come to Heaven. Wherein are discovered many blessed medium's or duties, in their right method, manner and proceedings; that so a Christian (the spirit of Christ assisting) may walk on in the holy path, which leads from his new birth to everlasting life. / Drawn, for the most part, out of the most eminently pious, and learned writings of our native practical divines: with additionals of his own, by Isaac Ambrose, minister of the Gospel at Preston in Amoundernes.

SECT. 6. Of the maner of examining our Tongues.

THat we may rightly examine our Tongues, observe we these Rules:

1. Search we into our dispositions, whether we are men of few words, or given to much speaking? The tongue may offend both ways, but especially if we are wordy.

2. Peruse with a broken heart and bleeding affections, the many kindes of those sins of the tongue, whereof (no doubt, at one time or other) we have been deeply guilty. Some num∣ber them in thirty particulars; as, Blasphemy, Murmuring Defence of sin, Swearing, Forswearing, Lying, Equivocating, Slandering, Flattering, Cursing, Railing, Brawling, Scoffing, Giving ill counsel, Sowing seeds of Discord amongst Neighbors, Double-tonguedness, Boasting, Discovering of secrets, Hasty or in∣discreet, Threatning, Rash Promises and Vows, Idle words, Lo∣quacity, or Immoderate talkativeness, Filthy talking, Scurrility, or foolish Jesting, Tale-telling, Raising of rumors, Sinful silence,

Rash censuring, Malicious informing, Whispering.

3. Consider we the last Judgement, when men shall give ac∣count for every idle word; for by our words we must be justified, and by our words we must be condemned. Will it not be a fearful Bill, wherein must be written every word that we spoke all our life long? O let us tremble to think of it, and judge and con∣demn our selves, and seal up our lips with amazement, as if we were struck dumb.

4. Let us ever after set a watch at the door of our lips: I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue; I will keep my mouth with a bridle. It is storied, That when this verse was read, or Lectured upon to a religious person, he cryed out, Stay there, and I will hear the rest when I have learned that verse: A long time after being demanded, Why he returnrd not to his old Master, he answered, that As yet he was not per∣fect in his first lesson: And hence the Apostle could say, If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. It is an hard work to bridle the tongue, and therefore we had need to watch over it.

5. Pray we the Lord for the guidance of his Spirit in right governing of our tongue; The preparation of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord; and there∣fore prayed David, Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, keep the door of my lips: O the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity, as the fire flies about, so the tongue is said to have wings; as the fire assimulates and turns every thing into its own nature, so the tongue assimulates the hearts of men to whom it speaks; we had need therefore to pray, that God will order this fire in our mouthes, lest we kindle such a fire in the breasts of others, as we shall never live to quench again, and so kindle the fire of Gods wrath, which shall smoke to our destruction.

Notes

• Mat. 12.36.37.
• Psa. 39.2.
• Tripart. lib. cap. 1.
• Iames 3.2.
• Prov 16.1.
• Psal. 141.3.
• Iames 3.6.