own supposed Intereft, at the Expence and SE RM. to the Injury of others,' fhall at last find, III. that he who has given up all the Advantages of the present World, rather than violate his Confcience and the Relations of Life, has infinitely better provided for himself, and fecured his own Intereft and Happiness.

SERMON

SERMON IV.

Upon the Government of the
Tongue.

JAMES i. 26.

If any Man among you feem to be religious, and bridleth not his Tongue, but deceiveth his own Heart, this Man's Religion is vain.

T

HE Tranflation of this Text would SE RM, be more determinate by being more IV. literal, thus: If any Man among you feemeth to be religious, not bridling his Tongue, but deceiving his own Heart, this Man's Religion is vain. This determines that the Words, but deceiveth his own Heart, are not put in Oppofition to, feemeth to be religious, but to, bridleth not his

1

Tongue.

SERM. Tongue. The certain determinate Meaning IV. of the Text then being, that he who seem

eth to be religious, and bridleth not his Tongue, but in that particular deceiveth his own Heart, this Man's Religion is vain; we may obferve somewhat very forcible and expreffive in these Words of St. James. As if the Apostle had faid, No Man surely can make any Pretences to Religion, who does not at least believe that he bridleth his Tongue: If he puts on any Appearance or Face of Religion, and yet does not govern his Tongue, he muft furely deceive himself in that particular, and think he does: And whoever is fo unhappy as to deceive himself in this, to imagine he keeps that unruly Faculty in due Subjection, when indeed he does not, whatever the other Part of his Life be, his Religion is vain; the Government of the Tongue being a moft material Restraint which Virtue lay us under: Without it no man can be truly religious.

In treating upon this Subject, I will confider,

First, WHAT is the general Vice or Fault here referred to: Or what Difpofition in Men is fuppofed in Moral Reflections and Precepts concerning bridling the Tongue..

Secondly,

Secondly, WHEN it may be faid of any SER M. one, that he has a due Government

himself in this respect.

over IV.

I. Now the Fault referred to, and the Difpofition fuppofed, in Precepts and Reflections concerning the Government of the Tongue, is not Evil-fpeaking from Malice, nor Lying or bearing falfe Witness from indirect selfish Designs. The Difpofition to these, and the actual Vices themselves, all come under other Subjects. The Tongue may be employed about and made to ferve all the Purposes of Vice, in tempting and deceiving, in Perjury and Injustice. But the Thing here fuppofed and referred to, is Talkativenefs: A Difpofition to be talking, abstracted from the Confideration of what is to be faid; with very little or no Regard to, or Thought of doing, either Good or Harm. And let not any imagine this to be a flight Matter, and that it deferves not to have fo great Weight laid upon it; till he has confidered, what Evil is implied in it, and the bad Effects which follow from it. It is perhaps true, that they who are addicted to this Folly would choose to confine themselves to Trifles and indifferent Subjects, and fo intend only to be guilty of being imperti

nent: