swer for, than a little freedom with my tongue : but let such learn from the text, how little their mind is in accordance with God's mind, herein. The evil is, in his sight, of such magnitude, that it spoils all that looks like religion, where it is indulged. God accounts all vain. Observe, where it is indulged. I am not, of course, speaking now of sins of infirmity, in this respect, that are sincerely resisted, and prayed against, and made matter of deep humiliation, before God. God forbid! Where is the man among us, who must not lay his hand on his mouth, and his mouth in the dust, and confess himself deeply guilty, in this matter?

But the declaration of the apostle, here, relates not to those, in whom this unruly member breaks out occasionally, and under strong provocation, against all the restraints that may be habitually put upon it; but to those who refuse to restrain it; or who, acknowledging it ought to be restrained, neglect this great duty, and, in fact, allow themselves, on all occasions, in the sin they love. Now, such persons do but deceive their own hearts, in all their show of godliness; and bring no little scandal and reproach, upon God and his cause, by calling themselves of the number of his people. These (say the world) are your religious people. Go into their company, and you will hear as much gossip, and

slander, and ill-nature: you will find them just as quarrelsome, and petulant, as fierce, and impatient of contradiction or control, as their neighbours. Now this is a wicked slander, for the most part but woe to those, who give any just cause to the enemies of God, thus to blaspheme his truth. God hates such a spirit. His gospel forbids it: and, wherever it really finds entrance into a sinner's heart, it contends with this evil, and gets the mastery of it. And God here (you see) plainly tells all, who give such licence to their tongues, that they are deceivers of their own selves their religion is vain.

The truth is, an unbridled tongue is the index of an unbridled heart; for "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." When men's conversation is full of frothiness, and folly, and lewdness, or is made up of slander and spite, it is, because their spirits are so: and thus an ungoverned tongue is an argument of the whole man being the same. He is not under the influence of God's Spirit. He has none of that wisdom which is from above, which is "first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be intreated." He is "earthly, sensual, devilish."

Tell me, my brethren. Is that man's religion anything but vain, who blesses God on the Sabbath, and at his daily prayers, and, with the same mouth, curses his fellow? who worships a

God of love, and professes obedience to a law of love, and then goes and speaks evil of his brother, and judges his brother; and is ready to tell everything, true, or, often, false, to the prejudice of his brother? The thing is impossible. No fountain can send forth, at the same place, fresh water and salt: sweet and bitter : and no heart, that is really touched by divine grace, can thus pour forth, by one and the same tongue, the language of heaven, and the venom of hell.

May God, in mercy, humble us for our past miscarriages, in this matter! and enable us, in his strength, to bring this unruly evil into subjection!" Every idle word, (hurtful, injurious word, apyòv pñua, as that of the Pharisees against Christ,) that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof, in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." (Matt. xii. 36.)

SERMON XVII.

CHILDLIKE CONFIDENCE, IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD.

PROVERBS xiv. 26.

In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence, and his children shall have a place of refuge.

GUILT has created dread: dread of God, and alarming anticipations of those manifold evils, which follow in the train of sin. In the prospect of these, men greatly need somewhat, that may inspire confidence; and in the actual experience of them, they need a place of refuge, a shelter from the desolating storm, where they may hide themselves from its fury, and be comforted. Accordingly, many are the grounds of confidence, many the strongholds of safety, which men, in a sense of this necessity, propose to themselves and others, against a day of evil. Some would find security from their fears, and relief from trouble,

in the intoxication of pleasure, or in the absorbing toils of business, and an active life. Others would raise themselves above the fears and sorrows of life, by the supports of learning and philosophy; while a third class fall back on the natural goodness of their hearts, and their many virtues, either to encourage themselves in the hope that they shall escape the sorrows which befall others, or at least to assure themselves, that, if they be not wholly exempt from the ills of this life, they have nothing to apprehend in a world to come.

But a very little experience is sufficient to prove, that all such confidences are vain. They cannot relieve a guilty conscience, in the hour of distress. They cannot afford solid peace and consolation, under the heavy strokes of God's uplifted rod. They are, all, inventions of men who know not God, for escaping from his hand : and, when he rises up, the hail presently sweeps them away, and judgment overflows them. This is the great wretchedness of the world. They have no remedy, beyond their own miserable nostrums, for the manifold evils which they feel, or fear. Their confidences disappoint them. Their refuges fail them, when they need them most. They are as a broken reed, and as waters that pass away.

The gracious word of our God provides for this,