iv. 29; when wanton, filthy minds do make themselves merry with

wanton, filthy speeches. This is the devil's preparative to whoredom and all abominable uncleanness; for when the tongue is first taught to make a sport of such filthy sins, and the ear to be delighted in it, or be indifferent to it, there remaineth but a small step to actual filthiness.

20. Another sin of the tongue is, cursing; when men wish some mischief causelessly or unwarrantably to others. If you speak but in passion or jest, and desire not to them in your hearts the hurt which you name, it is nevertheless a sin of the tongue, as it is to speak blasphemy or treason in a passion or in jest; the tongue must be ruled as well as the heart. But if really you desire the hurt which you wish them, it is so much the worse. But it is worst of all, when passionate, factious men will turn their very prayers into cursings, calling for fire from heaven, and praying for other men's destruction or hurt; and pretending Scripture examples for it; as if they might do it unwarrantably, which others have done in other cases in a warrantable manner.

21. Slandering is another sin of the tongue; when out of malice and ill will, men speak evil falsely of others to make them odious or do them hurt: or else through uncharitable credulity, do easily believe a false report, and so report it again to others; or through rashness and unruliness of tongue, divulge it, before they try it, or receive either just proof, or any warrantable call to mention it.

22. Another sin is, backbiting and venting ill reports behind men's backs, without any warrant. Be the matter true or false, as long as you either know it not to be true, or if you do, yet vent it to make the person less respected, or at least without a sufficient cause, it is a sin against God, and a wrong to men.

23. Another sin is, rash censuring, when you speak that evil of another, which you have but an uncharitable surmise of; and take that to be probable which is but possible, or that to be certain which is but probable against another.[483]

24. Another sin is, railing, reviling, or passionate, provoking words, which tend to the diminution of charity, and the breach of peace, and the stirring up of discord, and of a return of railing words from others, contrary to the love, and patience, and meekness, and gentleness which become saints.

25. Another sin is, cheating, deceiving, overreaching words; when men use their tongues to defraud their neighbours, in bargaining for their own gain.

26. Another sin of the tongue is, false witness-bearing, and false accusing; a sin which cries to God for vengeance, who is the justifier of the innocent.

27. Another sin of the tongue is, the passing an unrighteous sentence in judgment: when rulers absolve the guilty or condemn the just, and call evil good and good evil, and say to the righteous, "Thou art wicked," Prov. xxiv. 24.

28. Another sin of the tongue is, flattery; which is the more heinous by how much more hurtful. And it is most hurtful, 1. When it tendeth to delude men in the greatest things, even the state of their souls. The flattery of a preacher that deceiveth men as in the name of Christ, is of all other flattery the most pernicious; to make the unregenerate believe that they are regenerate, and the ungodly to believe that they are godly, and the unjustified to believe that they are justified, and the children of Satan to believe that without conversion they may be saved; to make a worldling, a swearer, a glutton, a drunkard, a fornicator, a formal hypocrite, or a hater of holiness, believe that such as he may come to heaven without the sanctifying, renewing work of the Holy Ghost; this is the most eminent service of the devil that the tongue of any man can do him, except it be the very open opposers of religion. As the devil useth more to flatter men to hell, than to frighten them thither, so do his ministers and instruments. And all doctrines of libertinism and looseness, which warrant men to do evil and to neglect a holy life, are of the two a more dangerous way of flattery, than that which consisteth but in misapplication. Thus also carnal friends do use to flatter a sinner into presumption and false hopes, when they see him convinced of his sin and misery, and say, Trouble not yourself; God is merciful, and you have lived well, and been a good neighbour, and done nobody harm, and if such as you be not saved, God help a great many. Thus when a convinced sinner is striving to get out of the devil's snares, the servants of Satan rock him asleep again, by false and flattering speeches and deceit. 2. Flattering is pernicious when it tendeth to the hurt of many; as when rulers are deceived and perverted by it to the destruction of the people and themselves.[484] Prov.