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might be more temperate in my talk." This was in him an act of caution; but how apt it was to minister to his purpose of a moderated speech for the future, is not certain; nor the philosophy of it, and natural efficacy, easy to be apprehended. It was also practised by way of penance, with indignation against the follies of the tongue, and the itch of prating; so to chastise that petulant member, as if there were a great pleasure in prating, which when it grew inordinate, it was to be restrained and punished like other lusts. I remember it was reported of St. Paul the hermit, scholar of St. Anthony, that, having once asked whether Christ or the old prophets were first, he grew so ashamed of his foolish question, that he spake not a word for three years following: and Sulpitius, as St. Jerome reports of him, being deceived by the Pelagians, spoke some fond things, and, repenting of it, held his tongue to his dying day, " ut peccatum quod loquendo contraxerat, tacendo penitus emendaret." Though the pious mind is in such actions highly to be regarded, yet I am no way persuaded of the prudence of such a deadness and Libitinarian religion;

Murmura cum secum et rabiosa silentia rodunt,

so such importune silence was called, and understood to be a degree of stupidity and madness; for so physicians, among the signs of that disease in dogs, place their not barking; and yet, although the excess and unreasonableness of this may be well chastised by such a severe reproof, yet it is certain, in silence there is wisdom, and there may be deep religion. So Aretæus, describing the life of a studious man, among others, he inserts this, they are ἄχροοι, καὶ ἐν νεότητι γηραλέοι, kaì vπ' ¿vvolaç kwpoí "without colour, pale and wise when they are young, and, by reason of their knowledge, silent" as mutes, and dumb as the Seriphian frogs. And indeed it is certain, great knowledge, if it be without vanity, is the most severe bridle of the tongue. For so have I heard, that all the noises and prating of the pool, the croaking of frogs and toads, is hushed and appeased upon the instant of bringing upon them the light of a candle or torch. Every beam of reason and ray of knowledge checks the dissolutions of the tongue. But, Ut quisque contemptissimus et maximè ludibrio est, ita solutissimæ linguæ est," said Seneca; "Every man, as he is a

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fool and contemptible, so his tongue is hanged loose;" being like a bell, in which there is nothing but tongue and noise.

Silence therefore is the cover of folly, or the effect of wisdom; it is also religious; and the greatest mystic rites of any institution are ever the most solemn and the most silent; the words in use are almost made synonymous: "There was silence made in heaven for awhile," said St. John, who noted it upon occasion of a great solemnity, and mysterious worshippings or revelations to be made there. "Η μάλα τις θεὸς vdov," One of the gods is within," said Telemachus; upon occasion of which his father reproved his talking.

Σίγα, καὶ κατὰ σὸν νέον ἴσχανε, μηδ' ἐρέεινε·

Αὕτη τοι δίκη ἐστὶ θεῶν, οἳ Ολυμπον ἔχουσιν 8.

"Be thou also silent and say little; let thy soul be in thy hand, and under command; for this is the rite of the gods above." And I remember, that when Aristophanes " describes the religion in the temple of Asculapius, ὁ πρόσπολος, εἰπὼν, ἤν τις αἴσθηται ψόφου, Σιγᾷν: “ The priest commanded great silence when the mysteriousness was nigh;" and so among the Romans:

Ite igitur, pueri, linguis animisque faventes,
Sertaque delubris et farra imponite caltris.

But now, although silence is become religious, and is wise, and reverend, and severe, and safe, and quiet, adapos, kai ἄλυπος, καὶ ἀνώδυνος, as Hippocrates afirms of it, “ without thirst, and trouble, and anguish ;" yet it must be κaípios, it must be 'seasonable,' and just, not commenced upon chance or humour, not sullen and ill-natured, not proud and full of fancy, not pertinacious and dead, not mad and uncharitable, nam sic etiam tacuisse nocet.' He that is silent in a public joy hath no portion in the festivity, or no thankfulness to him that gave the cause of it. And though, of all things in the world, a prating religion, and much talk in holy things, does most profane the mysteriousness of it, and dismantles its regards, and makes cheap its reverence, and takes off fear and awfulness, and makes it loose and garish, like the laughters of drunkenness, yet even in religion there are seasons to speak; and it was sometimes' pain and grief' to David to be silent; but yet, although tedious and dead silence hath not a just

* Od. T. 40.

h Platus. Brunck. 670.

measure of praise and wisdom; yet the worst silence of a religious person is more tolerable and innocent, than the usual pratings of the looser and foolish men. "Pone, Domine, custodiam ori meo et ostium circumstantiæ labiis meis," said David; "Put a guard, O Lord, unto my mouth, and a door unto my lips;" upon which St. Gregory said well," Non parietem, sed ostium petit, quod viz. aperitur et clauditur;" "He did not ask for a wall, but for a door; a door that might open and shut" and it were well it were so indeed: "Labia tua sicut vitta coccinea;" so Christ commends his spouse in the Canticles; "Thy lips are like a scarlet hair-lace," that is, tied up with modesty from folly and dissolution. For however that few people offend in silence and keeping the door shut too much, yet, in opening it too hastily, and speaking too much and too foolishly, no man is without a load of guiltiness; and some mouths, like the gates of death,

Noctes atque dies patent :

"are open night and day;" and he who is so, cannot be innocent. It is said of Cicero, he never spake a word which himself would fain have recalled, he spake nothing that repented him. St. Austin, in his seventh epistle to Marcellinus, says, it was the saying of a fool and a sot, not of a wise man; and yet I have read the same thing to have been spoken by the famous abbot Pambo, in the primitive church; and if it could be well said of this man, who was sparing and severe in talk, it is certain, it could not be said of the other, who was a talking, bragging person.

SERMON XXIII.

PART II.

THE consideration hitherto hath been of the immoderation and general excess in speaking, without descending to particular cases but because it is a principle and parent of much evil, it is with great caution to be cured, and the evil consequents will quickly disband. But when we draw near to give counsel, we shall find, that upon a talking person scarce any medicine will stick.

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1. Plutarch advises, that such men should give themselves to writing,' that, making an issue in the arm, it should drain the floods of the head; supposing, that if the humour were any way vented, the tongue might be brought to reason. But the experience of the world hath confuted this; and when Ligurinus had writ a poem, he talked of it to all companies he came in ; but, however, it can be no hurt to try; for some have been cured of bleeding at the nose, by opening a vein in the arm.

2. Some advise, that such persons should keep company with their betters, with grave, and wise, and great persons, before whom men do not usually bring forth all, but the better parts, of their discourse: and this is apt to give assistance by the help of modesty; and might do well, if men were not apt to learn to talk more in the society of the aged, and, out of a desire to seem wise and knowing, be apt to speak before their opportunity.

3. Consideration of the dangers and consequent evils hath some efficacy in nature to restrain our looser talkings, by the help of fear and prudent apprehensions. Ælian tells of the geese flying over the mountain Taurus ; that, for fear of eagles, nature hath taught them to carry stones in their mouths, till they be past their danger; care of ourselves, desire of reputation, appetite of being believed, love of societies and fair compliances, fear of quarrels and misinterpretation, of law-suits and affronts, of scorn and contempt, of infinite sins, and consequently the intolerable wrath of God; these are the great endearments of prudent and temperate speech.

Some advise, that such persons should change their speech into business and action: and it were well if they changed it into any good thing, for then the evil were cured; but action and business are not the cure alone, unless we add solitariness; for the experience of this last age hath made us to feel, that companies of working people have nursed up a strange religion; the first, second, and third part of which, is talking and folly, save only that mischief, and pride, and fighting, came in the retinue. But he that works, and works

i Mart. 3. 44.

κ Εκαστος λίθον ἐνδακόντες, ὡσπεροῦν ἐμβαλόντες σφίσι στόμιον, διαπέτονται, κ. τ. λ. (V. c. 29. Schneid. p. 157.)

alone, he hath employment, and no opportunity. But this is but a cure of the symptom and temporary effect; but the disease may remain yet. Therefore,

5. Some advise, that the business and employment of the tongue be changed into religion; and if there be a 'pruritus,' or 'itch' of talking, let it be in matters of religion, in prayers and pious discourses, in glorifications of God, and the wise sayings of Scripture and holy men; this indeed will secure the material part, and make that the discourses in their nature shall be innocent. But I fear this cure will either be improper, or insufficient. For in prayers, multitude of words is sometime foolish, very often dangerous; and, of all things in the world, we must be careful we bring not to God 'the sacrifice of fools;' and the talking much of the things of Scripture hath ministered often to vanity, and divisions. But therefore, whoever will use this remedy must never dwell long upon any one instance, but by variety of holy duties. entertain himself; for he may easily exceed his rule in any thing, but in speaking honourably of God, and in that let him enlarge himself as he can; he shall never come to equal, much less to exceed, that which is infinite.

6. But some men will never be cured without a cancer or a quinsy; and such persons are taught by all men what to do; for if they would avoid all company, as willingly as company avoids them, they might quickly have a silence great as midnight, and prudent as the Spartan brevity. But God's grace is sufficient to all that will make use of it; and there is no way for the cure of this evil, but the direct obeying of a counsel, and submitting to the precept, and fearing the divine threatening: always remembering, that "of every word a man speaks, he shall give account at the day of judgment:" I pray God shew us all a mercy in that day, and forgive us the sins of the tongue. Amen.

"Cito lutum colligit amnis exundans," said St. Ambrose ; let your language be restrained within its proper channels, and measures; for," if the river swells over the banks, it leaves nothing but dirt and filthiness behind;" and, besides the great evils and mischiefs of a wicked tongue,--the vain tongue, and the trifling conversation, hath some proper evils; 1. 'Stultiloquium,' or 'speaking like a fool:' 2. Scurrilitas,' or 'immoderate and absurd jesting:' and, 3. Revealing secrets.

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