The consideration hereof addeth weight to the admonition given in the former § for watching over our passions: in that the evil arising from thence is not only inward, such as may be kept close within the bowels and breast of a man: but also outward, such as will break forth in words especially, to the offence of others, and to the greater disgrace of 1our profession, and dishonour of God. Words that proceed out of passion are oft violent, and cause much mischief. Many think they extenuate the matter when they say, Words are but wind. Let the violence of wind in a mans head, stomach, belly, veins, guts, or other parts of his body, yea and in the open air, on sea and land be considered, and it will be found, that enough is said of words when they are said to be wind. gSaint James, in regard of the violence of the tongue, resembleth it to other very strong and forcible things, as to the bit of a bridle, whereby the rider maketh 3a lusty horse to turn this way and that way, as he list: to the helm of a ship, wherewith a Pilot turneth an huge vessel on the sea whithersoever he will: to a fire which kindleth a great matter. (Yea it is like a burning furnace which is most ⟨p. 145⟩violent.) And the Apostle addeth, that it setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire of hell. Yea he maketh it more fierce then the wild beasts. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. What Orator could more lively have set out the violence of so little a member then the Apostle hath done? No marvel now that where a man hath two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, two arms, two hands, & many other members double, he hath but one tongue (one being enough, if not too much to rule) and that the fabric of that one tongue is so ordered by nature, or rather by the God of nature, as it is: that it should be placed in the highest part of the body, the head, as in a castle on an hill, and be there bound with the roots of it as with strong bars, and kept within the two leaved gate of the lips, and the portcullis of the teeth: notwithstanding all which, strait charge is given hto him that desireth life, and loveth many days that he may see good, to keep his tongue. For, iDeath and life are in the power of the tongue.
The consideration hereof addeth weight to the admonition given in the formers § for watching over our passions: in that the evill arising from thence is not onely inward, such as may be kept close within the bowels and breast of a man: but also outward, such as will breake forth in words especially, to the offence of others, and to the greater disgrace of 1our profession, and dishonour of God. Words that proceed out of passion are oft violent, and cause much mischief. Many thinke they extenuate the matter when they say, Words are but wind. Let the violence of wind in a mans head, stomach, belly, veines, guts, or other parts of his body, yea and in the open aire, on sea and land be considered, and it wilbe found, that enough is said of words when they are said to be wind. gSaint Iames, in regard of the violence of the tongue, resembleth it to other very strong and forceable things, as to the bit of a bridle, whereby the rider maketh 3a lusty horse to turne this way and that way, as he list: to the helme of a ship, wherewith a Pilot turneth an huge vessell on the sea whethersoever he will: to a fire which kindleth a great matter. (Yea it is like a burning fornace which is most ⟨p. 145⟩violent.) And the Apostle addeth, that it setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire of hell. Yea he maketh it more fierce then the wild beasts. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and things in the sea, is tamed, and hath beene tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame, it is an unruly evill, full of deadly poison. What Orator could more lively have set out the violence of so little a member then the Apostle hath done? No marvell now that where a man hath two eyes, two eares, two nostrills, two arms, two hands, & many other members double, he hath but one tongue (one being enough, if not too much to rule) and that the fabrick of that one tongue is so ordered by nature, or rather by the God of nature, as it is: that it should be placed in the highest part of the body, the head, as in a castle on an hill, and be there bound with the roots of it as with strong bars, and kept within the two leav'd gate of the lips, and the percullis of the teeth: notwithstanding all which, strait charge is given hto him that desireth life, and loveth many daies that he may see good, to keepe his tongue. For, i
