A Golden Chain

To the reader.

lamentable and fearful is the abuse of the tongue among all sorts & degrees of men ever• where. Hence daily arise manifold sins against God and •nnu•erable scandals and grievances to our brethren. It would make a mans heart to bleed, to hear and consider how Swearing, Blaspheming, Cursed speaking, Ra•ling, Backbiting, Slandering, Chiding, Quarrelling, Contending, Jesting, Mocking, Flattering, Lying, Dissembling, Vain and idle talking overflow in all place•, so as men which fear God had better be any where then in the company of most men. Well thou; art thou a man which hast made little conscience of thy speech and talk? repent seriously of this sin, and amend thy life, least for the abusing of thy tongue thou cry with Dives in hell. Send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. ¹And if thou be one which hast care to order thy self in speech & silence according to gods word, oh, do it more. For what a shame is it, that men with the same tongue wherewith they confess the faith and religion of Christ, should by vain and ungodly speech utterly deny the power thereof? And for thy better help herein, I have penned these few lines following, concerning the Government of the tongue. Use them for thy benefit, and finding profit thereby, give glory to God.