A saint or a brute the certain necessity and excellency of holiness, &c. ...…

O Christians, did not your graces languish by your own neglects, and your souls grow out of relish with these spiritual and most excellent things, your speeches of them would be more savoury; you would be more frequent, lively, and cheerful in your discourse of holy things; and then your converse would be more edifying and delightful to each other. We show so little of Grace in our conference, that makes it to be but little different from other mens; And (which is the commonest case, and very doleful) we most of us remain so ignorant and imprudent, that we mar holy conference by our mixtures of unwise expressions, and disgrace it to others by our injudicious weakness: This is the bane of Christian discourse; even the want of holy skill and wisdom, and of understanding to speak of the things of God, according to their transcendent worth and weight, as much (and more) then the want of zeal. But if we could discourse of these holy matters aright, with wisdom and with seriousness, how sweet, how fruitful would the company of holy persons be! We should be still among them, as in the family of God, and should hear that which our souls do most desire to hear; and we should preach to one another the riches of grace in our familiar discourse; and souls might be converted by the conference ⟨p. 299⟩of Believers, and not all left to the public ministry: Every man would be a helper to his neighbour. For the tongue of the just is as choice silver, though the heart of the wicked is little worth: the lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for want of wisdom, Prov. 10. 20, 21. The lips of the wise disperse knowledge, Prov. 15. 7. Righteous lips are the delight of Kings, Prov. 16. 13. and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning, v. 21. The lips of Knowledge are a precious Jewel, Prov. 20. 15. A mans belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth, and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled, Prov. 18. 20. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgement; the Law of his God is in his heart,