3. Consider, what abundance of great and needful employment you have for your tongues, and then tell me, whether you should spare them to idleness and vanity? O what work hath that little member to perform! what matters have you to mind and talk of? what transcendent subjects? what matter of highest excellency, and greatest necessity? you have a life of sin to look back upon and lament: you have many a sin to confess to others: you need much help against temptations, and for the strengthening and exercise of your graces: what need to make sure of your title to salvation? ⟨p. 151⟩and to prepare for death, and to get ready the graces that you must use in you last necessities? and yet have you words to spare for vanity? What abundance of poor souls about you are ignorant, hard-hearted, sensual, covetous, empty of grace, in a state of death, and need all that ever you can do for their recovery, and all too little: and yet can you find in your heart to talk with them of vain unprofitable things? Alas Sirs, most of the persons about you are within a step of death, and going to the bar of God, and want nothing but one stroke of death to make them past help, and send them to damnation: And can you find in your hearts to talk idly with such men? O cruel unmerciful people, that regard no more your neighbours miseries! If you came to them at the point of death, or if their houses were on fire, would you sit down and tell them an old tale, or talk of the weather, or this trifle, or that? what an absurdity would this be, and insensibility of your brethren's case? And will you do so in a case ten thousand fold greater? Can you find in your heart to stand jesting & prating with a poor unregenerate man that is within a step of Hell? Have you not more need to call to him to look about him in time, and to remember eternity, and to turn and live? If you see but the nakedness of the poor, or the sores of a Cripple, it should move you to compassion: And will not mens ignorance and ungodliness move you? Their miseries cry aloud to you for pity, though themselves are silent, [O help to save us from sin and hell, as you have the hearts of men] and yet will you stop your ears, and fall a prating and jesting with them? you rob them of the means that God hath commanded you to use for their recovery.
3. Consider, what abundance of great and needful employment you have for your tongues, and then tell me, whether you should spare them to idleness and vanity? O what work hath that little member to perform! what matters have you to mind and talk of? what transcendent subjects? what matter of highest excellency, and greatest necessity? you have a life of sin to look back upon and lament: you have many a sin to confess to others: you need much help against temptations, and for the strengthning and exercise of your graces: what need to make sure of your title to salvation? ⟨p. 151⟩and to prepare for death, and to get ready the graces that you must use in you last necessities? and yet have you words to spare for vanity? What abundance of poor souls about you are ignorant, hard-hearted, sensual, covetous, empty of grace, in a state of death, and need all that ever you can do for their recovery, and all too little: and yet can you find in your heart to talk with them of vain unprofitable things? Alas Sirs, most of the persons about you are within a step of death, and going to the bar of God, and want nothing but one stroak of death to make them past help, and send them to damnation: And can you find in your hearts to talk idly with such men? O cruel unmerciful people, that regard no more your neighbours miseries! If you came to them at the point of death, or if their houses were on fire, would you sit down and tell them an old tale, or talk of the weather, or this trifle, or that? what an absurdity would this be, and insensibility of your brethrens case? And will you do so in a case ten thousand fold greater? Can you find in your heart to stand jesting & prating with a poor unregenerate man that is within a step of Hell? Have you not more need to call to him to look about him in time, and to remember eternity, and to turn and live? If you see but the nakedness of the poor, or the sores of a Cripple, it should move you to compassion: And will not mens ignorance and ungodliness move you? Their miseries cry aloud to you for pity, though themselves are silent, [O help to save us from sin and hell, as you have the hearts of men] and yet will you stop your ears, and fall a prating and jesting with them? you rob them of the means that God hath commanded you to use for their recovery.
