Bridge's remains, being VIII sermons

2. As good company w•ll keep you from evil, so they will provoke, whet, and stir you up unto what is good, yea though they be of lower and meaner parts and gifts then your self: For as the Chips, and shavings of Wood, and little sticks will set the great blocks and billets a fire, so warm and lively Christians, though weak in parts, will warm and put life into others, though in parts and gifts much beyond them. Heb. 10.24. Let us consider one another to provoke unto Love, and good works. Solomon tells you. That the lips of the Righteous disperse knowledge. Pro. 15.7. and if you look into the 4th. verse ye shall find, that the wholesome Tongue (which only dwells in the mouth of the righteous) is a Tree of life. The word in the original is an healing ⟨p. 79⟩tongue; there is a cutting-wounding-tongue, and there is an healing-tongue. Now the healing-wholesome tongue is a Tree of Life: do you therefore desire to gather and eat of the Tree of Life; then must you keep company with an healing, not with a cutting and a wounding tongue? And if ye look into, Prov. 20.21. ye shall find, that the tongue of the righteous, is as choice Silver; the heart of the wicked is nothing worth: though he saith, his heart is good, and as good as any mans, though he cannot speak of good a• others do. Yet says Solomon, the heart of the wicked is nothing worth; but the tongue of the just, or righteous, is not only as Silver, but as choice Silver. And do you ask wherein the worth of his •ips doth consist, I will tell you saith Solomon? The Lips of the righteous feed many. Do you therefore desire to be fed, and to meet with such company as shall feed your Soul, then you must keep company with those that are good and righteous. And if ye look into verse 11. ye shall find he saith, That the Mouth of the righteous is a well of Life. Do you therefore desire to draw up the Waters of Life; then must you get your Bucket, and come unto the mouth and company of the righteous. Now if the mouth of the righteous be a well of Life, and his Lips be as choice Silver, that will feed many. What a good thing is it, and profitable for a man to keep company with those that are good. Yet 3dly.