He that dares to speak evil, is arrived at a great height of evil: Eliphaz puts this as an effect of a heart turned against God; such words as these, show that thou art not only a sinful man, but impudent in sinning. For though an evil heart is worse then an evil tongue, and an ill thought then an evil word; yet when ill words spring from ill thoughts, and are as branches growing from the root of an evil heart, this shows a man heightened in sin; Sin hath got the mastery of the heart wh•n it freely vents it self at the tongue. Some keep their sins down by hypocrisy, and some by common modesty; they are either so cunning that they will not, or so bashful that they dare not speak out the filth that lies within. But they are beyond, not only modesty, but hypocrisy, whose tongues can speak all the evil that is in their heart; though the sin of the heart ⟨p. 56⟩be worse then the sin of the tongue, yet when tongue sins are steeped in the puddle of a corrupt heart, they are most unsavoury: David sinned when he said, in his hast, all men are liars: How greatly then do they sin who tell lies at their leisure, and speak evil with deliberation. That which is said in hast, is said by the tongue alone, without the privity of the heart, but the heart is always privy to that which is said at leisure. The Prophet taxeth those, the show of whose countenance did testify against them (Is. 3.9.) They fall justly under as severe a censure, the sound of whose tongues doth testify against them, for they also (as it follows in the Prophet) declare their sin as Sodom, they hid it not. Further, this also argues the evil of evil speaking, because it wrongs others, and infects the Auditors: The vanity or error of the mind spoken out, is contagious; better keep it in, then speak it out, but both are naught: 'tis only good, when we purge it out. Though it be some allay and lessening, yet it is no excuse for sin, that we keep it in; God hates it, let it lye as close as it will; and though a sin kept close, doth not hurt others; yet it is not only hurtful, but deadly to its keeper. They only are out of danger, who as they do not let evil go out of the door of their mouths, so not lodge in the chambers of their heart.
He that dares to speake evill, is arrived at a great height of evill: Eliphaz puts this as an effect of a heart turned against God; such words as these, shew that thou art not onely a sinfull man, but impudent in sinning. For though an evill heart is worse then an evill tongue, and an ill thought then an evill word; yet when ill words spring from ill thoughts, and are as branches growing from the root of an evill heart, this shewes a man hightened in sin; Sin hath got the mastery of the heart wh•n it freely vents it selfe at the tongue. Some keep their sins downe by hypocrisie, and some by common modesty; they are either so cunning that they will not, or so bashfull that they dare not speak out the filth that lyes within. But they are beyond, not onely modesty, but hypocrisie, whose tongues can speak all the evill that is in their heart; though the sin of the heart ⟨p. 56⟩be worse then the sinne of the tongue, yet when tongue sinnes are steept in the puddle of a corrupt heart, they are most unsavory: David sinned when he sayd, in his hast, all men are lyars: How greatly then doe they sinne who tell lyes at their leisure, and speak evill with deliberation. That which is said in hast, is sayd by the tongue alone, without the privity of the heart, but the heart is alwayes privy to that which is sayd at leisure. The Prophet taxeth those, the shew of whose countenance did testifie against them (Is. 3.9.) They fall justly under as severe a censure, the sound of whose tongues doth testifie against them, for they also (as it followes in the Prophet) declare their sin as Sodom, they hid it not. Further, this also argues the evill of evill speaking, because it wrongs others, and infects the Auditors: The vanity or errour of the minde spoken out, is contagious; better keep it in, then speak it out, but both are naught: 'tis onely good, when we purge it out. Though it be some allay and lessening, yet it is no excuse for sinne, that we keep it in; God hates it, let it lye as close as it will; and though a sin kept close, doth not hurt others; yet it is not onely hurtfull, but deadly to its keeper. They onely are out of danger, who as they doe not let evill goe out of the door of their mouths, so not lodge in the chambers of their heart.
