The young man's guide through the wilderness of this world to the heavenly Canaan…

O Young Man, how doth it then concern thee to be watchful over thy words, and speeches? Oh think not vain and unprofitable discourses to be so light as not to be regarded. Consider to what end God made thy Tongue; namely, to glorify him, and edify thy Brother. Consider also what a precious thing time is, ⟨p. 111⟩(which we ought by all means to redeem) and thou shalt find, that to pervert the right end of the Tongue by ▪babbling foolish things, and to misspend so much precious time thereby, is no light or small sin.

O Young Man, how doth it then concern thee to be watchful over thy words, and speeches? Oh think not vain and unprofitable discourses to be so light as not to be regarded. Consider to what end God made thy Tongue; namely, to glorifie him, and edifie thy Brother. Consider also what a precious thing time is, ⟨p. 111⟩(which we ought by all means to redeem) and thou shalt find, that to pervert the right end of the Tongue by ▪babling foolish things, and to mispend so much precious time thereby, is no light or small sin.

3. Jesting is the next kind of evil speaking, mentioned by the Apostle, Eph. 5. 4. whereby he especially meaneth such jesting as tends to the abusing of Scripture, or deriding such as fear God, or mocking of our Neighbour. The word [Greek or Hebrew], in the Text, Aristotle sets down for a Virtue, which the Apostle there condemneth for a Vice. And truly Jesting (especially without great watchfulness, as to the matter and measure of it) doth very ill become Christians. For,

3. Iesting is the next kind of evil speaking, mentioned by the Apostle,