A discourse concerning old-age tending to the instruction, caution and comfort of aged persons…

Speech is a most wonderful and excellent Faculty conferred only on humane nature, and for their common good, and it is great pity that it should be abused. As our Reason begins to work, so our Speech comes in; which shows that all our words should be governed by Reason. And yet how unruly is this little member! insomuch as the Apostle James, c. 3. 6. calls the Tongue, a World of iniquity; the hand is not called a world of iniquity, for that cannot reach very far; but with the tongue we can walk over the whole world, and by the venom of it hurt even all mankind. ⟨p. 46⟩And Old people, whose eyes and ears, whose hands and feet are much decayed and disabled, are apt to make the greater use of their tongues.

Speech is a most wonderful and excellent Faculty conferr'd only on humane nature, and for their common good, and it is great pity that it should be abused. As our Reason begins to work, so our Speech comes in; which shews that all our words should be govern'd by Reason. And yet how unruly is this little member! insomuch as the Apostle Iames, c. 3. 6. calls the Tongue, a World of iniquity; the hand is not call'd a world of iniquity, for that cannot reach very far; but with the tongue we can walk over the whole world, and by the venome of it hurt even all mankind. ⟨p. 46⟩And Old people, whose eyes and ears, whose hands and feet are much decay'd and disabled, are apt to make the greater use of their tongues.

And whereas the noblest and best subject of Discourse is the ever blessed God, his Properties, Word and Works, too few of them deal in this argument; but the ordinary Theme of their speech, is concerning Other folks, and concerning Themselves: and here you may find in their tongues the Perpetual Motion. About Others, their tongue travelleth round about, and few of their neighbours escape the scourge of it. It is their delight to be judging, censuring, and condemning all mankind. How much good might the same breath produce, if it were employed in good instruction, in faithful counsel or in wise reproof? But their talent lies not that way, but rather like Zoilus of old, who being asked, why he carped so much at others, answered, that he spoke ill of them, because he could do no other ill to them; so the impotence of old people must be a plea for their ill language: but God will reprove thee, and set this and all thine other sins before thee, because thou sittest and speakest