The works of George Swinnock, M.A

Secondly, Be righteous in thy Words and Expressions, ¹as well as in thy Works. The Christians tongue should be his hearts interpreter, and reveal its mind and meaning; and the Christians hand should justify his tongue, by turning his words into deeds: Though the right Christian is not a worshipper of Mercury, to whom tongues were only offered in sacrifice; yet with the Athenians he doth speak well, as with the Lacedaemonians do well. The Burgess of the new Jerusalem is known by this livery; He walketh uprightly, worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart; He sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not, Psal. 15. 2, 4.

SEcondly, Be righteous in thy Words and Expressions, ¹as well as in thy Works. The Christians tongue should be his hearts interpreter, and reveal its mind and meaning; and the Christians hand should justifie his tongue, by turning his words into deeds: Though the right Christian is not a worshipper of Mercury, to whom tongues were only offered in sacrifice; yet with the Athenians he doth speak well, as with the Lacedemonians do well. The Burgesse of the new Ierusalem is known by this livery; He walketh uprightly, worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart; He sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not, Psal. 15. 2, 4.

1. 1Be righteous in thy words and expressions.

First, He speaketh the truth in his heart; His speech is the genuine and natural off-spring of his heart; there is a great resemblance between the Child and the Parent; That language which is confused, and not to be understood, speaks not a Citizen of Zion, but a builder of Babel or Babylon. When the words are spurious, and not the hearts own; like Abimelech, they destroy the Family of which they descend; sometimes that