2. By Silence, or not reproving sin. A man may sin by speaking, and he may sin by silence. This silence, when sin is committed, speaks thy consent to it. It was a speech […], That he had often repented of speaking, but never of holding his peace; but there is a sinful holding the peace, as well as a sinful speaking; Its bad to hold the breath long. Nicodemus, though he was at first fearful, 1and wore the badge of his profession under his cloak (out of sight) yet when he was amongst the enemies of Christ, he took courage, and would not by his silence betray his Saviour, and wrong his own soul, Joh. 7. 50, 51. Its a sign of little love, to see men wounding by Oaths and Blasphemies, or Scoffs and Jeers our best friend, and not to wish them to forbear, and do our utmost to take them off. Dion writes of Severus, that he was careful what he did, but careless what he heard; but the good Christian is careful of the latter, as well as the former; knowing that sin may enter in at that Casement, and remembering that the Cannon Bullet which split the Vessel, in which all the hopes of mankind were embarked, was shot in at that Port-hole. The Crocodile, because he hath no use of a tongue, living always in the waters, hath none; but God hath given Man a tongue, and calls it his glory, Psa. 16. 9. with Act. 2. 26. partly ⟨p. 166⟩because speech is one thing, wherein men excel Beasts; Brute creatures can make a noise, but man only articulate his voice, partly because it is given him to glorify God withal; It is pity he should ever open his lips, whose mouth will not show forth Gods praise. Thou canst usually no way better clear thy self, then by condemning the sin to the very face of the sinner. As the World thinks of God when he is silent, and doth not destroy them with the breath of his mouth; so the wicked think of the godly, when they are silent and do not open their mouths to reprove them; These things thou didst, and I kept silence, thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self, Psa. 50. 21. Silence in the presence of sin, implieth a liking of it; though thou sayest not Euge (saith Austin) yet if thou sayest not Apage, 2there is a mutual approbation; Nay, he goeth farther and saith, Pejor es tacendo quam ille convitiando, thy silence is more dangerous to thee then his sin to him.
2. By Silence, or not reproving sin. A man may sin by speaking, and he may sin by silence. This silence, when sin is com•i•ted, speaks thy consent to it. It was a speech 〈…〉, That he had often repented of speaking, but never of holding his peace; but there is a sinful holding the peace, as well as a sinful speaking; Its bad to hold the breath long. Nicodemus, though he was at first fearful, 1and wore the badge of his profession under his cloak (out of sight) yet when he was amongst the enemies of Christ, he took courage, and would not by his silence betray his Saviour, and wrong his own soul, Ioh. 7. 50, 51. Its a sign of little love, to see men wounding by Oaths and Blasphemies, or Scoffs and Jears our best friend, and not to wish them to forbear, and do our utmost to take them off. Dion writes of Severus, that he was careful what he did, but careless what he heard; but the good Christian is careful of the latter, as well as the former; knowing that sin may enter in at that Casement, and remembring that the Cannon Bullet which split the Vessel, in which all the hopes of mankind were embarqued, was shot in at that Port-hole. The Crocodile, because he hath no use of a tongue, living always in the waters, hath none; but God hath given Man a tongue, and calls it his glory, Psa. 16. 9. with Act. 2. 26. partly ⟨p. 166⟩because speech is one thing, wherein men excel Beasts; Brute creatures can make a noise, but man onely articulate his voice, partly because it is given him to glorifie God withal; It is pity he should ever open his lips, whose mouth will not shew forth Gods praise. Thou canst usually no way better clear thy self, then by condemning the sin to the very face of the sinner. As the World thinks of God when he is silent, and doth not destroy them with the breath of his mouth; so the wicked think of the godly, when they are silent and do not open their mouths to reprove them; These things thou didst, and I kept silence, thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self, Psa. 50. 21. Silence in the presence of sin, implyeth a liking of it; though thou sayst not Euge (saith Austin) yet if thou sayst not Apage, 2
- 1Cons•n•ire est sile e••m arguere p•ssis, Bernard.
- 2Aug. in Mat. 16.
