A65285:2538
A Body of Practical Divinity
A body of practical divinity consisting of above one hundred seventy six sermons on the lesser catechism composed by the reverend assembly of divines at Westminster : with a supplement of some sermons on several texts of Scripture / by Thomas Watson ...
London: printed for Thomas Parkurst, 1692
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The Tongue, which at first was made to be an Organ of God's Praise, is now become an Instrument of Unrighteousness. This Commandment binds the Tongue to its good Behaviour. God hath set two Fences to keep in the Tongue, the Teeth and Lips. And this Commandment is a Third Fence set about it, that it should not break forth into Evil: Thou shalt not bear False Witness against thy Neighbour. This Commandment hath a Prohibitory and a Mandatory Part. The First is set down in plain Words, the other is clearly implied.
The Tongue, which at first was made to be an Organ of God's Praise, is now become an Instrument of Unrighteousness. This Commandment binds the Tongue to its good Behaviour. God hath set two Fences to keep in the Tongue, the Teeth and Lips. And this Commandment is a Third Fence set about it, that it should not break forth into Evil: Thou shalt not bear False Witness against thy Neighbour. This Commandment hath a Prohibitory and a Mandatory Part. The First is set down in plain Words, the other is clearly implyed.
I. The Prohibitory Part of the Commandment, or what it forbids in general. It forbids any thing which may tend to the Disparagement or Prejudice of our Neighbour. More particularly, two things are forbidden in this Commandment. (1.) Slandering. (2.) False Witness.
(1.) Slandering our Neighbour. This is a Sin against the 9th Commandment. The Scorpion carries his Poison in his Tail, the Slanderer carries his Poison in his Tongue. Slandering, is to report things of others unjustly. Psal. 35.11. They laid things to my charge which I knew not. It is usual to bring in a Christian beheaded of his Good Name. They raised a Slander of Paul, that he should preach Men might do Evil that Good might come of it.