Of the general means of ruling the Tongue.: A Golden Chain by William Perkins | AskReformation

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:3402p. 713–714

Faith purifieth the heart by a particular applying of Christ crucified with all his merits. Elisha when he went up and lay upon the dead child, and put his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands, ¹and stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child waxed warm. Afterward Elisha rose and spread himself upon him the second time: ²then the child neezed seven times and opened ⟨p. 714⟩his eyes. So must a man by faith even spread himself upon the cross of Christ, applying hands and feet to his pierced hands and feet, & his wretched heart to Christs bleeding heart, and then he shall feel himself warmed by the heat of Gods spirit, and sin from day to day crucified with Christ, & his dead heart quickened & revived. And this applying which faith maketh, is done by a kind of reasoning, which faith maketh thus. Hath god of his mercy given his own son to be my Saviour, to shed his blood for me? and hath he of his mercy granted unto me the pardon of all my sins? I will therefore endeavour to keep my heart and my life unblameable that I do not offend him hereafter in word or deed, as I have done heretofore.

Faith purifieth the heart by a particular applying of Christ crucified with all his merits. Elisha when he went vp and lay vpon the dead child, and put his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes vpon his eyes, and his hands vpon his hands, ¹and stretched himselfe vpon him, the flesh of the child waxed warme. Afterward Elisha rose and spread himselfe vpon him the second time: ²then the child neezed seuen times and opened ⟨p. 714⟩his eies. So must a man by faith euen spread himselfe vpon the crosse of Christ, applying handes and feete to his pierced handes and feete, & his wretched heart to Christs bleeding heart, and then he shall feele himselfe warmed by the heat of Gods spirit, and sinne from day to day crucified with Christ, & his dead heart quickened & reuiued. And this applying which faith maketh, is done by a kind of reasoning, which faith maketh thus. Hath god of his mercie giuen his own sonne to be my Sauiour, to shed his blood for me? and hath he of his mercie graunted vnto me the pardon of all my sinnes? I will therfore endeauour to keepe my heart and my life vnblameable that I doe not offend him hereafter in word or deede, as I haue done heretofore.

12. king. 4.24.
2vers. 35.

:3403p. 714

¹The language of Canaan is, whereby a man endued with the spirit of adoption, unfeignedly calleth upon the name of God in Christ, and so consequently doth as it were, familiarly talk and speak with God. This language must needs be learned, that the tongue may be well governed. For man must first be able to talk with God, before he can be able wisely to talk with man. For this cause when men are to have communication one with another, they are first of all to be careful that they often make their prayers to God that he would guide and bless them in their speeches, as David did, Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and keep the door of my lips. And again, O Lord open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise. ²Where we may see, that the mouth is, as it were locked up from speaking any good thing, until the Lord open it. And Paul having the gift of ordering his tongue in wonderful measure,³ yet desireth the Ephesians to pray for him, that utterance might be given him, and good reason, because God ruleth the tongue.

¹The language of Canaan is, whereby a man endued with the spirit of adoption, vnfainedly calleth vpon the name of God in Christ, and so consequently doth as it were, familiarly talke and speake with God. This language must needes be learned, that the tongue may be well gouerned. For man must first be able to talke with God, before he can be able wisely to talke with man. For this cause when men are to haue communication one with another, they are first of all to bee carefull that they often make their praiers to God that hee would guide and blesse them in their speeches, as Dauid did, Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and keepe the doore of my lippes. And againe, O Lord open thou my lippes, and my mouth shall shewe forth thy praise. ²Where we may see, that the mouth is, as it were locked vp from speaking any good thing, vntill the Lord open it. And Paul hauing the gift of ordering his tongue in wonderful measure,³ yet desireth the Ephesians to pray for him, that vtterance might be giuē him, and good reason, because God ruleth the tongue.