DISCOURSE XXXVI. PART I. MATTHEW Xii. 36. But I fay unto you, That every idle word that men shall Speak, they fhall give account thereof in the day of judg ment. It is very evident from the context, that our Sa viour's intention was to distinguish between the heinous offences of blafphemy, perjury, and the like, and the idle words mentioned in the text, as I fhall have occafion to obferve. We must therefore look among the more common and lefs crying fins of fpeech, to know what kind of words they are, which our Saviour threatens with an account at the day of judgment. Of these there are many forts: First, Idle words may denote words which proceed either from the vanity or the deceitfulness of men's minds; and this fenfe will take in all the empty boastings and great pretences of vanity and pride, and all the fly infinuations of craft and hypocrify; and there is no doubt to be made, but that men fhall be accountable for words of this kind at the day of judgment. Secondly, Idle words may comprehend the reports which proceed oftentimes from mere curiofity, and a defire of hearing and telling news, by which our neighbour fuffers in his credit or reputation; and questionless these words will be also remembered in the day of the Lord. Thirdly, Idle words may imply fuch words as are the impure conceptions of a polluted mind, which often pass for wit and entertainment among those who have learned to make a mock of fin. Under this head will be comprehended the filthiness and foolish talking and jefting, which the Apostle to the Ephefians would not have fo much as once named among Chriftians. Laftly, Idle words may fignify useless and infignificant words. This fenfe will comprehend a great part of the converfation of the world, which aims at nothing but present amusements; as if it were the bufinefs of a rational creature to divert his mind from thought and reflection. How far words of this kind, when attended with no other evil, may expose a man to guilt, is not eafily discerned; though I think it is evident at least, that a man may spend fo much of his time in idle or unprofitable words, as to render himself obnoxious to an account for the misuse and mifapplication of the reafon and speech with which his Maker has endowed him. These are the common fins of speech, which are comprehended under the general term of idle words, which, if persisted in, may prove of dangerous confequence to our fouls; for of every idle word we Speak we must give account thereof in the day of judg ment. What these fins are, I shall endeavour to represent to you in the following difcourfe, under the feveral heads already mentioned. And, Firft, By idle words we may understand fuch words as proceed generally from vanity or deceit, which will comprehend the pretences and plaufible speeches of the cunning, and the empty boastings of the vainglorious man. In both these cafes there is a want of truth, upon which we ought to build whatever we fay one to another. Truth and falfehood have the relation to each other of good and evil; and this is an effential difference, as we may learn from hence, that truth is the attribute of God, and confequently an effential good, and its oppofite, falfehood, must be likewise an effential evil; so that there always is evil where there is not truth. Truth likewife is a part of natural juftice which we owe to one another; for whenever we lie to our neighbour, we lead him into wrong notions either of perfons or things; and mistakes in either kind may prove prejudicial to him: fo that to speak truth to our neighbour is a branch of that justice by which we are obliged to do no man any wrong. I know many nice cafes have been put upon this queftion, whether we are always obliged to fpeak truth? And though fome have maintained, that truth may be dispensed with, when it is evidently for our friend's or neighbour's benefit that he should be kept in ignorance; yet it never was pretended, that vanity or cunning were fufficient excufes for the want of truth. Our Saviour tells us, that evil things proceed from an evil heart. Now the evil that lies at the heart of the vainglorious man is pride: he would fain appear to be fomething confiderable, and make a figure; and therefore truth fhall never ftop him from setting himself out, and afcribing to himself fuch honours or riches, fuch wit or courage, as he thinks may merit worship and respect in the world. There is no attempt that men are more generally unsuccessful in, than in this of praifing and extolling themselves. It is an headftrong vanity, that will not be confined to the prudent methods of hypocrify and diffimulation; but fhews itself so openly, as hardly ever to escape being discovered, and confequently feldom fails of reaping the fruit it juftly deferves, which is fcorn and contempt. And yet, in spite of the fin and folly and disappointment that attend upon it, pride will have its work; and whereever this evil has rooted in the heart, it will produce fin and folly in the mouth, fuch fin and folly as shall be remembered at the day of judgment. For the romances that pride and vainglory lead men to are capable of no excufe; and therefore offenders of this kind muft ftand liable to all the threatenings, which are denounced against those who take pleasure in a lie. But vanity may fometimes be the vice of men otherwise good and virtuous; and though they will not lie to gratify their humour, yet they will be very ready to do themselves juftice upon all occafions, and set forth the good they are confcious of in themselves to the best advantage. But even these are idle words, and men must answer for the praise and glory they affume to themselves. Befides, it is almoft impoffible to speak of ourselves and our own works with pleasure, and to keep within the bounds of modefty and difcretion, and not to expose the good we have done to be ridiculed and evil-spoken of by those who obferve our vanity and weakness. It is dangerous at all times to speak of ourselves: if we have done ill, either to excufe or deny it inflames the account; if we have done well, our Saviour tells us that we muft nevertheless call ourselves unprofitable fervants: and whether this rule be obe served by those who boast, and are always talking of the good they do, let any man judge. Our Saviour's advice about charity holds in all other cafes of the like nature; our left hand must not know the charity our right hand does; and whatever else we do that may feem good in our own eyes fhould at least be kept from our tongue's end, for fear we should be found in the number of thofe, who take to themfelves the praise that is due to God alone. One awkward way that fome men have of letting others know what good they have done, is by perpetually leffening and difcommending in themselves what, in their private thoughts, they think others ought to admire. But there is little difference between pride and affected humility; and whenever men delight to talk of themselves, it is to be fufpected that pride and vanity direct them to the choice of the fubject, though it may appear perhaps in the disguise of meeknefs and humility. If you think that you have done nothing worthy of praise or admiration, whence arises your jealousy that the world should overvalue you? and why all this care to leffen and debase yourself, unless you are conscious to yourself of something that in reason you |