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fide: he must be allowed to have more of that (which in this age is more then a counterpoife to honefty;) and as for vertue, the balance (as to the principal motive) seems to hang pretty even: 'tis the vice of Avarice that temts the one to flatter, and the vice of Pride that makes it acceptable to the other. The truth is, there is the bottom of the matter; 'tis that fecret confederate within, that exposes men to thofe affaults from without. We have generally fuch an appetite to praise, that we greedily fuck it in without ftaying to examine whether it belong to us or no, or whether it be defign'd as a kindness or an abufe. Other injuries rush upon us with violence, and give us notice of their approch: they may be faid to come like water into our bowels; but this like oil into our bones Pfa. 109, 18. penetrates eafily, undifcernibly, by help of that native propenfion we have to receive it. 'Tis therefore the near concern of all, especially of thofe whofe quality most exposes them, to keep a guard upon that trecherous inmate, not to let that step into the scale to make a base Sycophant out-weigh a true friend, and when ever they are attacqued with ex

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travagant Encomiums, let them fortify themselves with this Dilemma, Either they have thofe excellences they are praifed for, or they have not: if they have not, 'tis an apparent cheat and gull, and he is of a pittiful forlorn understanding that delights to be fool'd: but if they have, they are too good to be expofed to fuch worms who will inftantly wither the faireft gourd, Jon. 4.7.

For as it is faid of the Grand Signior, that no grafs growes where his horfe once treads: fo we may fay of the Flatterer, no vertue ever profpers where he is admitted: if he find any he hugs it 'till he ftifles it, if he find none, he fo indifpofes the foil, that no future feeds can ever take root. In fine, he is a mifchief beyond the defcription of any Character. O let not men then act this Part to themfelves by being their own parafites! and than 'twill be an easy thing *to escape all others. Sorair

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E have now feen fome effects of an ungovern'd Tongue, as they relate to God and our Neighbor. There is yet a third fort which reflect on a mans felf. So unboundedly mifchievous is that petulant member, that heaven and earth are not wide enough for its range, but it will find work at home too; and like the viper, that after it had devoured its companions, prei'd upon its felf, fo it corrodes inward, and becomes often as fatal to its owner, as to all the world befides.

2. OF this there are as many inftances, as there are imprudent things faid, for all fuch have the worst reflection upon the fpeaker: and therefore all that have given rules for civil life, have in order to it put very fevere restraints upon the Tongue, that it run not before the judgment. 'Twas the advice of Zeno

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Zeno to dip the Tongue in the mind before one should permit it to fpeak. Theophraftus ufed to fay, It was fafer trusting to an unbridled horfe, then to intemperate Speech. And daily experience confirms the Aphorifm; for thofe that fet no guard upon their Tongues, are hurried by them into a thousand indecences, and very often into reall confiderable mifchiefs. By this means men have proved their own delators, difcovered their own most important fecrets: and whereas their heart should have kept a lock upon their Tongue, they have given their Tongue the key of their heart, and the event has bin oft as unhappy as the proceeding was prepofterous. There are indeed fo many waies for men to lose themfelves in their talk, that I fhould do the like if I fhould pretend to trace them. Befides my fubject leads me not to difcourfe Ethically, but Chriftianly of the faults of the Tongue, and therefore I have all a long confidered the one no farther then it happens to be twisted with the other.

3. IN the prefent cafe I fhall infift only upon one fault of the Tongue, which partakes of both kinds, and it is at once

a vice and a folly, I mean that of Boasting and vaunting a mans self: a strain to which fome mens tongues have a wonderful glibnefs. No difcourfe can be adminiftred, but they will try to turn the Tide, and draw it all into their own Chanel, by entertaining you with long ftories of themselves: or if there be no room for that, they will at least screw in here and there fome intimations of what they did or faid. Yea fo ftupid a vanity is this,that it works alike upon all materials: not only their greater and more illustrious acts or fentences, but even their moft flight and trivial occurrences, by being theirs, they think acquire a confiderablenefs, and are forcibly impofed upon the company; the very dreams of fuch people ftrait commence prophefy, and are as feriously related, as if they were undoubted revelations. And fure if we reflect upon our Saviors rule, that Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth Speaketh, we cannot but think these men are very full of themfelves; and to be fo, is but another phrafe for being very Proud. So 'tis Pride in the heart, which is the fpring that feeds this perpetual current at the mouth, and under that notion we are to confider it. 4. AND

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