THE PREFACE. HE Government of the Tongue has ever bin justly reputed one of the most im portant parts of human Regiment. The Philofopher and the Divine equally attest this; and Solomon (who was both) gives his fuffrage alfo; the perfwafions to, & encomiums of it taking up a confiderable part of bis book of Proverbs. I Jhall not therefore need to say any thing, to justifie my choice of this Subject, which has fo much better Authorities to commend it: I rather wish that it had not the fuperaddition of an accidental fitness grounded upon the universal neglect of it, it now seeming to be an art wholly out-dated. For tho fome lineaments of it may be met with in books, yet there is fcarce any footSteps of it in practice, where alone it can be fignificant. The attemt therefore of reviving it I am fure is feasonable, I wish it were half as eafy. 2. Indeed that skill was never very eafy, it requiring the greatest vigilance and caution, and therefore not to be attain'd by loofe trifling fpirits. The Tongue is fo flippery, that it eafy deceaves a droufy or heedlefs guard. Nature feems to have given it fome unhappy advantage towards that. 'Tis in its frame the most ready for motion of any member, needs not fo much as the flexure of a joint, and by access of humors acquires a glibnefs too, the more to facilitate its moving. And alas we too much find the effect of this its eafy frame: it often goes without giving us warning; and as children when they happen upon a rolling engine, can set it in fuch a carriere, as wifer people cannot on a Sudden ftop; fo the childish parts of us, our passions, our fancies, all our mere animal faculties can thrust our tongues into fuch difordres, as our reafon cannot easily rectify. The due managery therefore of this unruly member, member, may rightly be efteemed one of the greatest mysteries of Wisdom and Vertue. This is intimated by St. James, If any man offend not in word, the fame is a perfect man, and able alfo to bridle the whole body, Ja.3. 2. 'Tis ftoried of Bembo a primitive Chriftian, that coming to a friend to teach him a Pfalm, he began to him the thirty ninth, I faid I will look to my waies I offend not with my Tongue; upon hearing of which firft verfe, he stopt his Tutor, faying, This is enough for me, if I learn it as I ought; and being after fix months rebuk'd for not coming again, he replied, that he had not yet learnt his first lesson: nay after ninteen years he profest, that in that time he had foarce learnt to ful that |