392 "The Wisdom of GOD Part IL 



Calumny hath reached, to whom the Vindication 

 probably will not extend, the Pravity of Man's 

 Nature being more apt to fpread and divulge an 

 ill Report than to flop and lilence it. I might 

 inftance in flattering of others and boafting of 

 ourfelves, for two Abufes of Speech^but they may 

 both be referred to lying, the one to pleafe others, 

 and puft them up with Self-conceit, and a falfe 

 Opinion, that they have fome excellent Quality 

 or Endowment, which they want, or have not 

 in fuch a degree, or that they are better thought 

 of by others than indeed they are, and more ho- 

 noured ; the other, to gain more Honour than is 

 due to ourfelves. Neither yet is boafting only 

 of what we have not, but alfo what we have, 

 condemned and difallow'd by God and Men, as 

 being contrary to that Humility and Modefty 

 that ought to be in us, Prov. xxvii. 2. Let aito- 

 ther Man praife thee^ and not thine own Mouthy 

 a Stranger^ and not thine own Lips, And Mora* 

 lifts proceed fo far as to cenfure all unneceflary 

 'Tn^oLVTXiTKoyict^ that is, talking of a Man's felf, 



Fourthly, Obfcene and impure Words are ano- 

 ther vicious Effe(5t of the Tongue ; thofe are 

 principally the (toli^^\ Ko')s>iy rotten Speeches the 

 Apoftle fpeaks of, Eph, v. 29. fuch ^s chafte Ears 

 abhor, which tend only to the depraving and 

 corrupting the Hearers, and are to be ftudioufly 

 1 ^ ar\c} 



