wholesome tongue is a tree of life; but perverseness therein is a breach of the spirit.

I could quote many passages of holy writ to the same purport, not one of which is to be despised or neglected; such as, "A word fitly spoken, is like apples of

gold in pictures of silver."

The words

of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened in sure places by the masters of the assemblies." 66 Let, therefore, no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth; but that which is good to the use of edifying." "Be ye filled with the spirit, speaking among yourselves mutually." "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another." All these are maxims bearing the same stamp, and from the very highest source.

Let us, then, endeavour to dispose ourselves to an exercise so salutary. We can never be at a loss for materials, having the whole Scriptures of truth before us. We may converse on the

failings and virtues of the patriarchs of old, and how the judgments and mercies of God were exercised toward them and their families. We may trace the history of the most wonderful people that ever inhabited the face of the globe, the prophecies concerning them, and their extraordinary fulfilment. All the prophecies concerning our Saviour, from the day that man first fell in Paradise, to that in which the Son of the Highest came in the likeness of sinful flesh to save us. Such communications can hardly fail to warm our hearts with the love of God, love to one another, give us the command of our passions, and bend us to the practice of righteousness. We might farther enlarge on the nature and beauty of every Christian virtue, the obligations to the practice of it derived from the light of nature, and strengthened by revelation of the love and gospel of Jesus. Indulge, then, in this heavenly conversation, and you shall ever bless

the day that made you acquainted with such friends; for in very deed a wholesome tongue is a tree of life; but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

102

SERMON IV.

SOLDIERS.

"From whence come wars and fighting among you? Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye harm one to another?

But

IN the holy Scriptures, innumerable reasons are suggested to prevail on men to repress every angry passion, to persuade them to do justly, to love mercy, walk humbly, cultivate the kind affections, and cherish the spirit of benevolence. though we were at first made upright, we have sought out many inventions, and, alas! how many of these have been evil ones! All men are formed and upheld by the same common Father; therefore they are brethren; for he hath formed of one blood all the kindreds of the earth. Ye are all, then, brethren; why do ye harm one to another? If princes,

before they commit any atrocious act of public injustice; if lawgivers, before they rashly enact any law leading to oppression, slavery, and blood, would but take time. to consider, pause, and think, before they pass the Rubicon; just recollect simply that all men are their brethren, and that they are accountable creatures,—what carnage, what misery of the human race might often be saved!

But princes and great men, who are the means of stirring up wars and commotions among their fellow-men, generally live in luxury in their palaces, far from the battle's alarm, and are but little sensible of the miseries that accompany the wars which they themselves have raised: even the people in common life are not, I am certain, apprised half enough of the horrors which accompany it; for as soon as we are able to attend to any thing, we hear and read about war and all the barbarous acts of destruction, until we become not only familiar with