HAVING thus far cleansed the fountain of my heart, with regard to my thoughts and affections, which are the immediate issues of my active soul, the next thing incumbent upon me, is to regulate my outward conversation, both with respect to my words and actions. As to the first, the holy Scripture assures me, that the tongue is ‘a world of iniquity.’ And again, that ‘it is an unruly evil, which no man can tame.’¹⁷¹¹⁷¹   James, iii. 6, 8. But is it, indeed, so unruly? Then there is the more occasion to have it governed and subdued; and, since that is not to be done by man alone, it is still more necessary, that I should call in the assistance of that divine Spirit that gives this character of it, first to fix my resolutions, and then to strengthen me in the performance of them. I steadfastly purpose to imitate the royal psalmist in this particular, and ‘to take heed to my ways, that I offend not with my tongue.’¹⁷²¹⁷²   Psalm xxxix. 1. Yea, I am resolved, with holy Job, ‘that all the while my breath, and the Spirit of God, is in my nostrils, my lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.’¹⁷³¹⁷³   Job, xxvii. 3, 4. But, since it is such an unruly instrument, so very difficult to be bridled or restrained, do thou, O God, who first mutest it, enable me to get the mastery of! ‘Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and keep the door of my lips,’ that, with St. Paul, ‘I may speak forth the words of truth and soberness,’ and make this unruly evil a 159happy instrument of much good! Which that I may do,