The Government of the Tongue
The Government of the Tongue
by Richard Allestree
(1676)
The rare first edition of Allestree’s guide to ethical speech, Government of the Tongue, a lesson in morality with a severe regard to the faults and follies of others, and therefore, an improvement upon our own disposition. “Hold your tongue when nothing good can come from the words of criticism and condemnation of them.” It is full of moral advice and instruction about correct judgement. Among the many subjects he treats are: the manifold abuse of speech, lying, uncharitable truth, of flattery and boasting and obscene talk. He closes with ten specific “lessons” on how to proceed through one’s life while being able to commit to the positive utilization of the general rules of morality as well as their specific (and numerous) exceptions.
Allestree (1619-1681), a noted tutor, was later professor of Divinity at Oxford and provost of Eton College. As an ardent royalist, he took up arms for the king, and performed all duties of a common soldier. He was frequently seen holding a musket in one hand and a book in the other. He is noted “as a man of extensive learning, of moderate views, generous and charitable, of a solid and masculine kindness, and of a temper hot, but completely under control” (Encyclopedia Britannica, I, p. 694).
CONTENTS of Government of the Tongue
Section 1. Of the Use of Speech.
Section 2. Of the manifold Abuse of Speech.
Section 3. Of Atheistical Discourse.
Section 4. Of Detraction.
Section 5. Of Lying Defamation.
Section 6. Of Uncharitable Truth.
Section 7. Of Scoffing and Derision.
Section 8. Of Flattery.
Section 9. Of Boasting.
Section 10. Of Querulousness.
Section 11. Of Positiveness.
Section 12. Of Obscene Talk.
The Close.
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Divine use of Sickness
CP34 Divine use of Sickness
Read this tract by Pastor Cox about the divine use of sickness explains how God works with sickness to remind man of his limited time on earth, the consequences of sin, etc.
In this tract Pastor Cox explains how God positively uses sickness to help us turn our thoughts and attention to the eternal. We get so involved in our daily lives sometimes that we forget that our life is but a vapor on this earth, soon to no longer be. God uses sickness as a severe warning that our time is running out, and we need to live as though every moment has a forward view towards eternity. How we spend our life is important.
Sections:
1. Understanding that God is God
2. Sickness because of Sin
3. Warning about approaching Death
4. Warning about Human weakness
5. The Error of the Sick
6. God listens to those who ask in sincerity
Job 13:15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
There is an attitude within much of Christianity that sickness in any form is bad, and God does not have anything to do with it. For these Christans, they ask God to take the sickness away, and sometimes (as though it was their right to be health) that they demand God to remove their sickness. The reality of life is that they continue ill, and many have a crisis of faith over this. For them, God is impotent, or God does not love them. In other words, their confidence, faith, and love of God depends on God always sending them good things. But this is not how the Bible indicates life is. God uses calamity and sickness for His own purposes and we have to understand this (and accept it).Please support our tract ministry by donating on the tract website (see sidebar). Because of your donations we can offer these tracts online, and for free. Read the Tract CH34
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Old Carpenter Tools of his Trade is an explanation of why I, Pastor-Missionary David Cox, write my own materials like tracts, books, sermons, Sunday School material, etc. We produce the material that we use in our ministry and also for evangelism.
Read the short article: Old Carpenter Tools of his Trade.