2. Ancient people, whose words should be grave and wise, and full of instruction to suppress the levity of youth; childhood and youth is vanity; but age should not be so.[547]
3. Parents and masters, who should be examples of gravity and staidness to their families; and by their reproofs and chastisements should repress such faults in their inferiors.
4. Those that are better qualified than others, with knowledge and utterance, to use their tongues to edification. Vain speech is a double sin in them.
5. Those that are noted for persons of holiness and religion: for it is supposed, that they pray and speak much against idle talk, and therefore must not themselves be guilty of it. "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain," James i. 26. (See my sermon on that text.)
6. Those that are ignorant, and need much the edifying speech of others.
7. Those that live among wise and holy persons, by whom they may be much edified.
8. Those that are among twattlers, where they know they have more need to watch their tongues, than their purses among cut-purses.
9. Those (women especially) that are naturally addicted to over-much talk, who therefore should be the more watchful, as knowing their disease and danger.
10. Both empty and angry persons, who carry a continual temptation about them. All these should be specially watchful against idle talk.
And for the time, 1. Specially when they are among those that may receive most hurt by it. 2. And when you are going to holy duty, or newly come from it, &c.