I answer, Morall wisdome may teach persons the vanity and grosse wickednesse of the Tongue, but onely Gods spirit (and strength of it) doth teach Gods children, in true feare and love of God, not onely to restraine from vaine and foolish, but also to attaine to a spirituall and heavenly Language.
Lastly, It argues strength and life and Grace in Christ, when our hearts by Gods spirit are wrought to such a degree of hatred of sin, that we not onely abhor the acts thereof, but also fly and shun the looks and appearance of it; so that we not only fly pride and passion, and covetousnesse and uncleannesse, but also the appearance of them.
Hence Boaz, when Ruth lay downe at his feet in the night, as claiming marriage by right, he not only refrained from uncleannesse, or uncleane touches, but also he gravely advised her to be gone so early in the morning, that no man should say there came a woman into the floar.
Object. But may not worldly persons not only avoid sin, but also the appearance of it?
Only Gods children can truly hate sin.
I answer, No worldly or unregenerate person can truly hate sin, or the appearance of it, for it is his nature and Element, they can onely hate the dammages and disgrace, and discredit of it, and so a Whore may hate whoredome. 'Tis only the property of Gods children, and the new-borne to hate sin as sin, with the sinfull appearances of it as opposite to their new and heavenly nature in Jesus Christ.
I now come to the third head of the tryals of spirituall health and strength, and that respects our conversation with men, in which
Christ and Christians worke to glorify God in doing good.
First I argue, that it is a strong argument of a strong constitution and spirituall health, when we can make it our worke and trade, to aime at glorifying our Maker in doing good to men.